, 1859-08-19
Tho Valley Of the ChehaIiS.

luO VdllUy VI tHo OnVuoios
On the 25th Of July, started from
Olympia with Col. M. Il. Simmons, Indian
agent, for visit to the Indians on the
Chehalis River and Gray's Harbor. We
were accompanied by MessrS. GholSon and
Woodson, the son and nephew Of our Gov
ernor, who, having recently arrived in the
country, were desirOus Of seeing something
fits resources and products, aud the ad-
vantagss it offers to settlers to come among
u.s.
We reached the house of Judge Sidney
s. Ford, ST., on the bank Of the Chehalis
River, at 8 o'clock, P. NJ :, having Travelled
some thirty miles since one o'clock-the
heur we left Olympia.
There were o number Of Indians assem-
bled at Judge Ford's, who is sub agent fer
the Chehals, and the following morning
after our arrival, Col Simmons distributed
presents among them. listened to their diff
fereut speeches, and after replying, an-
nounced ready to proceed down the river.
We accordingly embarked in canoes,
Judge Ford accompanying us.
The river at this season is low, and our
canoes grounded in several instances on
the rifles There are two drifts of logs in
the river one Of them quite large We
L..I.j ,u, .onoa, ovor khasa aod raa ch ad
the block house at Smiths Prairie, where
We passed the night.
From this block house there is good
wagon road all the way to Olympia.
The next morning we passed down the
river six miles, to the claim of Messrs. S. S.
Ford, jr., and his brother Thomas Here
we took breakfast, and after adding to our
party Mr.. Sidney S. Ford, jr., We proceed
cd down to the mouth of the Satsop, where
we dined, and where Col. Simmons gave
presents to party Of Satsop Indians, who
had assembled there for the purpose.
After dinner we proceeded down the
stream past the mouth of the Wynooche,
and camped at the house of Mr.. Ben, who
has Just taken claim and made clearing.
From this camp we went down to the
claim Of Messrs Byles & Young, on the
old council ground where Gov. Stevens
met the representatives Of five tribes of In-
dams in 1854. Messrs. Byles & Young
are here erecting buildings for tannery,
and are about bringing in the water from
n creek (which runs near their claim to
run saw and grist miE The place is
much improved since was there at the
tfme Of the council, and is very valuable
claim. The prOpreitors have named it
"Cosmopolis," signifying, as one of them
informed me, home for ALA term, by
the way, which might with more propriety
be applied to the whole Territory. They
intend laying it OF as town, and it will
eventually be thriving business place.
From the council ground we made one
more camp, near the mouth of the river,
and at last reached Chehals City, at the
entrance to Gray's Harbor, on the morn
ing Of the goth. There is quite settle
Eent grown up at this portion of Gray's
Harbor, under the auspices Of Mr.. Carter,
Mr.. Mckee, and others. The settlement
was at hrSt named Leo, but finding that
the other signs of the zodiac where quite
as applicable to the place, and particularly
the sign Cancer (the crab), it was decided
to fall back on the old Indian name o.
Chehalis, which signifies in the language
Of the tribe sand. aud is very applicable tC
the sandy spit on which the embryo city
stands.
From ChehaiS City we went to the
lighthouse on Tokes Point, at the entrance
to Shoalwater Bay, intending to have Wis
tied BrucepOrt and Oystcryille, but a thicl
log and no boat prevented US, SO we re
traced eur steps to Gray's Harbor, whicl
we crossed, and after holding an interview
with the Indians assembled, commenced
ascending the river on our return.
We stopped at nearly the same places
gang mp that va did on our down trip til