CHAPTER XXII.
THE ASTOR FUR COMPANY.
Old John Jacob Astor--American Fur Company--The Missouri Company--A line of posts--Approaches the Russians--Negotiates with Nor'-Westers--Fails--Four North-West officials join Astor--Songs of the voyageurs--True Britishers--Voyage of the _Tonquin_--Rollicking Nor'-Westers in Sandwich Islands--Astoria built--David Thompson appears--Terrible end of the _Tonquin_--Astor's overland expedition--Washington Irving's "Astoria, a romance"--The _Beaver_ rounds the Cape--McDougall and his smallpox phial--The _Beaver_ sails for Canton 193