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 RESTORATION OF ASTORIA

259

from England, their arrival at the Columbia was much than had been contemplated, and [than] arranged with the North West Company's people who had proceeded to meet them from the Interior and who reached the Sea in August, 1913, while the Raccoon did not make her appearance until the month of December following, and the North West Company's ship the Isaac Todd not until April, 1814. The People from the Interior therefore despairing of tion

later

the arrival of their expected Supplies and Support by Sea, found it necessary to make the best arrangement in their power with the people whom they found in possession of the

of these though Partners or Servants of the British subjects and would not fight against their Country, and learning of the American War inclined them to change sides. The Americans were not sufficiently strong to defend their Fort in the event of this defecCountry. Pacific

Many

Fur Company were

and they were under apprehensions from

tion taking place,

the expected arrival of the Men of War. The result was an arrangement by which the Americans agreed to retire from the Country and to sell the Goods which they had at their Fort

which the North West Company's people purchased, and thus when the Raccoon appeared in December, 1813, she found the place in possession of Friends and her Officers were not a

little disappointed in their hopes of prize Money. Captain Black of the Raccoon once more took formal possession of

the Country in His Majesty's

name and

post Fort George, under which name

called the principal

now held by the North West Company. "It is evident from this statement that Fort George is not a Conquest the restoration of which the American Government are entitled to claim under the 1st Article of the late Treaty, nor could

it

it

is

have been so considered by the f ramers of

that Treaty for one of the representatives of the North West Company had the honor of .an interview with Lord Bathurst

on the subject after the ratification of the Treaty was known and not long after Mr. Gouldburn's return from Ghent when

his

Lordship declared decidedly that the Country

in question