Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-07-20
From our Port Townsend Correspondent.
Visit to Tatooche Island.


The Island.-7Ne Light Keepers.
-Uncle Georye.-1Ae lndians.-
Catching Whale.-C.tting up and boil
ing blubter, etc.
In former article I gave your read
ers but an imperfect idea of the ligh:-
house and its component parts, now I
propose to say something about the Is-
land itself and the Inhabitants thereof,
both keepers and Indians, of which lat
ter commodity there is goodly supply
during the summer months, as Ia
tooche Island is favorite resort for In
dians of Cape Flattcry during the sea-
son for catching halibut, from March to
August.
The Island, as before remarked is a
group of boulders of conglomerate, pre-
senting the appearance of coarse beach
gravel, yet SO firmly cemented and
hardened together as to offer resist
ance like granite to any attempt to work
it. The coarse, rugged nature Of the
stone is well adapted for climbing over
in making search for any curiosities Of
marine nature that lie hidden beneath
the masses of rich brown kelp and var
iegated sea MOSES that cover its shag-
gy sides at all points where the high
tides can reach. The action of the
waves for countless ages has worn deep
cavcrns into the cliff, and two of these
great archcd caves go quite through the
island. In these, at low tide, I founda a
variety of shells, and specimens Of
sponge of very beautiful description.
1t grew UPRIGHT, with branches around
as so many fingers, and when gathered
was of an orange color, but washing
cleaned that color out and left the
sponge beautifully white, and of deli
cate texture. Some of these specimens
were foot long. During the preva-
lence of heavy storms, the waves Of the
Pacific beat upon the Island with trc-
mcndous force. Although, as I have
before remarked, the sides of the Island
are precipitous, and from 80 to 80 feet
high, yet the force of the waves at times
is sufficient not only to throw the spray
above the cliff, but even over the tower
of the light, and it is not unfrequent
during the gales Of winter to have the
glass of the lantern covered with salt
incrustation, which has to be carefully
cleaned off each day.
was witness during my visit (Which
was in April lasD of heavy gale from
the southwest which threw the spray
clear over the cliff, and dashed it in
sheets against the windows of the light
house. The scene was grand. From
the lighthouse could be plainly seen
through the storm the precipitous and
rocky shore of Cape Flattery, against
which the mountain waves broke in
their majestic strength, throwing their
creamy crests far on the land, from
whence they again descended in water
falls of foam. Looking north from the
lighthouse is Duncan's rock, about
Fm mile distant. Occasionally wave Of
giant strength would strike the reef
and throw jet of foam and spray per-
pendicularly into the air apparently
hundred feet. Al such times, and dur
ing heavy swells which sometimes roll
in unaccompanied with wind, the keep
er are obliged to remain on the island
and keep pretty closely housed. Their
position is drcary enough. Although
the building is of stone, with walls two
feet thick, yet the storms Of wind are so
violent that the rain is blown up under
the shingles of the roof to such degree
that the house is constantly damp end
cold. Green moss collects on the walls,
and the chimneys are 90 badly con-
structed that every blast Of wind strikes
against the tower, blows down through
the Apes, and fills thehouse with smoke.
The keepers leave, or rather two Of
them alternately leave, every three
months to carry returns to the custom.
house at Port Townsend, hundred
miles distant, and receive their supplies.
The residue Of the time these men 10
main isolated and ~ separate from so-