Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/796

Rh Douglas to S. N. Castle of Honolulu; but no mention of help is made in the Hawaiian journals. The brig Henry, which left the Columbia River about the middle of March, did not reach San Francisco until the 12th of April, whence she sailed for Mazatlan with government stores required by the troops in Mexico. In the mean time the United States transport Anita, S. E. Woodworth commanding, with the military commander of the northern district of California, Major J. A. Hardie, on board, paid a visit to the Columbia River for the purpose of raising recruits for the army in Mexico, an errand which proved fruitless for obvious reasons.

So slow were the means of communication that the letters of Governor Abernethy were not received until June, nor were the munitions of war asked for sent to the Columbia River until the return of the Henry on the 9th of August, when the volunteers were disbanded. So far as the conduct of the war was concerned, the delay was rather fortunate than otherwise. Had there been ample means at hand when the fighting spirit was at its height, a general and bloody conflict would have been the result. Both volunteers and Indians being short of ammunition, caution on each side became a necessity, and averted the spilling of much blood.

The United States Indian agent for Oregon, Charles E. Pickett, who was in California when the first in-