Then And There He Was
First Struck With The Charms Of The Piscatory Princess, As She
Exerted Herself To Entertain Her Father's Guest.
The "journal of Astoria," however, which was kept under his own
eye, records this union as a high state alliance, and great
stroke of policy.
The factory had to depend, in a great measure,
on the Chinooks for provisions. They were at present friendly,
but it was to be feared they would prove otherwise, should they
discover the weakness and the exigencies of the post, and the
intention to leave the country. This alliance, therefore, would
infallibly rivet Comcomly to the interests of the Astorians, and
with him the powerful tribe of the Chinooks. Be this as it may,
and it is hard to fathom the real policy of governors and
princes, M'Dougal despatched two of the clerks as ambassadors
extraordinary, to wait upon the one-eyed chieftain, and make
overtures for the hand of his daughter.
The Chinooks, though not a very refined nation, have notions of
matrimonial arrangements that would not disgrace the most refined
sticklers for settlements and pin-money. The suitor repairs not
to the bower of his mistress, but to her father's lodge, and
throws down a present at his feet. His wishes are then disclosed
by some discreet friend employed by him for the purpose. If the
suitor and his present find favor in the eyes of the father, he
breaks the matter to his daughter, and inquires into the state of
her inclinations. Should her answer be favorable, the suit is
accepted and the lover has to make further presents to the
father, of horses, canoes, and other valuables, according to the
beauty and merits of the bride; looking forward to a return in
kind whenever they shall go to housekeeping.
We have more than once had occasion to speak of the shrewdness,
of Comcomly; but never was it exerted more adroitly than on this
occasion. He was a great friend of M'Dougal, and pleased with the
idea of having so distinguished a son-in-law; but so favorable an
opportunity of benefiting his own fortune was not likely to occur
a second time, and he determined to make the most of it.
Accordingly, the negotiation was protracted with true diplomatic
skill. Conference after conference was held with the two
ambassadors. Comcomly was extravagant in his terms; rating the
charms of his daughter at the highest price, and indeed she is
represented as having one of the flattest and most aristocratical
heads in the tribe. At length the preliminaries were all happily
adjusted. On the 20th of July, early in the afternoon, a squadron
of canoes crossed over from the village of the Chinooks, bearing
the royal family of Comcomly, and all his court.
That worthy sachem landed in princely state, arrayed in a bright
blue blanket and red breech clout, with an extra quantity of
paint and feathers, attended by a train of half-naked warriors
and nobles. A horse was in waiting to receive the princess, who
was mounted behind one of the clerks, and thus conveyed, coy but
compliant, to the fortress.
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