Page:Voyages in the Northern Pacific - 1896.djvu/37

Rh The consequences were fatal; for, on Sunday, the 22nd of May, as Mr. McTavish was crossing the river in the vessels long-boat, under the charge of Captain Smith's nephew, when they got about mid-channel, they were upset by a sudden squall, filled, and sunk immediately. Mr. McTavish, Mr. Henry and four others, found a watery grave, and an American carpenter, named Joseph Little, alone saved himself with an oar. He drifted up the river, and got on the stump of a tree, whence he was taken by an Indian canoe to the fort, where he communicated the sad fate of the governor and party. Within a few days two of the bodies were picked up, and buried close to the fort, and shortly after, the body of Mr. McTavish was drifted ashore to the northward of Cape Disappointment, and a party was sent to bury him there, as it was not safe, at that time, to bring him to the fort, where the natives were very troublesome, and all collected from the northward to fish in the river, this being the season.

Having served my time in the West India trade with Captain Stoddard, in the employ of Messrs. Inglis, Ellice and Company, of Mark-lane, I arrived in London about August, 1813, from a West Indian voyage. The houses of Inglis, Ellice and Co. and McTavish, Fraser and Co., were then fitting out a vessel for the northwest coast of America and China. A schooner that had formerly belonged to the Americans, was purchased for this voyage, and called the Columbia. She was a sharp-built vessel, of 185 tons register, and had a crew of 25 men, officers included.