Astoria (book)

[1] The book describes an expedition to the mouth of the Columbia River and the ultimate failure of attempts in the early 19th century to establish a permanent American-controlled commercial base at Astoria.

The 1810–1813 expedition was financed by the New York business man, John Jacob Astor, with a view to establishing a trading post for his Pacific Fur Company, in competition with British and, to a lesser extent, Russian interests in the region.

Because of direct military threats from the British, along with other problems described in the book (conflicts with indigenous peoples, managerial shortcomings and the difficulties of communication across such long distances), the project ultimately failed.

In a letter to his nephew, Irving described his vision for Astoria as "not merely a history of his [Astor's] great colonial and commercial enterprise, and of the fortunes of his colony, but a body of information concerning the whole region beyond the Rocky Mountains, on the borders of the Columbia River, comprising the adventures, by sea and land, of traders, trappers, Indian warriors, hunters, etc their habits, characters, persons, costumes, etc; description of natural scenery, animals, plants etc.

In a letter to his brother, Irving attributed his rapid completion of the book to this ideal setting: "I cannot tell you how sweet and delightful I have found this retreat; pure air, agreeable scenery, a spacious house, profound quiet, and perfect command of my time and self.

[7] Numerous attempts have been made to ascertain the degree to which Astoria is a work of fiction and to what extent it is historically and geographically accurate.

For example, an analysis of the sources of Irving's account of the destruction of the ship,Tonquin, and of his revision of this account shows that "he combined a responsible attitude toward the writing of history with the rare gifts of smooth, economical narration and vivid pictorial skill that had already won him fame.