Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/636

cending that river as far as possible; but not being able to get the schooner over, was forced to return to Vancouver, while a party of the Shark's officers proceeded in a boat to Oregon City.^[1]

Howison arrived at Vancouver in time to participate in the first formal horse-races on record,^[2] which occurred on the 25th of July, and which, together with the advent of a United States war vessel, drew together an unusual number of people, and furnished. the American officers an opportunity to become acquainted with the prevailing state of feeling. Every courtesy was extended to the commander of the Shark, which attentions were received as courteously as rendered; but, as in the case of Wilkes, the independent American settler would have preferred that the United States officers should not have been thus placed under obligations.

Howison's report is probably the best authority extant upon the condition of affairs in Oregon at this time He came as an observer, had good opportunities of hearing both sides of the question, and appears to have written fairly, and without prejudice there was no motive for him to conceal anything from the eyes of government. He affirms that he found prevailing an intense excitement on the boundary question among all classes; and that he enjoined his officers in writing to refrain from arguments touching the ownership of the soil, but to allay instead of increase the excitement, while at the same time they were to sock all the information they could gather respecting the country.^[3]

But it would have been impossible, under the circumstances, to prevent the marines and sailors horn mixing with the people, and becoming inspired with

1. Howison's Coast and Country, 1-3.
2. Oregon Spectator, Aug. 20, Oct. 1, 29, 1846.
3. Coast and Country, 3. The excitement was kept up by the surmises of the Sandwich Islands papers concerning the destination of the English fleet, the Polynesian of the 6th of June reporting that the Collingwood was going to Puget Sound, to deposit naval stores and to fortify. Or. Spectator, Aug. 20, 1846.