Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/497

CHAPTER XVII.

THE IMMIGRATION OF 1844.

Belligerent Attitude of the British and Americans—Vancouver Fortified—Gathering of the Emigrants—The Several Divisions and Companies—The Independent Colony—Cornelius Gilliam—Nathaniel Ford—The Journey—Sufferings on the Journey—Their Destitute Condition—Reception by Missionaries and Fur-traders—Names of the Immigrants—Bibliographical Notices.

I HAVE said that there were two sessions of the legislative committee of 1844, which adjourned from June 27th to December 16th, in order to have an opportunity of learning from the immigrants who were expected in the autumn the attitude of affairs between the rival claimants of the Oregon Territory. No less anxious than the Americans were the British subjects, who, being well informed by the belligerent speeches in congress, and the temper of the western people, began to look on their position in Oregon as insecure.

Nor was McLoughlin ignorant that the pilgrims of 1843 were prevented by circumstances rather than by will from hostile acts; and notwithstanding that the danger was averted for the time, he did not regret having written to England for protection.^[1] In the summer of 1844 he had added a bastion to Fort Vancouver, and otherwise increased the defences of the place, which before was hardly in a condition to resist attack. The reason given for these preparations was the threatening demeanor of the natives of the interior, and the necessity of doing something to

1. McLoughlin's Private Papers, MS., 3d ser., 12.