ing a fort
on the Upper Columbia. If these had been the overland party, they would
have come on to Astoria. Who they were, MacDougall, who had himself been
a Nor' Wester, could easily guess. As a countercheck, Stuart of Labrador
was preparing to go up-stream and build a fur post for the Pacific
Company; but Astoria was suddenly electrified by the apparition of nine
white men in a canoe flying a British flag.

The North-West Company arrived just three months too late!

David Thompson, the partner at the head of the newcomers, had been
delayed in the mountains by the desertion of his guides. Much to the
disgust of Labrador Stuart, who might change masters often but was loyal
to only one master at a time, MacDougall and Thompson hailed each other
as old friends. Every respect is due Mr. Thompson as an explorer, but to
the Astorians living under the ruthless code of fur-trading rivalry, he
should have been nothing more than a North-West spy, to be guardedly
received in a Pacific Company fort. As a matter of fact, he was welcomed
with open arms, saw everything, and set out again with a supply of
Astoria provisions.

History is not permitted to jump at conclusions, but unanswered
questions will always cling round Thompson's visit. Did he bear some
message from the Nor' Westers to MacDougall? Why was Stuart, an
honourable, fair-minded man, in such high dudgeon that he shook free of
Thompson's company on their way back up the Columbia? Why did MacDougall
lose his tone of courage with such surprising swiftness? How could the
next party of Nor' Westers take him back into the fold and grant him a
partnership _ostensibly_ without the knowledge of the North-West annual
council, held in Fort William on Lake Superior?

Early in August wandering tribes brought news of the Tonquin's
destruction, and Astoria bestirred itself to strengthen pickets, erect
bastions, mount four-pounders, and drill for war. MacDougall's
North-West training now came out, and he entered on a policy of
conciliation with the Indians that culminated in his marrying Comcomly's
daughter. He also perpetrated the world-famous threat of letting
small-pox out of a bottle exhibited to the chiefs unless they maintained
good behaviour. Traders established inland posts, the schooner Dolly was
built, and New Year's Day of 1812 ushered in with a firing of cannon and
festive allowance of rum. On January 18th arrived the forerunners of the
overland party, ragged, wasted, st