Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 14.djvu/21



LIEUTENANT HOWISON REPORT ON OREGON, 1846 13

The Cadboro anchored in Baker's bay November 17th, where we remained, pent up by adverse winds and a turbulent sea on the bar, until the 18th of January. Her master, an old sea- man, had been navigating this river and coast for the last 18 years, and his vessel drew but eight feet water; yet, in this long interval of sixty-two days he could find no opportunity of getting to sea safely. This is in itself a commentary upon the dangerous character of the navigation of the mouth of the Columbia.

We suffered very much from our crowded stowage in this small craft. The weather was wet and cold ; and the vessel not affording the comfort of stove or fireplace, and without space for exercise, I was very apprehensive that we should have some- thing more serious than chilblains and frost-bitten fingers to complain of ; but it was not so. Both officers and men enjoyed the most robust health and ravenous appetites. Many of the smaller items of the ration being deficient, the value was made up by beef, salmon, and potatoes, and of these each man con- sumed and digested his four pounds and a half a day. The Hudson's Bay Company allow its servants while making a voyage eight pounds of meat a day, and I am told the allow- ance is none too much. Our long detention in the river obliged me upon two occasions to send on new requisitions upon the company's store at Vancouver for supplies, which were prompt- ly answered.

The Toulon, having gone up the Willhammette, discharged her cargo and taken in another, came down the river and anchored near us on the 8th of January. Ten days afterwards we both succeeded m getting to sea, and arrived in company at San Francisco on the 27th of January. The barque was laden with provisions, principally flour, which latter cost her $6 per barrel. Before she came to an anchor a United States officer had boarded her and purchased nearly all she had at $15 per barrel.

We found at San Francisco the U. S. frigate Savannah, and sloop-of-war Warren, to which vessels my officers and crew