When the expedition of Reed was made known, Mr. M'Lellan announced his
determination to accompany it. He had long been dissatisfied with the
smallness of his interest in the copartnership, and had requested an
additional number of shares; his request not being complied with, he
resolved to abandon the company. M'Lellan was a man of a singularly
self-willed and decided character, with whom persuasion was useless; he
was permitted, therefore, to take his own course without opposition.
As to Reed, he set about preparing for his hazardous journey with the
zeal of a true Irishman. He had a tin case made, in which the letters
and papers addressed to Mr. Astor were carefully soldered up. This case
he intended to strap upon his shoulders, so as to bear it about with
him, sleeping and waking, in all changes and chances, by land or by
water, and never to part with it but with his life!
As the route of these several parties would be the same for nearly
four hundred miles up the Columbia, and within that distance would lie
through the piratical pass of the rapids, and among the freebooting
tribes of the river, it was thought advisable to start about the same
time, and to keep together. Accordingly, on the 22d of March, they all
set off, to the number of seventeen men, in two canoes--and here we
cannot but pause to notice the hardihood of these several expeditions,
so insignificant in point of force, and severally destined to traverse
immense wildernesses where larger parties had experienced so much danger
and distress.
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