The little schooner, clinker-built on the clipper model, painted black with a white ribbon running from stem to stern, was in the eyes of her builders the cutest little craft that ever sat upon the water. With flying sails she dropped down the Willamette, and for pure buncombe crept up to Fort Vancouver. The little clipper ran so close to the barque "Vancouver "that it nearly touched her side.
"Helm-a-lee! "cried Captain Gale.
As she spun around on her keel the stars and stripes were flung in the face of the British tars and they read on her side in full-face letters, "The Star of Oregon."
Dr. McLoughlin was absent. Gale sent word to Douglas:
JAMES DOUGLAS, Esq.:
SIR, I am now on my way to California. If you have any letters or commands that you wish to send to Mr. Rae, residing there, I will with pleasure take them to him.
Yours, JOSEPH GALE.
"Talk of their getting to California that's all braggadocio," said Douglas, as he penned the answer.
MR. JOSEPH GALE:
SIR, As the schooner "Cadborough "will leave for that port soon, we will not trouble you in that particular.
Yours, etc., J. DOUGLAS.
Again at old Fort George (Astoria) the daring little crew unfurled the stars and stripes for Birnie and his men to see.
"Oh, ho! "cried the British tars, "as soon as you see the Pacific your hearts will fail and you'll all be back again."
