Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/300

Rh The loss of the Peacock inside of the bar gave Wilkes a bad opinion of the entrance to the Columbia River, and his account from first to last, being anything but flattering to the commercial prospects of the country, was particularly displeasing to those who were endeavoring to encourage trade. Finally, if anything may be certainly known from Wilkes' report of the colony, or the colonist's opinion of Wilkes, it is that he considered his visit uncalled for, from a political point of view, and that they felt themselves badly treated because that was his opinion.

Late in August a company was organized by Lieutenant Emmons of Wilkes' expedition for an overland exploring tour to California. The party consisted of eighteen officers and men, a number of the settlers, and certain immigrants.

Wilkes remained in the country until October, supplying the place of the lost Peacock by chartering the Thomas H. Perkins, an American vessel which arrived in the river with a cargo of liquor. To prevent its being sold to the Indians, the cargo had been purchased by McLoughlin, who also bought the charter; the latter he now sold at a low figure to Wilkes, who changed the vessel's name to the Oregon.

He sailed for California on the 5th, leaving of his command but one person, a negro cook named Saul, who deserted when the Peacock was wrecked, and settled near the mouth of the Columbia.