Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1860-12-15
The Pacific Coast Survey.

We copy the following article from
the Alta California.
Much in it is of general interest to
our People, to many of whom is un-
known, the weight of obligation they
are under to the gentlemen named. for
fund of information published to the
world in regard to the development and
geography of this Coast. We har dly
suppose that the name of George David
son, Esq, the talented author of the
"Directory of the Pacific Coast is new
tomany of our citizens, especially those
engaged in commercial, and lumber
ing pursuits. To very many, the article
will be recognized as a truthtuland well
merited tribute to ayoung man, who has
martyrcd himself, in his untirifg zeal
in discovering and removing the obsta-
clcs to navigating the North West Pa
cifc, and especially IN dvcrtising to
the world, tie topography and hydrog-
raphy of our own iHland Sea, now so
we'll namedas s'the Mediterranean of the
North West"
Truly Ito we join join iii iii tie hope express
cd in the article, that relief from the
arduous duties and the exposure incl
dent to the labors of surveying the va
rious bays, capcs etc. upon our extend
ed coast, will restore Mr.. Davidson to
perfect health. Many dcvotedalmircrs
he has, and none more than ourself will
delight to hear of his future success in
life, and his enjoyment of all of 1leav-
ems choicest blessings. But we forget
the article, here it is.
The COAST SURvEY-TEN YEARS Work
OF A PARTY-EXposUREs AND DAN
GERs-Ass,sTANT GEORGE DAVIDSON.
The carly efforts of portion of the
parties engaged in the survey of the
coast of California, and Oregon and
Washington Territories, are now mat
ters of history. The trials, exposures
and escapes, arc no fancy sketches, but
the plain everyday story of life,
which, in the pursuit of scientific inves-
legations, were necessarily encountered.
The principal Of the party, of whose
work slight sketch is given below, is
now entirely broken down in health, and
on the steamer of the first of November,
Mr. George Davidson took his depart
ure East, mere wreck, physically, of
his former self. We knew this gentle
man when boy, and when possessed
of an iron constitution, and now, after
the lapse Of few years, find him bro
ken in health, and unfit for field work,
consequent on the exposure he has been
subject to. His mind thoroughly on
the work of the survey, little attention
was paid to bodily comfort; and after
ten years of arduOus service, in which
vast amount of work has been done,
he is compelled by failing health to quit
the active duties his position on this
coast required.
MIR. Davidson, under the direction
Of the able Superintendent of the Coast
Survey, Prof. Alexander d. Bache,
came out to this coast III 1850, bringing
with him, as corps of assistants, JAS.
S. Lawson, A. NJ. Harrison and John
Rockwell.
So little was known at the time re-
garding the coast, that only very gen.
eral Instructions could be given, leaving
great discretionarypower with the chief
ofparty. Mr.. Davidson proved himself
equal to the emergency, and failing to
receive supplies of money from Wash
ington, as expected, he applied to Col
lector Collier, AMI succeeded in bor-
rowing $1,000. This sum being USE
less for carrying on any work in the Vi
cinity of San Francisco, he determined
to occupy an astronomical station at