Page:The Columbia river , or, Scenes and adventures during a residence of six years on the western side of the Rocky Mountains among various tribes of Indians hitherto unknown (Volume 1).djvu/265

 and Clarke arrived on horseback with three men. They informed us that they had left Fort George on the 4th in company with Mr. John George M'Tavish and the gentlemen lately belonging to the Pacific Fur Company, who were British subjects, and who were on their return home to Canada. They left the main party about a day's march above Lewis River, for the purpose of procuring provisions at Spokan, with which they were to meet the canoes at the Kettle Falls, and from thence proceed up the Columbia on their route to Canada. The intelligence brought by these gentlemen was by no means of a pleasing description. At the period of their departure from the sea the Isaac Tod had not arrived, nor had any accounts been received of her. That vessel sailed from London in March 1813, in company with the Phœbe frigate and the Cherub and Racoon sloops of war. They arrived safe at Rio Janeiro, and thence proceeded round Cape Horn to the Pacific, having previously made arrangements to meet at Juan Fernandez. The three men-of-war reached the latter island after encountering dreadful gales about the Cape. They waited here some time for the arrival of the Isaac Tod; but as she did not make her appearance, Commodore Hillier did not deem it