The Sails And Rigging Of
The Beaver Had Been Much Rent And Shattered In The Late Storm;
Would She Be Able To Stand The Hard Gales To Be Expected In
Making Columbia River At This Season?
Was it prudent, also, at
this boisterous time of the year to risk the valuable cargo which
she now had on board, by crossing and recrossing the dangerous
bar of that river?
These doubts were probably suggested or
enforced by Captain Sowle, who, it has already been seen, was an
over-cautious, or rather, a timid seaman, and they may have had
some weight with Mr. Hunt; but there were other considerations,
which more strongly swayed his mind. The lateness of the season,
and the unforeseen delays the ship had encountered at New
Archangel, and by being obliged to proceed to St. Paul's, had put
her so much back in her calculated time, that there was a risk of
her arriving so late at Canton, as to come to a bad market, both
for the sale of her peltries, and the purchase of a return cargo.
He considered it to the interest of the company, therefore, that
he should proceed at once to the Sandwich Islands; there wait the
arrival of the annual vessel from New York, take passage in her
to Astoria, and suffer the Beaver to continue on to Canton.
On the other hand, he was urged to the other course by his
engagements; by the plan of the voyage marked out for the Beaver,
by Mr. Astor; by his inclination, and the possibility that the
establishment might need his presence, and by the recollection
that there must already be a large amount of peltries collected
at Astoria, and waiting for the return of the Beaver, to convey
them to market.
These conflicting questions perplexed and agitated his mind and
gave rise to much anxious reflection, for he was a conscientious
man that seems ever to have aimed at a faithful discharge of his
duties, and to have had the interests of his employers earnestly
at heart. His decision in the present instance was injudicious,
and proved unfortunate. It was, to bear away for the Sandwich
Islands. He persuaded himself that it was a matter of necessity,
and that the distressed condition of the ship left him no other
alternative; but we rather suspect he was so persuaded by the
representations of the timid captain. They accordingly stood for
the Sandwich Islands, arrived at Woahoo, where the ship underwent
the necessary repairs, and again put to sea on the 1st of
January, 1813; leaving Mr. Hunt on the island.
We will follow the Beaver to Canton, as her fortunes, in some
measure, exemplify the evil of commanders of ships acting
contrary to orders; and as they form a part of the tissue of
cross purposes that marred the great commercial enterprise we
have undertaken to record.
The Beaver arrived safe at Canton, where Captain Sowle found the
letter of Mr. Astor, giving him information of the war and
directing him to convey the intelligence to Astoria. He wrote a
reply, dictated either by timidity or obstinacy, in which he
declined complying with the orders of Mr. Astor, but said he
would wait for the return of peace, and then come home. The
other proceedings of Captain Sowle were equally wrongheaded and
unlucky. He was offered one hundred and fifty thousand dollars
for the fur he had taken on board at St. Paul's. The goods for
which it had been procured cost but twenty-five thousand dollars
in New York. Had he accepted this offer, and re-invested the
amount in nankeens, which at that time, in consequence of the
interruption to commerce by the war, were at two thirds of their
usual price, the whole would have brought three hundred thousand
dollars in New York. It is true, the war would have rendered it
unsafe to attempt the homeward voyage, but he might have put the
goods in store at Canton, until after the peace, and have sailed
without risk of capture to Astoria; bringing to the partners at
that place tidings of the great profits realized on the outward
cargo, and the still greater to be expected from the returns. The
news of such a brilliant commencement to their undertaking would
have counterbalanced the gloomy tidings of the war; it would have
infused new spirit into them all, and given them courage and
constancy to persevere in the enterprise. Captain Sowle, however,
refused the offer of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and
stood wavering and chaffering for higher terms. The furs began to
fall in value; this only increased his irresolution; they sunk so
much that he feared to sell at all; he borrowed money on Mr.
Astor's account at an interest of eighteen per cent , and laid up
his ship to await the return of peace.
In the meanwhile, Mr. Hunt soon saw reason to repent the
resolution he had adopted in altering the destination of the
ship. His stay at the Sandwich Islands was prolonged far beyond
expectation. He looked in vain for the annual ship in the spring.
Month after month passed by, and still she did not make her
appearance. He, too, proved the danger of departing from orders.
Had he returned from St. Paul's to Astoria, all the anxiety and
despondency about his fate, and about the whole course of the
undertaking, would have been obviated. The Beaver would have
received the furs collected at the factory and taken them to
Canton, and great gains, instead of great losses, would have been
the result. The greatest blunder, however, was that committed by
Captain Sowle.
At length, about the 20th of June, the ship Albatross, Captain
Smith, arrived from China, and brought the first tidings of the
war to the Sandwich Islands. Mr. Hunt was no longer in doubt and
perplexity as to the reason of the non-appearance of the annual
ship. His first thoughts were for the welfare of Astoria, and,
concluding that the inhabitants would probably be in want of
provisions, he chartered the Albatross for two thousand dollars,
to land him, with some supplies, at the mouth of the Columbia,
where he arrived, as we have seen, on the 20th of August, after a
year's seafaring that might have furnished a chapter in the
wanderings of Sinbad.
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