Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1873-02-20


Willamette to the broad Columbia.
How can one weary of this grand river,
its towering bluffs covered with giant frs
from waters edge to hill top, its verdaut
islands, its line of mountains blue and
hazy in the distance, and rising from
them, the snow clad peaks Of Hood and
St. Helens, looking cool and dazzlingly
white on an August morning. This is
indeed the ''king of rivers" But as
the past, so vague and dim, has often a
superior charm over the practical "living
present. so the real romance Of the
Columbia is to me centered in its early
days, when this broad, majestic current
was rippled only by the paddles Of the
Indian canoe, one tribe communicating
with another or casting their nets and
spears for salmon for generations. Then
came its discovery by the white man.
For while this savage race lived on in
these solitudes, other races, the Spanish,
Portuguese and English were sailing along
the Pacific coast, dreaming and speculat
ing about North West passage, and as
early as the sixteenth century the naviga-
tors Of these nations had commenced
their explorations. Blake, Cook and
Vancouver, under the English, discovered
capes and bays which they explored in
intelligently and added TO their charts,
but searched in vain for great body of
water extending inland towards the Rock
v mountains. And it remained for New
England captain, Robert Gray to settle
the great dispute. making al doubts a
certainty. Strong in his faith OF the
ultimate discovery of the .'River Of the
West" and deciding one morning in
May, 1762, that the opening before him
with its bold headlauds was the long
sought for mouth, he drove his vessel
past the white capped breakers, across
the treacherous bar, straight into the
right channel to smooth waters. Then
followed its further explorations by Van
couver, and the establishment Of trading
ports with the Indians; the Hudson's
Bay Co., being located at different points;
then the expedition Of Lewis and Clarke
sent overland by Congress to discover the
sources of the Columbia and our other
great western rivers, for to the Columbia
river and the country it drained, the
United States had the first claim by
reason of its discovery by Captain Gray.
We may all remember hearing Of that
expedition through their vast western
wilderness, the hunger and cold suffered,
the snow covered mountains and swollen
river crossed by almost super-human ex
crtions. Then forty or fifty years later
other boats came creeping up the river
bearing the weary emigrants and mission
aries TO tn 3ir different destines in the
wilderness, some to death by starvation,
sickness, or the Indians Ratchet; some
to long years of unsuccessful toll through
privations> almost incredible; some a
last 20 comfort, competency and wealth.
Butthc whistle is blown, revcrberating
among the hills, and the evcntful pas
disappears as our modern steamer draw:
up to well built dock of one Of the Sal
mon fisheries. The building is almo>
deserted. as the season is over, but in tht
spring it is full Of Cinnamon canning
and barrclling Salmon.
And now our sail of 10 miles is nea
completion, for the river is gradual!
widening. Far ahead is the bold head
land Of Cape Disappointment marking
the entrance on the Washington Terrific
ry side, and now around that spur which
puts out sharply from the range Of higf
hills into the current and which forms
beautiful wide cove, We come upon the
little town of Astoria. resting at the foo
of densely wooded hills. But | mus
.eave description of Astoria for thu
future or we will never reach Oysterville
The next mo.uing we are seated on th'
deck of steam tug which is to take u
fourteen miles across the bay or rathe
the mouth of the Columbia. The sur
shines brightly on the dancing waves anc
the s.a air freshens pale checks. Bchn(
us,
'Far, vague and dim,
The mountains SWIM"
while before us are the white.cappc'
breakers dashing over the bar Ou
eyes arc filed with the glorious scen'
lbnut W, aud ~ our little ste anne
walks the water like Il thing of lie,
our lip, invoiun.ariIy repeat from tn
favorite of our childhood,
"O.r the cal waters Of the dark blue sea,
Oui thoughts rs bout dless and our souls as free,
Far as the breeze can reach or billows foam,
Behold our empire aud surrey our hCmc'
And yet as We watch steamer crossin!
;he bar OH It's way to Alaska, certain un
poctical "reminiscences Of sea sickncs
make Us satisfied that we are not on he