What do you think?
Rate this book
Astoria
In 1811 a group of American traders built a fort at the mouth of the Columbia River, named Fort Astoria in honor of its financier, John Jacob Astor. Envisioned as the spur of a fur-trading empire, by 1813 the project was a business failure and the fort was surrendered to the British. But in its short life Astoria rendered incalculable benefits to public understanding of the Great Northwest. The exploration of trade routes, the description of various Indian tribes and their customs, and an American claim on the Northwest coast were among many of its legacies.
Astor never relinquished his pride in the enterprise and insisted that the West would one day be a dominating factor in national politics. To drive his point home he asked Washington Irving, the country's most renowned and respected author, to transform the papers of Fort Astoria into a unified and readable history. Irving accepted the offer and published Astoria in 1836.
From its first appearance--when it was hailed by no less a reviewer than Edgar Allan Poe--to the present day, Astoria has been read as a vivid and fascinating history, comparable indeed to the finest of romances, but rooted in the rough and hardy life of trapping, hunting, and exploration.
The text of this edition is approved by the Center for editions of American Authors, Modern Language Association of America.
Astor never relinquished his pride in the enterprise and insisted that the West would one day be a dominating factor in national politics. To drive his point home he asked Washington Irving, the country's most renowned and respected author, to transform the papers of Fort Astoria into a unified and readable history. Irving accepted the offer and published Astoria in 1836.
From its first appearance--when it was hailed by no less a reviewer than Edgar Allan Poe--to the present day, Astoria has been read as a vivid and fascinating history, comparable indeed to the finest of romances, but rooted in the rough and hardy life of trapping, hunting, and exploration.
The text of this edition is approved by the Center for editions of American Authors, Modern Language Association of America.
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 11, 1835
116 people are currently reading
555 people want to read
About the author
Washington Irving
5,561 books1,049 followersPeople remember American writer Washington Irving for the stories "
Rip Van Winkle
" and "
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
," contained in
The Sketch Book
(1820).
This author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century wrote newspaper articles under the pseudonym Jonathan Oldstyle to begin his literary career at the age of nineteen years.
In 1809, he published The History of New York under his most popular public persona, Diedrich Knickerbocker.
Historical works of Irving include a five volume biography of George Washington (after whom he was named) as well as biographies of Oliver Goldsmith, Muhammad, and several histories, dealing with subjects, such as Christopher Columbus, the Moors, and the Alhambra, of 15th-century Spain. John Tyler, president, appointed Irving to serve as the first Spanish speaking United States minister to Spain from 1842 to 1846.
This author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century wrote newspaper articles under the pseudonym Jonathan Oldstyle to begin his literary career at the age of nineteen years.
In 1809, he published The History of New York under his most popular public persona, Diedrich Knickerbocker.
Historical works of Irving include a five volume biography of George Washington (after whom he was named) as well as biographies of Oliver Goldsmith, Muhammad, and several histories, dealing with subjects, such as Christopher Columbus, the Moors, and the Alhambra, of 15th-century Spain. John Tyler, president, appointed Irving to serve as the first Spanish speaking United States minister to Spain from 1842 to 1846.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 4, 2017
"Why are you reading an obscure work by Washington Irving?" a friend asked me. I read it as a followup to Peter Stark's 2016 JOHN JACOB ASTOR AND THOMAS JEFFERSON'S LOST PACIFIC EMPIRE: A STORY OF WEALTH, AMBITION, AND SURVIVAL which I found very interesting.
Part of that interest is that it describes events that took place in the Pacific Northwest where I now live. But one of Stark's sources on which he relied heavily was this early work by Irving, commissioned by John Jacob Astor as a official history of his short-lived attempt to establish a fur-trading post at the mouth of the Columbia River. I was curious to see if this original version revealed anything that Stark's retelling left out.
There are a lot more details than in Stark's book which tends to emphasize high points of Irving's longer accounts of the expeditions to the Columbia, several by sea, and several harrowing overland ordeals from the mid west across the Rockies.
Stark's account of course has the advantage of a nearly 200 year perspective on the doomed "empire". Irving wrote his account for Astor and is obviously partial to Astor in places. Interestingly, Astor tried to get the backing of the American government for his venture, but aside from Jefferson's early enthusiasm, later administrations were not much interested. And, too, they got caught up in the 1812 war with Britain and ignored Astor's pleas for government protection of his ships.
Irving praises Astor for his independent entrepreneurial spirit, "What government failed to effect with all of its patronage and all its agents, was at length brought about by the enterprise and perseverance of a single merchant . . . a man whose name and character are worthy of being enrolled in the history of commerce, as illustrating its noblest aims and soundest maxims. If there were a Business Hall of Fame, Astor would be in it, at least in Irving's view.
There is an elegiac tone in some of Irving where he laments "things that are fast fading away. The march of mechanical invention is driving everything poetical before it." Steamboats dispelled the wildness and romance of lakes and rivers, the French Canadian "voyageurs," amazingly versatile canoeists, have vanished, and so in the end, did the demand for beaver pelts. Like the buffalo, beavers existed by the millions, and the profits in selling their furry pelts were enormous. But trapping took a deep toll, and in several decades after Irving's 1836 history, beaver fur had been largely replaced by other materials and its value plummeted.
Irving's conclusion matches Stark's - Astoria's enterprise was undone by a lot of unlucky circumstances (ships not appearing on time, Indian difficulties, bad weather, the war with Britain, competition from Canadian trappers, incompetence on the part of managers, , a lack of govt. support). Had Astor's western "empire" succeeded, though, much of western Canada might today be part of the United States.
Part of that interest is that it describes events that took place in the Pacific Northwest where I now live. But one of Stark's sources on which he relied heavily was this early work by Irving, commissioned by John Jacob Astor as a official history of his short-lived attempt to establish a fur-trading post at the mouth of the Columbia River. I was curious to see if this original version revealed anything that Stark's retelling left out.
There are a lot more details than in Stark's book which tends to emphasize high points of Irving's longer accounts of the expeditions to the Columbia, several by sea, and several harrowing overland ordeals from the mid west across the Rockies.
Stark's account of course has the advantage of a nearly 200 year perspective on the doomed "empire". Irving wrote his account for Astor and is obviously partial to Astor in places. Interestingly, Astor tried to get the backing of the American government for his venture, but aside from Jefferson's early enthusiasm, later administrations were not much interested. And, too, they got caught up in the 1812 war with Britain and ignored Astor's pleas for government protection of his ships.
Irving praises Astor for his independent entrepreneurial spirit, "What government failed to effect with all of its patronage and all its agents, was at length brought about by the enterprise and perseverance of a single merchant . . . a man whose name and character are worthy of being enrolled in the history of commerce, as illustrating its noblest aims and soundest maxims. If there were a Business Hall of Fame, Astor would be in it, at least in Irving's view.
There is an elegiac tone in some of Irving where he laments "things that are fast fading away. The march of mechanical invention is driving everything poetical before it." Steamboats dispelled the wildness and romance of lakes and rivers, the French Canadian "voyageurs," amazingly versatile canoeists, have vanished, and so in the end, did the demand for beaver pelts. Like the buffalo, beavers existed by the millions, and the profits in selling their furry pelts were enormous. But trapping took a deep toll, and in several decades after Irving's 1836 history, beaver fur had been largely replaced by other materials and its value plummeted.
Irving's conclusion matches Stark's - Astoria's enterprise was undone by a lot of unlucky circumstances (ships not appearing on time, Indian difficulties, bad weather, the war with Britain, competition from Canadian trappers, incompetence on the part of managers, , a lack of govt. support). Had Astor's western "empire" succeeded, though, much of western Canada might today be part of the United States.
November 16, 2009
Perhaps this was a commercial hack job - but it was a commercial hackjob written by one of my favorites and it covers life in early 19th century Northwestern America like nothing I've come across yet. Irving and his nephew had massive access to journals and materials relating to John Jacob Astor's failed attempt to corner the NW fur trade for American in 1812. Damn glad i read this.
November 27, 2019
I don’t think I ever would have encountered Astoria if not for Edgar Allan Poe’s review of it, which I read several years ago. Astoria’s influence on Poe seems most obvious in The Journal of Julius Rodman, but there are also a couple of scenes in The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket that seem directly inspired by it.
As for Astoria itself, Irving’s vocabulary and syntax are wonderful, and it was intriguing to see how people in the early 1800s were very tolerant of danger and hardship, but also quite violent. I’m not sure how much of the narrative is historically accurate, but the first half of the book is as excitingly plotted as any adventure novel, though I got the sense that Irving himself might have been losing a bit of interest by the end.
The thorniest, but perhaps most thought-provoking, aspect of Astoria is the racism toward Native Americans that pervades it. Irving doesn’t seem particularly racist by the standards of his time (and he occasionally advocates on behalf of the Native Americans), but it’s evident that the standards of the time were extraordinarily racist. Furthermore, the manifestation of racism is different than a contemporary reader might suppose; there is slightly less (though still extensive) overtly anti-Native American sentiment than might be expected, but it seems never to have occurred to anyone to regard the Native American tribes as sovereign entities, rather than groups to exploit and ultimately absorb into the United States. The white Americans of this era seemed to perceive the eventual decline and disappearance of the Native Americans as an inevitable outcome, which occasioned only minimal regret and negligible effort to mitigate. Consequently, the lives and wellbeing of Native Americans were regarded very lightly, which led to the effectively genocidal policies that were ultimately pursued. Neglect can sometimes be worse than malice.
As for Astoria itself, Irving’s vocabulary and syntax are wonderful, and it was intriguing to see how people in the early 1800s were very tolerant of danger and hardship, but also quite violent. I’m not sure how much of the narrative is historically accurate, but the first half of the book is as excitingly plotted as any adventure novel, though I got the sense that Irving himself might have been losing a bit of interest by the end.
The thorniest, but perhaps most thought-provoking, aspect of Astoria is the racism toward Native Americans that pervades it. Irving doesn’t seem particularly racist by the standards of his time (and he occasionally advocates on behalf of the Native Americans), but it’s evident that the standards of the time were extraordinarily racist. Furthermore, the manifestation of racism is different than a contemporary reader might suppose; there is slightly less (though still extensive) overtly anti-Native American sentiment than might be expected, but it seems never to have occurred to anyone to regard the Native American tribes as sovereign entities, rather than groups to exploit and ultimately absorb into the United States. The white Americans of this era seemed to perceive the eventual decline and disappearance of the Native Americans as an inevitable outcome, which occasioned only minimal regret and negligible effort to mitigate. Consequently, the lives and wellbeing of Native Americans were regarded very lightly, which led to the effectively genocidal policies that were ultimately pursued. Neglect can sometimes be worse than malice.
July 18, 2011
I ran across this book in the visitor center bookshop at Sunnyside, Washington Irving's home on the Hudson River near Tarrytown, NY. We connect Irving with Rip Van Winkle, Diedrich Knickerbocker, and Spanish stories, so I was surprised he had written anything about the Pacific Northwest. Having visited Astoria, Oregon, and having just corresponded about it with a bibliophile friend, I picked up the book.
It turns out that Irving had had an interest in the American west for most of his life. As a young man, he spent some time in Montreal, in the company of fur merchants and the voyageurs who fanned out from Montreal to the Great Lakes and beyond. This book may have been one of the first works of non-fiction to have been commissioned by a wealthy business owner. In the 1830's, John Jacob Astor asked Irving to write a book about his short-lived trading base near the mouth of the Columbia River, which existed from 1811 to 1813, and was subsequently surrendered to the British before the War of 1812 ended. Astor gave Irving access to all the Astoria papers, and the efficient novelist hired his nephew Pierre Irving to summarize the documents and find the "good" parts for his uncle. The result is a detailed, chronological history of the sea voyage which established Astoria, and the difficult overland expedition which reached it after much difficulty. Astor, already well on his way to becoming the richest man in the world, did not venture to Astoria, but he bankrolled the whole effort, and followed it with great interest. The book is evidence of his strong identification with the failed project. The Astoria episode did contribute to geographic knowledge of the Rockies and the Northwest, and the native American tribes there at the time.
This book might well be read after Stephen Ambrose's Lewis & Clark book, Dauntless Courage. The maps in the book are few and poor, which is too bad because the names of rivers used by the expedition often do not correspond to modern names. We are reminded of the stamina and tremendous geographic range covered by the early fur traders; how quickly native American tribes adapted to the trading goods and business opportunities brought by the whites; and how even then a global trading pattern had evolved, with ships routinely visiting the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) and China.
Who remembers today that the name of the elegant Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City derives from John Jacob Astor's Rhineland birthplace of Waldorf?
It turns out that Irving had had an interest in the American west for most of his life. As a young man, he spent some time in Montreal, in the company of fur merchants and the voyageurs who fanned out from Montreal to the Great Lakes and beyond. This book may have been one of the first works of non-fiction to have been commissioned by a wealthy business owner. In the 1830's, John Jacob Astor asked Irving to write a book about his short-lived trading base near the mouth of the Columbia River, which existed from 1811 to 1813, and was subsequently surrendered to the British before the War of 1812 ended. Astor gave Irving access to all the Astoria papers, and the efficient novelist hired his nephew Pierre Irving to summarize the documents and find the "good" parts for his uncle. The result is a detailed, chronological history of the sea voyage which established Astoria, and the difficult overland expedition which reached it after much difficulty. Astor, already well on his way to becoming the richest man in the world, did not venture to Astoria, but he bankrolled the whole effort, and followed it with great interest. The book is evidence of his strong identification with the failed project. The Astoria episode did contribute to geographic knowledge of the Rockies and the Northwest, and the native American tribes there at the time.
This book might well be read after Stephen Ambrose's Lewis & Clark book, Dauntless Courage. The maps in the book are few and poor, which is too bad because the names of rivers used by the expedition often do not correspond to modern names. We are reminded of the stamina and tremendous geographic range covered by the early fur traders; how quickly native American tribes adapted to the trading goods and business opportunities brought by the whites; and how even then a global trading pattern had evolved, with ships routinely visiting the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) and China.
Who remembers today that the name of the elegant Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City derives from John Jacob Astor's Rhineland birthplace of Waldorf?
January 6, 2018
The book describes the people and events related to the establishment of Fort Astoria as a fur trading center in 1811. Much of the book is devoted to chronicling trips financed by John Jacob Astor by sea and by land to and from this location near the mouth of the Columbia River. The hardships endured and the resourcefulness displayed by these pioneers are amazing. Washington Irving was asked to write this book by Mr. Astor, who provided the author with a lot of correspondence and other information to consolidate and organize. The author gives a lot of praise to Mr. Astor, who was a friend of his, but representatives of Mr. Astor who made questionable business decisions that seemed inconsistent with his vision are sharply criticized. The author is clearly biased in his treatment of Mr. Astor; but most, if not all, of the praise appears to be warranted.
The wonderful Kindle search tool enables the reader to determine that this book uses the word "savage" 204 times and the word "savages" 107 times to refer to the Sioux, Crow and other tribes of Native Americans. This would not be considered politically correct today, but it is clear that Mr. Irving is treating Native Americans fairly. They are described in numerous anecdotes; when they do something noble or unselfish, they are praised, and when they do something devious, they are criticized.
Although the book was written 177 years ago, it is very readable. I had to look up a few more words than normal because sometimes Mr. Irving uses words differently than we do today (an example is tarpaulin, which Mr. Irving uses as a synonym for sailor), but his style is very enjoyable. It is an entertaining and positive reflection of his times that he completely refrains from using four-letter words except for two occasions, "D-d" and "D-n," when he was quoting people. I like his use of "amalgamate" as a euphemism, and I like the way he skillfully uses Biblical references and metaphors.
The wonderful Kindle search tool enables the reader to determine that this book uses the word "savage" 204 times and the word "savages" 107 times to refer to the Sioux, Crow and other tribes of Native Americans. This would not be considered politically correct today, but it is clear that Mr. Irving is treating Native Americans fairly. They are described in numerous anecdotes; when they do something noble or unselfish, they are praised, and when they do something devious, they are criticized.
Although the book was written 177 years ago, it is very readable. I had to look up a few more words than normal because sometimes Mr. Irving uses words differently than we do today (an example is tarpaulin, which Mr. Irving uses as a synonym for sailor), but his style is very enjoyable. It is an entertaining and positive reflection of his times that he completely refrains from using four-letter words except for two occasions, "D-d" and "D-n," when he was quoting people. I like his use of "amalgamate" as a euphemism, and I like the way he skillfully uses Biblical references and metaphors.
March 14, 2015
The combination of "Astoria" and "Washington Irving" really got me excited, enough that this was the first Project Gutenberg book I opened up after I finished downloading approximately a third of their website.
It's not what you think. (It's also extremely long and, Washington Irving or not, could stand some bellicose hacking-up by Raymond Carver's editor.)
It's not the history of Astoria at all, even though that's the subtitle. I'd guesstimate that maybe only two or three chapters of this deal with Astoria at all. It's the story of several groups of adventurers trying to survive their journey across the Rocky Mountains, to and from Astoria.
Granted, there are some really interesting tidbits. And it's incredible to think that western North America could go from what it was in this book to what it is today, in two centuries.
But unless you're rabid about reading everything piece of nineteenth-century survival fiction you can get your hands on... this probably isn't the best one. He goes over three mountainous journeys in great depth, and... almost exactly the same things happen on each journey. Most of characters are almost impossible to tell apart (zero character development for 90% of the folks involved), and so you're basically rereading the same story three times.
It's bizarre to see how "PC" has changed over the centuries, though. The best character (in my opinion, and I think in the opinion of Irving and half the men on the journeys), who was the wife of the interpreter for the group, was never even given a name. She carries her own weight (plus that of two children), performs many feats of daring, and gets the respect of the whole group of hardened trappers, yet she's always referred to as "Pierre Dorion's squaw and her mongrel children." (Or sometimes, to shorten it a bit, just "the half-breed's squaw".
Cuz, y'know... uh... wimmin, yo.
It's not what you think. (It's also extremely long and, Washington Irving or not, could stand some bellicose hacking-up by Raymond Carver's editor.)
It's not the history of Astoria at all, even though that's the subtitle. I'd guesstimate that maybe only two or three chapters of this deal with Astoria at all. It's the story of several groups of adventurers trying to survive their journey across the Rocky Mountains, to and from Astoria.
Granted, there are some really interesting tidbits. And it's incredible to think that western North America could go from what it was in this book to what it is today, in two centuries.
But unless you're rabid about reading everything piece of nineteenth-century survival fiction you can get your hands on... this probably isn't the best one. He goes over three mountainous journeys in great depth, and... almost exactly the same things happen on each journey. Most of characters are almost impossible to tell apart (zero character development for 90% of the folks involved), and so you're basically rereading the same story three times.
It's bizarre to see how "PC" has changed over the centuries, though. The best character (in my opinion, and I think in the opinion of Irving and half the men on the journeys), who was the wife of the interpreter for the group, was never even given a name. She carries her own weight (plus that of two children), performs many feats of daring, and gets the respect of the whole group of hardened trappers, yet she's always referred to as "Pierre Dorion's squaw and her mongrel children." (Or sometimes, to shorten it a bit, just "the half-breed's squaw".
Cuz, y'know... uh... wimmin, yo.
November 6, 2013
Over the Rocky mountains, up and down the Missouri and Columbia rivers, Indian trade and treachery, shipwrecks and starvation, the cold, cold winters, the desolate plains, and the dreaded grizzly bear--this story follows a group of American pioneers shrugging off hardships of every kind to strike it rich off some beaver skins.
Needless to say, this is not a fast-paced book. It's written as a story rather than a series of journal entries, but there are no maps or pictures and so the reader will get easily lost and turned around in the developments of the different groups winding their way through the neverending countryside. The action is rare enough that at 426 pages I wouldn't recommend it to any but the most hopelessly curious. It certainly would've grabbed the curiosity of its original readers, in 1839, who must have been wide-eyed at the tales of grizzly bears and Indians.
If nothing else, the fluid nature of the relationships between the Americans and the Indians was covered in more eyewitness detail and impartiality than you would get from a history book, and for that I would say it was well worth reading.
Needless to say, this is not a fast-paced book. It's written as a story rather than a series of journal entries, but there are no maps or pictures and so the reader will get easily lost and turned around in the developments of the different groups winding their way through the neverending countryside. The action is rare enough that at 426 pages I wouldn't recommend it to any but the most hopelessly curious. It certainly would've grabbed the curiosity of its original readers, in 1839, who must have been wide-eyed at the tales of grizzly bears and Indians.
If nothing else, the fluid nature of the relationships between the Americans and the Indians was covered in more eyewitness detail and impartiality than you would get from a history book, and for that I would say it was well worth reading.
the-kindle-black-hole
March 23, 2014Washington Irving wrote about this? Free on Kindle, plus free download at Project G. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1371
January 28, 2015
I absolutely LOVED this book! Such a fascinating time in history, and gave me so much food for thought!
November 6, 2022
[my edition printed by Createspace, North Charleston, SC, in December 2021]
Only two hundred and twelve years ago a group of brave and hardy men (and one amazing woman) set out from the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers to travel to the westernmost land of the continent at the point where the Columbia River joins the Pacific Ocean. There was no road. They traveled by barge up the Missouri River through wild territory until approaching the area inhabited by the tribe of natives known as Blackfeet, whose reputation for violence caused the party to detour southward for several hundred miles before turning west again to proceed by land on horseback (and sometimes by canoe on navigable rivers) across prairie, desert, and then very high mountains. The endeavor was sponsored by John Jacob Astor, whose objective was to establish a trading post to collect fur pelts from both native mountain inhabitants and wandering trappers, and then ship them to China, where there was strong demand and promising profits. The trekkers were to rendezvous at the Columbia’s mouth with a sailing vessel sent out from New York to meet them there.
A book relating their saga (also entitled Astoria) was published several years ago by author Peter Stark. But Stark’s narration seemed to have a political slant to it that bothered me. This writing of Washington Irving, originally published in 1836, is a closer-to-the-event rendering of the story.
Irving had the opportunity to know personally some of the participants of this several-year event. He also had access to surviving journals, letters, official written reports—and conversations with Mr. Astor himself. In his Preface he admits to other readings from early travelers such as Lewis and Clark for his citations of some peripheral details about the landscape, the animals, and the different native tribes encountered by the expedition. For all the misadventures of the participants, I judged Irving’s storytelling to be even-handed, withholding “blame” from the distance of hindsight, preferring the words of the individuals who were there. The hardships they endured were true enough. They had to carry all of their own provisions for warmth and shelter, as well as a heavy stash of “trading goods” for bartering with tribes for essential needs, sometimes including food—and horses. They carried plenty of guns and ammunition for hunting deer and other game—and the knives and cooking pots to boil and dry the meat or fish caught or bartered for. Axes and other heavy tools enabled them to fell trees for shelter from rain and snow, as well as to build their own canoes when a river was flowing in the right direction to catch a ride. Climbing over the Rocky Mountains might have been the roughest of all, much of it accomplished on their own feet, carrying what provisions they could on their backs. When game was sparse and friendly tribes absent, the trekkers suffered hunger, cold, and exhaustion. Some died by drowning or murder by natives.
The overland survivors, however, reached the rendezvous with the sailors (whose story of calamities is also related through its share of chapters) at the appointed settlement on the mouth of the Columbia River, more than a year and a half after their journey’s start. The hastily erected fort and small village had been given the name Astoria. But troubles continued, especially as the combined Astor parties learned (from Canadian woodsmen who would be their fur collecting competitors) of the outbreak of war between America and Britain while they were traveling in 1812. The return overland trip by splintered groups to take the business news back to Mr. Astor in New York was even more harrowing, if that was possible.
Besides the story itself, which definitely deserved to be told, there was an underlying factor about the whole business endeavor noted by Mr. Irving, even as early as 1834; that is, that the occupation of killing and trapping animals for their furs for a human fashion would die of its own success, because the reproduction of the wild animals could not keep up with the “indiscriminate slaughter” against them.
A philosophical takeaway from the full amazing story might be an innate recognition of the human capacity for resilience, stamina, perseverance, curiosity, courage, innovation, violence, kindness, misunderstanding or its reverse, determination, selfishness or generosity, loyalty or betrayal, love or hatred. Perhaps people were physically tougher back then when they lacked the comforts we enjoy today. But emotions and choices to act upon them seem not to have changed so much. As lengthy as the book is, perhaps I will re-read it in another year or so, after allowing more time to digest it.
Only two hundred and twelve years ago a group of brave and hardy men (and one amazing woman) set out from the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers to travel to the westernmost land of the continent at the point where the Columbia River joins the Pacific Ocean. There was no road. They traveled by barge up the Missouri River through wild territory until approaching the area inhabited by the tribe of natives known as Blackfeet, whose reputation for violence caused the party to detour southward for several hundred miles before turning west again to proceed by land on horseback (and sometimes by canoe on navigable rivers) across prairie, desert, and then very high mountains. The endeavor was sponsored by John Jacob Astor, whose objective was to establish a trading post to collect fur pelts from both native mountain inhabitants and wandering trappers, and then ship them to China, where there was strong demand and promising profits. The trekkers were to rendezvous at the Columbia’s mouth with a sailing vessel sent out from New York to meet them there.
A book relating their saga (also entitled Astoria) was published several years ago by author Peter Stark. But Stark’s narration seemed to have a political slant to it that bothered me. This writing of Washington Irving, originally published in 1836, is a closer-to-the-event rendering of the story.
Irving had the opportunity to know personally some of the participants of this several-year event. He also had access to surviving journals, letters, official written reports—and conversations with Mr. Astor himself. In his Preface he admits to other readings from early travelers such as Lewis and Clark for his citations of some peripheral details about the landscape, the animals, and the different native tribes encountered by the expedition. For all the misadventures of the participants, I judged Irving’s storytelling to be even-handed, withholding “blame” from the distance of hindsight, preferring the words of the individuals who were there. The hardships they endured were true enough. They had to carry all of their own provisions for warmth and shelter, as well as a heavy stash of “trading goods” for bartering with tribes for essential needs, sometimes including food—and horses. They carried plenty of guns and ammunition for hunting deer and other game—and the knives and cooking pots to boil and dry the meat or fish caught or bartered for. Axes and other heavy tools enabled them to fell trees for shelter from rain and snow, as well as to build their own canoes when a river was flowing in the right direction to catch a ride. Climbing over the Rocky Mountains might have been the roughest of all, much of it accomplished on their own feet, carrying what provisions they could on their backs. When game was sparse and friendly tribes absent, the trekkers suffered hunger, cold, and exhaustion. Some died by drowning or murder by natives.
The overland survivors, however, reached the rendezvous with the sailors (whose story of calamities is also related through its share of chapters) at the appointed settlement on the mouth of the Columbia River, more than a year and a half after their journey’s start. The hastily erected fort and small village had been given the name Astoria. But troubles continued, especially as the combined Astor parties learned (from Canadian woodsmen who would be their fur collecting competitors) of the outbreak of war between America and Britain while they were traveling in 1812. The return overland trip by splintered groups to take the business news back to Mr. Astor in New York was even more harrowing, if that was possible.
Besides the story itself, which definitely deserved to be told, there was an underlying factor about the whole business endeavor noted by Mr. Irving, even as early as 1834; that is, that the occupation of killing and trapping animals for their furs for a human fashion would die of its own success, because the reproduction of the wild animals could not keep up with the “indiscriminate slaughter” against them.
A philosophical takeaway from the full amazing story might be an innate recognition of the human capacity for resilience, stamina, perseverance, curiosity, courage, innovation, violence, kindness, misunderstanding or its reverse, determination, selfishness or generosity, loyalty or betrayal, love or hatred. Perhaps people were physically tougher back then when they lacked the comforts we enjoy today. But emotions and choices to act upon them seem not to have changed so much. As lengthy as the book is, perhaps I will re-read it in another year or so, after allowing more time to digest it.
February 20, 2022
I’m not sure how to select a rating for this book. From today’s viewpoint even knowing it was published in 1836, it’s difficult to read the racist and sexist language and descriptions. And thus for many readers this book will not be examined or read. However, any historian of this era must read this for the information it contains. For me, what was most fascinating was knowing that it was written for the time period just prior to my own GGG grandparent’s arrival (1837) in the Oregon country. I’m glad I read it and appreciate having the book Oregon Indians to read at the same time.
March 23, 2023
This was a really great peek into what early Americans found as they traveled west, just after Lewis & Clark. What surprised me was how Irving described the natives encountered with respect. Sure he called them savages and squaws, but he also reflected the respect that SOME early travelers had for the native people, as they traded with them and depended on them for their very survival. It makes me doubly sad for what happened in later years, and still happens today.
I live in the PNW and am familiar with the Astoria area. It was fun hearing what it was like 200+ years ago.
I live in the PNW and am familiar with the Astoria area. It was fun hearing what it was like 200+ years ago.
June 10, 2025
Caveat- I'm not at all familiar with the modern retelling iof this material.
Can you say personal bias and allusions to individuals meeting... questionable ends? OK really I'm referring to one guy about the questionable piece, but naming so many things after a poor dude doesn't *not* sound like guilt! Kidding.
This book is really good for people who have familiarity with the geography and patience for an old writing style. You'll also want the stomach to witness as close to first hand records of white history as lay folk are likely to have access to.
Can you say personal bias and allusions to individuals meeting... questionable ends? OK really I'm referring to one guy about the questionable piece, but naming so many things after a poor dude doesn't *not* sound like guilt! Kidding.
This book is really good for people who have familiarity with the geography and patience for an old writing style. You'll also want the stomach to witness as close to first hand records of white history as lay folk are likely to have access to.
May 9, 2019
A lot of info from "Astoria: John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson's Lost Pacific Empire: A Story of Wealth, Ambition, and Survival" by Peter Stark (which I really liked) came from this by Washington Irving. You should probably read it, like I did, as follow up supplemental material to Stark's book.
March 24, 2018
This is a great resource for a hisotry paper I am writing as I beging my graduate work. While it took me some time and I often had to read a few pages over again, once I foused this was interesting to see how indivduals lived in what seems, such a long time ago.
April 4, 2020
4.5 Amazing true adventure story of the American west/Pacific Northwest, pre-Oregon trail. Found myself favoring first, the seafaring expedition, and then the overland voyage. In awe of the experiences these people suffered and survived, or not. Bedrock of America.
July 31, 2022
One of the best books on the subject and one of the few covering that period in US history on the Northwest.
Unlike other works written in the 1830s, this one is very readable. Skeptical of a non-fiction book by an author famous for fictional stories, I am now a Washington Irving fan.
Unlike other works written in the 1830s, this one is very readable. Skeptical of a non-fiction book by an author famous for fictional stories, I am now a Washington Irving fan.
September 5, 2017
Very informative, enjoyable, colorful and a pleasure to read
August 26, 2018
This was a great story to tell, and Washington Irving was the person to tell it!
March 24, 2019
Very different writing style and word choice from today's authors.
August 20, 2019
This is a well written account of the attempt to establish a trading post in Astoria. It is a provides a different perspective than the more recent history.
January 2, 2020
A fairly slow and tedious read because it involves geographic names and tribal names many of which have changed. Even those still the same have some older spelling quirks. Still enjoyable.
July 7, 2025
Prosey. Verbose and dogmatic. This is what stood for good writing back in the day. It is just like today, only more prosey.
February 23, 2018
Facinating narrative of the Astor Expedition, some 15 years after the Lewis and Clark Expedition of Discovery.
The book is considerably more detailed than the most recent "Astoria" book by Peter Stark, as one might expect, since Washington Irving's account of the enterprise is richly informed by the actual journals of the participants. Furthermore, he wrote the book at Astor's request and while he was a guest in the home of John Astor himself.
What exquisite detail of the expedition's daily tribulations is portrayed in this account, and what informative context of the terrain and the various tribes encountered by the overland contingent.
This book has several editions, of which some are in two or three separate volumes while this edition is a single volume; and the library's description doesn't distinguish among them, making it difficult to order the correct item.
The book is considerably more detailed than the most recent "Astoria" book by Peter Stark, as one might expect, since Washington Irving's account of the enterprise is richly informed by the actual journals of the participants. Furthermore, he wrote the book at Astor's request and while he was a guest in the home of John Astor himself.
What exquisite detail of the expedition's daily tribulations is portrayed in this account, and what informative context of the terrain and the various tribes encountered by the overland contingent.
This book has several editions, of which some are in two or three separate volumes while this edition is a single volume; and the library's description doesn't distinguish among them, making it difficult to order the correct item.
January 31, 2021
Got about a third through, then had to put it aside to go on a trip or something, during which I forgot all the names and roles of the people in the book. But it was fascinating and will pick it up again at some point.
Want to read
March 23, 2014Free download available at Project Gutenberg.
December 10, 2016
very good
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews