Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/299

 SURRENDER AT ASTORIA IN 1818 281 Perhaps I have gone too much into detail; but it appeared to me that, by exhibiting the importance of the position only, I should not have fulfilled the object of the President; that it was equally incumbent on me to present a view of the country, of its inhabitants, of its resources, of its approach, and of its means of defence. I shall now conclude with the relation of an occurence which may and ought to influence the course to be adopted and pursued as to this station. The speculations of Humboldt, and his glowing description of the soil and climate of this province, have probably given new direction to the ambition of Russia, and determined its Emperor to the acquisition of empire in America. Until 1816, the settlements of this Power did not reach to the southward of 58 n, and were of no consideration, although dignified by them with the title of Russian America. In the commencement of that year two distinct establish- ments were made, of a different and of a more imposing char- acter. The first at Atooi, one of the Sandwich islands; the other in this vicinity, within a few leagues of St. Francisco, the most northerly possession of Spain, in 57 56'. The sketch I subjoin (marked D) was procured from a member of the Government at this place, from whom I also learned that its augmentation has since become so considerable as to excite serious alarm. Two Russian ships left this on their way thither a few days anterior to our arrival one having on board mechanics of every description, together with imple- ments of husbandry. We passed sufficiently near the spot assigned to it to distinguish the coast with some precision, and ascertained that it was an open road a circumstance that renders the position liable to many objections, if intended to permanent; in other respects, the choice is judicious for an infant colony. It enjoys a climate still milder than that of Columbia; is environed by a beautiful country; and its prox- imity to an old settlement enables the Russians to partake of the numerous herds of black cattle and horses that have been there multiplying for the last fifty years. The port of St. ii Chart of the discoveries of Russian Navigators, published by order of the Emperor in 1802, referred to by Humboldt in his View of of New Spain (transla- tion), page 270, ad vol. (note).