On 8 September 1810, "Tonquin" departed New York harbor bound for the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. Cargo on board included fur trade goods, seeds, building material for a trading post, tools, and the frame of a schooner to be used in the coastal trade. The crew consisted of 34 people including the captain, 30 of whom were British subjects. Four partners of the company were on board: Duncan McDougall, David and Robert Stuart, and Alexander McKay. Additionally there were 12 clerks and 13 Canadian voyageurs, plus four tradesmen: Augustus Roussel, a blacksmith; Johann Koaster, a carpenter; Job Aitkem, a boat builder; and George Bell, a cooper.