Astoria; Or, Anecdotes of an Enterprise Beyond the Rocky Mountains by Irving (top romance novels .TXT) 📗

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ASTORIA; OR, ANECDOTES OF AN ENTERPRISE
BEYOND THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS By Washington Irving

CONTENTS

AUTHOR’S INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I. -- Objects of American Enterprise.—Gold Hunting and Fur Trading.—Their Effect on Colonization.—Early French Canadian Settlers.—Ottawa and Huron Hunters.—An Indian Trading Camp. Coureurs Des Bois, or Rangers of the Woods.—Their Roaming Life.—Their Revels and Excesses.—Licensed Traders. Missionaries.—Trading Posts.—Primitive French Canadian Merchant.—His Establishment and Dependents.—British Canadian Fur Merchant.—Origin of the Northwest Company.—Its Constitution.—Its Internal Trade.—A Candidate for the Company.—Privations in the Wilderness.—Northwest Clerks. Northwest Partners.—Northwest Nabobs.—Feudal Notions in the Forests.—The Lords of the Lakes.—Fort William.—Its Parliamentary Hall and Banqueting Room.—Wassailing in the Wilderness.

CHAPTER II. -- Rise of the Mackinaw Company.—Attempt of the American Government to Counteract Foreign Influence Over the Indian Tribes.—John Jacob Astor.—His Birth-Place.—His Arrival in the United States.—What First Turned His Attention to the Fur Trade.—His Character, Enterprises, and Success.—His Communications With the American Government.—Origin of the American Fur Company

CHAPTER III. -- Fur Trade in the Pacific—American Coasting Voyages—Russian Enterprises.—Discovery of the Columbia River.—Carver’s Project to Found a Settlement There.—Mackenzie’s Expedition.—Lewis and Clarke’s Journey Across the Rocky Mountains—Mr. Astor’s Grand Commercial Scheme.—His Correspondence on the Subject With Mr. Jefferson.—His Negotiations With the Northwest Company.—His Steps to Carry His Scheme Into Effect.

CHAPTER IV. -- Two Expeditions Set on Foot.—The Tonquin and Her Crew.— Captain Thorn, His Character.—The Partners and Clerks— Canadian Voyageurs, Their Habits, Employments, Dress, Character, Songs—Expedition of a Canadian Boat and Its Crew by Land and Water.—Arrival at New York.—Preparations for a Sea Voyage.—Northwest Braggarts.—Underhand Precautions— Letter of Instructions.

CHAPTER V. -- Sailing of the Tonquin.—A Rigid Commander and a Reckless Crew.—Landsmen on Shipboard.—Fresh-Water Sailors at Sea.— Lubber Nests.—Ship Fare.—A Labrador Veteran—Literary Clerks.-Curious Travellers.—Robinson Crusoe’s Island.— Quarter-Deck Quarrels.—Falkland Islands.—A Wild-Goose Chase.—Port Egmont.-Epitaph Hunting.—Old Mortality— Penguin Shooting.—Sportsmen Left in the Lurch.—A Hard Pull.—Further Altercations.—Arrival at Owyhee.

CHAPTER VI. -- Owyhee.—Sandwich Islanders—Their Nautical Talents.— Tamaahmaah.—His Navy.—His Negotiations.—Views of Mr. Astor With Respect to the Sandwich Islands—Karakakooa.— Royal Monopoly of Pork.-Description of the Islanders— Gayeties on Shore.—Chronicler of the Island.—Place Where Captain Cook was Killed.—John Young, a Nautical Governor.—His Story.—Waititi—A Royal Residence.—A Royal Visit—Grand Ceremonials.—Close Dealing—A Royal Pork Merchant—Grievances of a Matter-of-Fact Man.

CHAPTER VII. -- Departure From the Sandwich Islands.—Misunderstandings— Miseries of a Suspicious Man.—Arrival at the Columbia— Dangerous Service.—Gloomy Apprehensions—Bars and Breakers.—Perils of the Ship. Disasters of a Boat’s Crew.— Burial of a Sandwich Islander.

CHAPTER VIII. -- Mouth of the Columbia.—The Native Tribes.—Their Fishing.— Their Canoes.—Bold Navigators—Equestrian Indians and Piscatory Indians, Difference in Their Physical Organization.—Search for a Trading Site.—Expedition of M’Dougal and David Stuart-Comcomly, the One-Eyed Chieftain.— Influence of Wealth in Savage Life.—Slavery Among the Natives.-An Aristocracy of Flatheads.-Hospitality Among the Chinooks—Comcomly’s Daughter.—Her Conquest.

CHAPTER IX. -- Point George—Founding of Astoria—Indian Visitors.—Their Reception.—The Captain Taboos the Ship.—Departure of the Tonquin.—Comments on the Conduct of Captain Thorn.

CHAPTER X. -- Disquieting Rumors From the Interior.—Reconnoitring Party— Preparations for a Trading Post.—An Unexpected Arrival—A Spy in the Camp.—Expedition Into the Interior—Shores of the Columbia—Mount Coffin.—Indian Sepulchre.—The Land of Spirits—Columbian Valley—Vancouver’s Point.-Falls and Rapids.—A Great Fishing Mart.—The Village of Wishram.— Difference Between Fishing Indians and Hunting Indians— Effects of Habits of Trade on the Indian Character.—Post Established at the Oakinagan.

CHAPTER XI. -- Alarm at Astoria.—Rumor of Indian Hostilities.— Preparations for Defense.—Tragic Fate of the Tonquin.

CHAPTER XII. -- Gloom at Astoria—An Ingenious Stratagem.—The Small-Pox Chief.—Launching of the Dolly.-An Arrival.—A Canadian Trapper.-A Freeman of the Forest—An Iroquois Hunter.— Winter on the Columbia.-Festivities of New Year.

CHAPTER XIII. -- Expedition by Land.—Wilson P. Hunt.—His Character.—Donald M’Kenzie.—Recruiting Service Among the Voyageurs.—A Bark Canoe.—Chapel of St. Anne.-Votive Offerings.—Pious Carousals,—A Ragged Regiment.-Mackinaw.—Picture of a Trading Post.—Frolicking Voyageurs.—Swells and Swaggerers.— Indian Coxcombs.—A Man of the North.—Jockeyship of Voyageurs—Inefficacy of Gold.-Weight of a Feather—Mr. Ramsay Crooks—His Character.—His Risks Among the Indians.— His Warning Concerning Sioux and Blackfeet.—Embarkation of Recruits.—Parting Scenes Between Brothers, Cousins, Wives, Sweethearts, and Pot Companions.

CHAPTER XIV. -- St. Louis.—Its Situation.—Motley Population.—French Creole Traders and Their Dependants.—Missouri Fur Company— Mr. Manuel Lisa.—Mississippi Boatmen.—Vagrant Indians. —Kentucky Hunters—Old French Mansion—Fiddling—Billiards —Mr. Joseph Miller—His Character—Recruits—Voyage Up the Missouri.—Difficulties of the River.—Merits of Canadian Voyageurs.-Arrival at the Nodowa.—Mr. Robert M’Lellan joins the Party—John Day, a Virginia Hunter. Description of Him. —Mr. Hunt Returns to St. Louis.

CHAPTER XV. -- Opposition of the Missouri Fur Company.-Blackfeet Indians.— Pierre Dorion, a Half-Breed Interpreter.—Old Dorion and His Hybrid Progeny—Family Quarrels.—Cross Purposes Between Dorion and Lisa.—Renegadoes From Nodowa.—Perplexities of a Commander.—Messrs. Bradbury and Nuttall Join the Expedition.-Legal Embarrassments of Pierre Dorion.— Departure From St. Louis.—Conjugal Discipline of a Half- Breed.—Annual Swelling of the Rivers.-Daniel Boone, the Patriarch of Kentucky.-John Colter.-His Adventures Among the Indians.-Rumors of Danger Ahead.-Fort Osage.-An Indian War- Feast.-Troubles in the Dorion Family.—Buffaloes and Turkey- Buzzards.

CHAPTER XVI. -- Return of Spring.—Appearance of Snakes.—Great Flights of Wild Pigeons.—Renewal of the Voyage.—Night Encampments.— Platte River.—Ceremonials on Passing It.—Signs of Indian War Parties.—Magnificent Prospect at Papillion Creek.— Desertion of Two Hunters.—An Irruption Into the Camp of Indian Desperadoes.—Village of the Omahas.—Anecdotes of the Tribe.—Feudal Wars of the Indians.—Story of Blackbird, the Famous Omaha Chief.

CHAPTER XVII. -- Rumors of Danger From the Sioux Tetons.—Ruthless Character of Those Savages.—Pirates of the Missouri.—Their Affair with Crooks and M’Lellan.—A Trading Expedition Broken Up.— M’Lellan’s Vow of Vengeance.—Uneasiness in the Camp.— Desertions.-Departure From the Omaha Village.—Meeting With Jones and Carson, two Adventurous Trappers.—Scientific Pursuits of Messrs. Bradbury and Nuttall.—Zeal of a Botanist.—Adventure of Mr. Bradbury with a Ponca Indian.— Expedient of the Pocket Compass and Microscope.—A Messenger From Lisa.—Motives for Pressing Forward.

CHAPTER XVIII. -- Camp Gossip.—Deserters.—Recruits.—Kentucky Hunters.—A Veteran Woodman.—Tidings of Mr. Henry.-Danger From the Blackfeet.—Alteration of Plans.—Scenery of the River.— Buffalo Roads.—Iron Ore.—Country of the Sioux.—A Land of Danger.-apprehensions