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.
CHAPTER LVIII.
Arrangements Among the Partners- Mr. Hunt Sails in the Albatross.
- Arrives at the Marquesas- News of the Frigate Phoebe.- Mr. Hunt
Proceeds to the Sandwich Islands.- Voyage of the Lark.- Her
Shipwreck.- Transactions With the Natives of the Sandwich Islands
- Conduct of Tamaahmaah.
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