Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1863-05-02
Letters from the Pacific
Coast.
DY JAY wHIPPLE.

,nent of this month | babe adieu to the
State of Oregon, and sought the more
salubrious climate of California. A trip
from Portland, Uia Victoria, V. l.. to
San Francisco, is quite sea voyage, and
not wholly uninteresting, even to Gland
lubber." The distance is ESQ miles
From Portlsnd to the mouth of the
Columbia River, distance Of 100 miles,
;hs steamer moved quietly along the
,ieop, placid water; The working Of the
vessels machinery, the gruff voice Of the
mate, as he cries ''haul out that pIa nix )
the crowd OF mixed passengers; the ..''col-
ored gemmeil'" for cooks and walters;
"a porter who shoulders your trunk for
half dollar and blacks your boots for n
qusrtsr; AZ elegantly furnished Bar, fill
sd with ''choicest liquors." Il notice in
the cabin, Games for Money Prohibit
ed" the width Of the river; the wood
yards that are TO DO seen along tue bot
IONS; the rugged scenery upon either
bank of the river, with here and there an
Indian canoe,-ali wildly reminded me
Of ride on Mississippi steamboat in
al earlier day.
We stopped for wood and a few pas
sengers, al Astoria, town that has DC
come famous through the pen Of Wash
ington Irving and the name of Jacob AS
Ter. 1t is small town, not as large rs
Point Douglas. and not near as hand
soneiy located. Tbs buildings looked
weather beaten aud dilapldatcd, and a
number Of them were vacant. Il is stu
aied on the southern bank of the Colum-
ia river, at the base ola high mountain
whose topmost summit is covered with
snow. Doubtless the Hudson Bay Com
pany designed this place to be city of
magnificent size. but for some unforeseen
reason their anticipations have not bee n
realized, and the town aud its surround
iugs present strong indications of busted
enterprise.
From Astoria 10 the mouth of tho riv-
er, it is eighteen miles, where we come
to the Light House aud what is called
Columbia Bar, where the waters become
agitatsd, and we leave the pure noun
tain stream" aad gaze out upon the
broad, deep, blue sea-"
Or course, !, in common with many
others, had TO pay that tribute which old
Neptune so vigorously exacts from the
majority Of those who encroach upon bis
watery domain, and / have no doubt but
that when my account was fully cast up,
Lis Ocean Majesty was amply satisfied.
However, We came TO smooth water at
last, and / must say that sail il a fLe
Ocean steamer, up the Straits of Juan
De Fuca, is alike interesting, exhilerating
and instructive. This is one of the finest
sheets of water in the world, ever free
from inpediments 10 navigation, of
uniform depth, and generally, $50 l am
ipformed) but slightly influenced By These
fierce and unsparing gales, which 50 often
81 this season Of the year, spend their
fury upon the frail craft OF the sailor
while ccursing through these ATTITUDES.
At about II o'clock NJ. we were abreast
Fl the Light House, built upon one of the
Race Rocks, distant i24niles from Es-
guimslt haF5or EsgTsnalt IS little
cnyal town where the American steamer
lands. and lies three miles from the city
af Victoria. Esguirnait being ,hs prin-
opal naval station of Queen Victoria on
these waters, IS naturally considered one
Of great importance, which idea is sub
s;antially endorsed by the "powers thst
be-" they setting t. work 10 foriify and
strengthen the pisce, with 'leW 10 con-
i.ngeneies.
The read from the barbor TO the city
is macademized and in fine order. 1.
passes over TWO lengthy and well-built
bridges, whore arr distinctly seen the
the universal. and here, ominousIy sug-
gestive words "walk your horses"
Arriving at the St. Nicholas, tho lar
gest and most stylish hotel in ;he city,
after having booked my namo and settle
81 my stomach with beef steak and
c.iIee, and shook myself free from my
sea togs, | sailed forth to "do" the place.
Possessing curious turn of mind, | re
solved 10 remain in the city few days,
30 thst might fully realize that i had
hsd stepped foot upon foreign shere,
snd further, that / might have con-
Senient opportunity OF investigating the
peculiar characteristics of a native Hin
giishmsn in Her Majesty's Dominion's.
Commencing with the before mentioned
hotel, I would SAP, that it is by far the
x,,nsf extensive build;nc, Iva fila ,ox,,, -