Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 15.djvu/114



JOURNAL OF DAVID THOMPSON

EDITORIAL INTRODUCTION BY T. C. ELLIOTT.

The first part of this journal was published in No. 1, Vol. 15, of this Quarterly and the introduction there given should be read in connection with this part.

The reader will feel disappointment because nothing of im- portance is revealed by Mr. Thompson as to the physical or commercial conditions existing at Astoria three months after the landing of the officers and men of the Pacific Fur Com- pany from the Tonquin in April, 1811, and the beginning of the erection of the trading post. In explanation it may be remarked that Mr. Thompson was a guest of rival fur traders and felt restrained by courtesy from making such a record; also that in all of his journals he is very reticent as to the personnel or movements of rivals or associates. However, in later years, about 1847-8, he wrote a narrative of this journey down the Columbia in which he stated that Astoria upon his arrival there consisted of "four low log huts," as well as considerable other information of a general character. This narrative or autobiography is mentioned by Dr. Elliott Coues in the Editor's Preface to the Henry-Thompson Journals (Francis P. Harper, 1897) and is at the present time in process of publication by The Champlain Society of Canada under the able editorship of Mr. J. B. Tyrrell, of Toronto.

The reader will find it of interest to read in connection with this text the references by Franchere, Ross, Irving and Ross Cox to Mr. Thompson's visit at Astoria; also Mr. Ross' ac- count of the journey up the Columbia in company with Mr. Thompson. The comparison will throw some light upon Mr. Ross' literary method and accuracy of statement.

Mention is again made of Mr. Thompson's peculiar use of the word "gone" when stating that he had passed a certain object or place. He also often uses the parenthetical marks to designate the right or left side of the river or road. His courses are all in terms of the magnetic needle, and while his