others through the mere spirit of adventure incident to
youth.

The instructions given by Mr. Astor to Captain Sowle, the commander of
the Beaver, were, in some respects, hypothetical, in consequence of the
uncertainty resting upon the previous steps of the enterprise.

He was to touch at the Sandwich Islands, inquire about the fortunes of
the Tonquin, and whether an establishment had been formed at the mouth
of the Columbia. If so, he was to take as many Sandwich Islanders as his
ship could accommodate, and proceed thither. On arriving at the river,
he was to observe great caution, for even if an establishment should
have been formed, it might have fallen into hostile hands. He was,
therefore, to put in as if by casualty or distress, to give himself out
as a coasting trader, and to say nothing about his ship being owned by
Mr. Astor, until he had ascertained that everything was right. In that
case, he was to land such part of his cargo as was intended for the
establishment, and to proceed to New Archangel with the supplies
intended for the Russian post at that place, where he could receive
peltries in payment. With these he was to return to Astoria; take in the
furs collected there, and, having completed his cargo by trading along
the coast, was to proceed to Canton. The captain received the same
injunctions that had been given to Captain Thorn of the Tonquin, of
great caution and circumspection in his intercourse with the natives,
and that he should not permit more than one or two to be on board at a
time.

The Beaver sailed from New York on the 10th of October, 1811, and
reached the Sandwich Islands without any occurrence of moment. Here a
rumor was heard of the disastrous fate of the Tonquin. Deep solicitude
was felt by every one on board for the fate of both expeditions, by sea
and land. Doubts were entertained whether any establishment had been
formed at the mouth of the Columbia, or whether any of the company
would be found there. After much deliberation, the Captain took twelve
Sandwich Islanders on board, for the service of the factory, should
there be one in existence, and proceeded on his voyage.

On the 6th of May, he arrived off the mouth of the Columbia and running
as near as possible, fired two signal guns. No answer was returned, nor
was there any signal to be descried. Nigh coming on, the ship stood out
to sea, and every heart drooped as the land faded away. On the following
morning they again ran i