Page:Oregon, her history, her great men, her literature.djvu/59

56 upon the disputed territory of Oregon. The site of the fort was about one hundred yards south of the shore line of the bay inland from the O. R. N. docks. A store house was built and the supplies landed. The significance of the founding of Astoria as viewed at that time is fully explained in a communication from President Jefferson to John Jacob Astor, at follows:

"I considered as a great public acquisition the commencement of a settlement on that point of the western coast of North America, and looked forward with gratification to the time when its descendants should have spread themselves through the whole length of that coast, covering it with free and independent Americans, unconnected with us except by the ties of blood and interest, and enjoying like us the rights of self-government."

Tragedy of the "Tonquin." On the fifth of June, before the fort was completed. Captain Thorne sailed northward to Clayoquot harbor, near the Strait of Fuca, to engage in trade with the Indians and to cultivate friendly relations with the Russian settlements. Like Christopher Columbus, Captain Thorne of the "Tonquin" was an able navigator; but, like Columbus, he did not know how to govern civilized men. and knew less how to deal with savages. Consequently while his ship was in Clayoquot harbor in search of fur trade, the Captain needlessly offended one of the leading chiefs whereupon the natives returned to their village. Early the next day, however, about five hundred came back, their pretended friendship concealing murderous designs. They fell upon the unsuspecting crew killing all but five. Four of these vs-ere captured upon making an effort to escape, while the fifth, who was wounded, remained on board ship. It is believed that like Samson of old, the wounded man in a final effort destroyed himself and his enemies; for the good ship, crowded with the enemy, was blown to atoms by an ignited powder magazine. Not