The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-08-17
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

country, peopled as it is, at long inter-
walls, by hardy pioneers who hew them
selves home in the labyrinthine wind
ings of the mighty forests, nestle beside
the rivers, under lee of overhanging
bluffs, or wander away to the wide prai-
ries in search of pasture land and wheat
fields, none can realize the truth until
they, like your humble servant, shall
have, in their peregrinations, searched
out all its borders and permeated its en-
tire diameter by the slow process of Wis
iting from town to town, from district
to district, and almost from house to
house, over an area many thousand
miles square, wherein every phase of
physical geography upon the terrestrial
globe is represented in some way by al
most every phase of human habitation
and human employment known to ter
restrial industry.
After returning last week to Astoria,
as we had planned, and making a few
days successful canvass in the interest
of the Peoples Paper, we went aboard
the little butter firkin of q steamer
called the General Canby," and headed
for Fort Stevens, Sand Island, Cape
Hancock and Bakers Bay. The tide
was low when the whistle sounded for
''all aboard" at Captain Gray's new
dock, and a gang-plank ten inches wide
was placed with one end upon the solid
piling, and the other at an angle of
forty-five degrees upon the roof of the
pilot-house, and upon this rocking, roll
licking little board, that looked for all
the world like a faded, SHARED rib
bon, We tremulously planted our palpi-
tating avOirdupois, said our prayers,
and descended to the subterranean re-
gions of the tiny craft and took seat
behind the wheel, profoundly astonished
10 find that we hadn't departed from the
little gang-plank to the briny deep that
surged below and around US. An hour
and half of putting, whistling, and la
boring on the part of the tiny craft, and
we had "done' the dock at Fort Ste
vens, cruised off Sand Island, touched
at Cape Hancock, and fetched up at the
dock at Bakers Bay, where our good
friend Holman, proprietor of the pros
pective town of Ilwaco, met US with his
accustomed cordiality, and we were soon
seated in the cosy cottage where his es-
Unable family are spending the sum-
mer, with the green sward all around
them and the ceaseless monotone of the
sea ever sounding in the distance like
the far-off wall of the storm spirit.
Mr.. Holman has erected a number OF
neat cottages, several of which are
awaiting tenants, who have been unu-
sually slow in coming to summer re-
sorts this season, partly on account Of
unusually cool weather, but chiefly on
} account of unusually dull times.
Some day, when Bakers Bay shall
have been studded with piles for half q
mile from the lands edges, thus giving
vessels as good opportunity to land
alongside the docks as Astoria now pos
sesses, IIwaco may be the Oakland ol
the seaside, as we'll as a most delightful
summer resort. Situated as she is be-
hind the bold promontory of Disap-
pointpent, hemmed in by trees, fanked
by inland lakes, and within constant
hearing of the surf on the weather
beach beyond, we know of no spot on
the emerald earth more appropriately
situated for a suburban city. The far
famed Jersey Flats pale into insignifi.
canoe beside these vernal lowlands, and
the Jersey Hights are pigmies compared
to the bold eminences that here await
: the woodman's axe and settlers skill.
The Ilwaco House, kept last year by
Charlie Dexter, and now in possession
of Captain-somebody, who looks in
F vain for throng of customers, looks as
desolate and lonely as a last years
camping ground. We do not tarry here
Yonder, on the hillside, overlooking the
majestic river, the mighty mountains,
and peeping out toward the everlasting
sea, is the home of our friends the
Whealdons, upon whose low veranda we
are soon painting, for the climb up the
long hillside has shortened our breath
aud rendered rest a luxury. 1t is two
years since we were here before, bui
time has left no perceptible trace of his
flight upon the brow of the hillside
neither has he added single furrow tc
the brows of the aged couple who greet
us with the genial hospitality of the
days agone.
Regaining our breath, we enter the
low-ceiled sitting-room, and with sigh
for the friends at home, who are swell.
tering in the Portland heat, we draw an
easy chair before a cheerful open fire
and chat of other days.
The next day we embarked in one oi
]. L. Stout's mail coaches for Sea View,
three or four miles distant, across the
peninsula that connects Cape Hancock
with the rest of Washington Territory
Such road ! Bump, thrash, crash, jolt,
bang! Corduroy and common sense
Up hill and down hill; over rocks and
ridges; through antedeluvian forests
amid ferns and brakes and sallal berries
through tangled dells and past purling
anrinOlafa wa on and after q whila