Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 13.djvu/228

 220 DOCUMENT I have chartered the brig Loriot at $700 per month, as per enclosed memorandum of agreement, as I must be independent of the Hudson Bay Company, who are in possession of four forts on the Columbia, and two on the Willhamett, and they will, doubtless, endeavor to throw every obstacle in the way of proceeding up the river; but I have guarded against any ordinary contingency by having a good boat to proceed in after taking the Loriot above Fort Vancouver, the principal establishment of the Hudson Bay Company, situated about ninety miles from the mouth of the river. I have also pur- chased some few articles of trade, such as blankets, tobacco, etc., to lull suspicion and facilitate my movements. After accomplishing the objects of my mission to the Ore- gon, I shall run down on our line of coast to the Bay of Bodega, the Russian establishment, ninety miles north of San Francisco, and if I can meet a party sufficiently strong, I shall cross the Indian country to the United States, following the line of the Sacramento to its source, which must be near the head waters of the La Platte. The Russians are exceedingly anxious to get a footing on the bay of San Francisco. Last year, they erected a large block-house on the north side of the bay, ostensibly to be used as a granary to secure their wheat purchases for their more northern establishments at Sitka, etc. The people of California, however, are exceedingly jealous of their encroachments ; whilst, on the other hand, they (the Californians) are most anxious to throw off the Mexican yoke, and claim the protection of the United States. The American ship Rasselas came in yesterday, from Monterey ; came out with the United States ship Peacock, Commodore Kennedy. The captain of the Rasselas reports that the "Rancheros" were marching against the Government troops about one hundred strong. Last year, the "Rancheros" displaced two governors, and the third will, doubtless, follow their example. There are, at this moment, at least 300 American riflemen in Upper Cali- fornia, enough to take possession and hold the country, because the people are decidedly opposed to the lawless exactions of those who have been sent from Mexico to rule over them. I