, 1876-03-25
CORRESPONDENCE.


Trayeing, in early days, was quite m un-
dertaking, AMI required patience, Perscvcr'
ancc and hsrdihuOd. The mrs! thing in
order, the lay before the journey was tn he
taken, Y1s 10 engage u Rrge 4i1cd Chcnook
canoe, with three or four indians. In sum
mcr, If the weather was fine, anil the wind
fair. by starting at break OF day, we could
reach Seattle or Por, Gamble, a distance OF
forty miles, by ten o'clock in the evening.
Under favorable circumstances, ard after bc.
coming accustomed ~ it, the trip would be
rather pleasant than otherwise, hut in Vim
ter, accompanied with a driving rain or
snow storm, cold, weary and miles from
harbor or shelter, it WAS tedious and dis
agreeable in the extreme. Little does the
emigrants, coming in now, realize the pri'
vations and TRIALS of the pioneers. How
much more cheertully would they have en-
durcd them could they have looked forward
to the prosperity, even Of the present day :
yet hAvry th.> lahorcl on, though oit'tmcs
weary. sore hearted and discouraged, for
Snohomi,h seemed 50 far away from civil.
zatiou, an i3Olutrl Wilderness which only
ycars of unc.asinE labor and patient waiting
could ever overcome.
IA the holiday season approached several
Of our citizens, accepted Invita- ions to visit
Olympia, and left this place on the morning
of Dec 10, by the usual conveyance, and ar.
rived at Mukilteo in the afternoon, expect.
ing to take passage on the Slolp harsa,
Capt Cosgrove commander, vino carried the
mail from Seattle 10 Whatcom The boat
not arriving, %e were obliged to take Iodg'
ing in the store, Vhe present hotel not hay-
ing been builtJ with the soft side OF ii plank
for bed, which made the night seem very
long. About nine o'clock the next morning,
however, W. set sail for Port Madison, where
We expected to connect with the E'isd An
lsrSVH but fate llecrced otherwise, the wind
died away, calm followed, which prevent
ed our reaching Madison until after the Str.
had gone by. Dnun,ICss, we were yet deter.
after few hours rcsl and some refreshments,
we embarked, on the Winged Rpctr, small
sailing craft, for Seattle, the wind being
favorable, We arrived there in few hours.
The next morning bright and carly, calling
into rcquisiliun the indispensable canoe and
Indians, with liberal supply of hard bread,
we were of lor Stciacoum, but the breeze
soon increased 10 gale, we were unable to
90 up on the outside OF Nashons Island, and
had to cross the portage on the inside,
Drawing the canoe over the ground caused
it to spring leak, which Kept one busy
hailing ont the water, and then it Was very
uncomfortable, there being strong head.
wind, our prngr IS was slow, but We finally
arrived in SlciIacOom ut midnight, fatigucd,
cold and hungry after trying for some time,
We NJ last succeeded in finding hotel not
closed, which seemed to be in the possession
oi some soldiers from the garrison, who were
having carousal, one OF which had to be
severely dealt with before we re allowed
tn enter. At best it was yilanous look
ing place, very uncean. no locks on the
DOORS weary, with nerves unstrung, we lay
shaking with terror the rest of the night.
But the morning dispersed the gloom, and
we decided not to trust thG treachcrous
wave farther, but traverse the remaining
twenty-five miles by land, which, at tht
season, was Il rough trip, we arrived al
Olympia, On the evening of the fifth day,
just in time to be too late. The voyage was,
from beginning to end, II series OF disap.
pointmcnts and mishOps, not unlike your
own recent editorial experience,
AIM.