impressed all the early settlers of Oregon as being much less approachable than the doctor, while at the same time they could but admire his bearing toward them.[1]
Next in rank at Fort Vancouver was Peter Skeen Ogden, son of Chief Justice Ogden of Quebec. His father had been a loyalist, in early times, in New York, and had emigrated to Canada. Young Ogden was for a short time in the service of Mr Astor, and later of the Northwest Company, from which he was transferred to the Hudson's Bay Company. He had been active in establishing posts and negotiating commercial relations with Indian tribes. In one of his expeditions he discovered the Humboldt River.[2] Ogden was a contrast in every way to McLoughlin and Douglas, being short, dark-skinned, and rather rough in his manner, but lively and witty, and a favorite with everybody.[3] He died at Oregon City in 1854, aged sixty years.[4]
Frank Ermatinger was another person of note at Vancouver; a stout Englishman, jovial and companionable, but rather too much given to strong drink. He was a successful trader, and was sent out to compete with the American fur companies in the Flathead and Nez Percé countries. Afterward, when Oregon City had been established, he took charge of the company's business there, and figured a little in American affairs, being much esteemed by the set-
- ↑ 'Douglas would not flatter you. McLoughlin was more free and easy than he. He was a man born to command; a martial fellow. He never gave an evasive answer; he was a gentleman, too.' Waldo's Critiques, MS., 11.
- ↑ Applegate's Views, MS., 13.
- ↑ He carried his love of fun and frolic to great lengths. 'One of his tricks played at home was, as I have often been told—and played too on his own mother—to send notes to all the midwives in Quebec, asking them to repair to the house of Mrs Ogden at a certain hour, greatly, of course to the astonishment and indignation of that lady.' Allan's Reminiscences, MS., 9.
- ↑ There is an anecdote, told by an eye-witness, of Ogden's Indian wife, to the effect that when the Hudson's Bay and American companies were competing in the mountains, riding into the enemy's camp to recover a pack-animal loaded with furs, the gallantry of the American trappers permitted her to recapture the pack. The Indian women were very useful to the traders in many ways.
