west
Company, and received a share productive of a handsome income.

* Not quite $40,000 were allowed for furs worth upwards of
$100,000. Beaver was valued at two dollars per skin, though
worth five dollars. Land otter at fifty cents, though worth
five dollars. Sea-otter at twelve dollars, worth from forty-
five to sixty dollars; and for several kinds of furs nothing
was allowed. Moreover, the goods and merchandise for the
Indian trade ought to have brought three times the amount
for which they were sold.

The following estimate has been made of the articles on hand, and the
prices:

17,705 lbs. beaver parchment, valued at $2.00 worth $5.00
465 old coat beaver, valued at 1.66 worth 3.50

907 land otter, valued at.50 worth 5.00
68 sea-otter, valued at 12.00 worth 45 to 60.00
30 sea-otter, valued at 5.00 worth 25.00

Nothing was allowed for
179 mink skins, worth each.40
22 raccoon, worth each.40
28 lynx, worth each 2.00
18 fox, worth each 1.00
106 fox, worth each 1.50
71 black bear, worth each 4.00
16 grizzly bear, worth each 10.00

CHAPTER LX.

Arrival of a Strange Sail.--Agitation at Astoria.--Warlike
Offer of Comcomly.--Astoria Taken Possession of by the
British.--Indignation of Comcomly at the Conduct of His Son-
in-Law.

ON the morning of the 30th of November, a sail was descried doubling
Cape Disappointment. It came to anchor in Baker's Bay, and proved to be
a ship of war. Of what nation? was now the anxious inquiry. If English,
why did it come alone? where was the merchant vessel that was to have
accompanied it? If American, what was to become of the newly acquired
possession of the Northwest Company?

In this dilemma, M'Tavish, in all haste, loaded two barges with all the
packages of furs bearing the mark of the Northwest Company, and made
off for Tongue Point, three miles up the river. There he was to await a
preconcerted signal from M'Dougal, on ascertaining the character of the
ship. If it should prove American, M'Tavish would have a fair start, and
could bear off his rich cargo to the interior. It is singular that this
prompt mode of conveying valuable, but easily transportable effects
beyond the reach of a hostile ship should not have suggested itself
while the property belonged to Mr. Astor.

In the meantime, M'Dougal, who still remained nominal chief at