Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/342

 KATHARINE

324

B. JUDSON

a mere piece of formality which I had every reason to think the British Government could not consistently wink at, I felt

and secure until the Ontario arrived off Cape Disappointment, on the morning of the 19th of August, followed by Captain Biddle's appearance about 3 p. m. Accom-

perfectly easy

panied by a strong party, including

officers,

in three boats,

apparently well armed, only Captain Biddle and his Surgeon landed at the settlement, the others being immediately ordered off,

conducted by one of

"Exceedingly

social

my men and

to Point George, to cut spars. polite, but not the most distant

intimation of the object of this visit of which, as if studious of exciting the least suspicion, he glossed over the circumstances of the arms, etc., from his apprehensions of the Natives. With

much

reluctance (from our having a superabundance) and not

after repeated solicitation, I gave him bills on Canada for the flour, and towards 5 p. m. accompanied by another of my till

men

in an Indian canoe rowed by the natives, Captain Biddle and surgeon set off to join their party, giving to understand they would proceed on board however, learning that they had encamped where my people left them, I next morning despatched the same two men with some fresh supplies, who

soon after returning with accounts of their departure, reported having seen a board unusually painted and nailed upon a

and unfrequented place on Point one-half about mile hence, whereon we found inGeorge

tree in a rather secluded

scribed in large characters:

Taken possession

of in the

name and on

the behalf of the

United States

By

Captain James Biddle, commanding the United States Sloop of War, Ontario Columbia River, August 1818

"Such mysterious and unaccountable proceedings, of which the subsequent reports of the Natives, joined to the gloomy, desponding conjectures of my own people rather aggravated the unfortunate impression, excited the most anxious and painful sensations at what would probably be the next step and so