The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-09-10
EDIToR1AL ooRREspONDENoB.

resume where we left off last week, on
board the good steamer "North Pacific
as she gIided with speed and grace over
the waters of Puget Sound.
The early morning of the 26th found
US moored for short time at the wharf
at Seattle, the most thriving city of the
Sound, and of which we will speak fur
ther after time, for just now our steam
er's PROV is turned in another direction,
and she proceeds on her way. Emerging
from our state-room and hurriedly gath
ering our mantle about US, we seek the
deck, and down through all our blood
drink the invigorating breath of morn
ing, as it comes laden with sea odors
over the sparkling Mediterranean of
the Pacific" The broad expanse of
placid waters, surrounded in the misty
distance by the heaviIy-wooded slopes
of the mainland, or divided here and
there by islets of this inland sea, gor-
geous in the emerald robes of summer;
the distant mountains standing "lonely
and silent and somber and STILL" grim
sentinels on the borders of this en-
chanted land; an occasional white peak
standing against the summer heavens
delicious blue-alI these conspired to
make the view from the deck of our
steamer
$50 wondrous fair, the whole might seem
The scenery ofa fairy dream"
Port Madison is soon reached, sitting
with a subdued and lonely air behind a
huge rampant of sawdust and lumber,
and redolent of odors, pungent and
varied as the traditional odors of Lyons.
This place derives its existence and
whatever Importance is attached to it,
to its advantages as milling point. A
few pretty residences peep through the
trees and from behind the sawdust and
lumber aforesaid, and while it will do
very we'll to look at for few moments
on summer morning, it strikes US as
being a desolate, comfortless place for a
home.
A run of several hours at a sharp an
gle, and Port Gamble is reached
another milling point, much more pleas
antly situated and pretentious than the
last, containing mills with a capacity OF
turning the dark forests that everywhere
flourish on the shores of aOhulge, into
lumber at the rate of 100000 feet in
twenty-four hours. Several vessels
were here, loading and waiting their
turn to load with lumber, which the
busy hum of the mills told US was being
rapidly supplied.
Resuming our way we soon touched
at Port Ludlow, whose piles of lumber
and sawdust again spoke of the voracity
of the mills that puffed away near the
landing, while the skeletons of two ves-
sells upon the ways, and the vigorous
sound of the hammer, told of other in
dustries that were here prosecuted.
We next approached Port Townsend
beautiful little city, which seemed tc
be divided into two distinct sectious-
the one overlooking the other. The
place has brisk, well-to-do appearance
and derives some importance from the
fact that If ie port of entry. Collector
Webster and the various attaches of his
Office here keep vigilant watch over the
commercial interests of our venerable
Uncle Samuel, and having obtained the
proper papers from thence, our steamer
headed for the Straits of Fuca.
''The Straits of Fuca." As we write
these words and look away and acros!
the waters in the direction of British
Columbia, we can imagine the PROUD
exultation of De Fuca as he steered hi
vessel for the first time through thes,
waters, thinking that to him should be
long the honor of the discovery of tht
long-sought Northwest Passage" AnC
though subsequent explorations of thi
vast Northwestern coast have shOwI
that the brave and skillful mariner wa
: widely mistaken in his suppositions re
garding the straits that bear his name
yet the stinted knowledge of those time
relative to this coast, and the genera
appearance of the regal channel who's
waters were first plowed by his ships
furnish sufficient excuse for the suppo
, sition so erroneous.
Although the straits were on this da,
remarkably smooth, the swells from tn
ocean caused motion of the vesse
which, despite our bravery, we coul
not quite ignore, and our cogitation
and observations were speedily termin
, ated by compulsory tribute to Old Ner
tune, which left US too dizzy to renal
q longer upon deck. The sleep that fo
, lowed was soon broken by the welcom
! tidings that we were nearing Victoria
: and soon our vessel slackened speeC
, and making grand turn in the delight
, full little harbor, drew alongside of he
wharf. A dingy, Insignificant fror
this city presents to the bay-a sooty
grimy quay, swarming with men, boy
6 and Indians, and noisome with odors NJ
n of Araby.
Though the first appearance of til
: city is far from prepossessing, a mol
r intimate Acquaintance discloses man
things novel, interesting, and with;
pleasing to the visitor. The streets, tn;
!, seem quiet even to dullness, are narro
: and ill-kept, but the homes that repo:
on either side are in MANY resDects III