Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/186



108 THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OP OREGON

small-pox. Listen to me now ; I am the Small-pox Chief. I have the small-pox liere in this bottle. If I should pull out this cork, and send it forth among you, you would all be dead men in a minute. But this is for my enemies and not for my friends." The trick was a charm. The Indians begged that the-cork be not pulled; the threatened attack on the fort was not made, and beaver pelts came in the next day in vast quantities.

And now is reached the last chapter in Astor's ill-fated venture to Astoria. After planting trading posts at many available points in the interior and doing a large and profitable business with the Indians for two years throughout much of the territory of the present states of Oregon, "Washington and Idaho, together with a large trade with the Russians in Alaska, Astor's partners and managers in Oregon were compelled to take the alternative to fight, fly or sell out to their rival, the Northwest Company. The firet overture came from John George McTavish, who came down the Columbia river flying the British flag on April 11, 1813. ^Yar had already been declared by the Congress of the Uuited States on June 17, 1812, and several battles had been fought. The representatives of the Northwest Company in Oregon had been promptly notified bj' express runner from Canada, which information had been by them passed on to the Astorians. It was impossible for Astor to send his company in Oregon any relief, and Hunt and the other partners were compelled to act wholly on their own responsibility. There can be no doubt that the Northwest Company were cpiite ready to drive a hard bargain not only to get rid of the Astor competition in Oregon, but also get the Astoria stock of furs at a big profit. But they had also to take their chances in the game so far as getting the furs were concerned. The British government had set afloat a fleet of privateers to prey on American commerce, and the cap- ture of Astoria would have made a British privateer sea captain a very rich man. Privateers were already on their way to the mouth of the Columbia river to seize Astoria ; and McTavish of the Northwest Company was aware of the fact. The Astorians could not stand out against a war vessel and must surrender if one ■ came ; or thej' must ship all their goods away to the interior, hide and take the chances of the Indians, led by white men, massacring their whole party to get the rich plunder. The Scotchmen of the Northwest Company being sub.iects of Great Britain, the British privateer could not take their property. So that the Northwest Company was put to the test of making such an offer to the Astorians as they would accept c|uiekly, or see a British privateer captiire the post and get the Astoria plunder for nothing. Nothing worries the real genuine Scotch trader so much as to have a chance to make a profit and then see another step in and take it. Every time he will take a small profit on a stire thing rather than run the risk of gaining a large profit on a gamble. Tlie British war vessels may come at any time; the chances are all in favor of their coming; if they do come they will take everything as their lawful prize. These considerations laid heavy on the hearts of the men on both sides of the bargain counter. Finally they agreed, and the whole stock of goods, furs and equipment at Astoria, and at all interior points belonging to the Pacific Pur Comi^anj' was sold to the Northwest Com- pany on October 16, 1813, for actual cost and ten per cent advance thereon. The sale amounted to $80,500.00 and the Astor people got drafts on Canada for their money. The Astor Company lost nothing but the profits on its furs, and the breaking up of their business, but that. was probably worth a million dollars.