The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-07-22

1He lOlIOWlilo lnttIcSOliiS dCcOuuU VI
the naming and condition of Sauvie's
Island, nearly half century ago, is
from the pen of Mr.. George B. Roberts,
who lives at Cathlamet, Washington
Territory. Mr. Roberts left London in
the year 1880 for this coast. He came
via Cape Horn and reached here in
1881. He has resided in Oregon and
Washington Territory ever since his ar.
rival
Sauvie's Island the delta Of the vii
lamette, was so called from an old Ca
madam Frenchman, who for many
years managed the small dairies of the
Hudson Bay Company there, where
Jonathan Moore now lives. The island
was thickly inhabited until the year
1880, when the Indians were nearly
exterminated by congestive chills and
fever of that year. Almost coincidcnt
with the opening of the soil at Vancou-
YER for cultivation on comparative
small scale, the American brig O,chy-
hee Captain Dominey, from the Sand
wich Islands, came on Il trading trip
that year, and the Indians attributed
their atiiiction to that ship, and it is
not likely that any special pains were
taken ut Vancouver to disabuse them
of the notion. At that time there We're
three villages on the island-one on the
Columbia side where Mr.. Bonza now
lives, called the "two villages another
on the slough side, where Jonathan
Moore lives. They were IL such state
that Dr. Mclaughlin dS'sired Dr. La
framborse, leader OF the southln hunt
ing party (who was about to cross the
river there) to rescue the few wretches
that were LETT and then burn the vii
lage, which was done.
At this point, owing to its proximity
to the Tuaatin plains via the mountain
trail, it was that Captain Nathaniel
Wyethe, in 1885, built his Fort Viii
liam. Some four miles Le!ow this point
still, on the slough side, was another
village where the writer was conducted
by Sauvie to see an erect stone slab,
but earnestly desired not to touch it rs
it would inevitably bring ruin. No
heed was paid to the injunction and 1t
has been raining there ever since, OF
with slight intermissions only,-the
nearness of the hills being the most
probable cause. The slab foreign to
the island, might be worthy of Il sum
mer visit to the curious who have time
to spare, us so few relics exist OF the
past race Coffin Rock, further down
the Columbia is worthy of notice in
this connection. 1t was at one time
crowded with the dead. and had been
the depository for ages. AS 1t was
customary to leave not only the imple-
ments of the chase but the ornaments
and articles i'll general use, IA skillful
and intelligent search might reveal some
thing of interest. 1t WAS thought 10y
some that this disposition OF fine canoes
and other valuables WAS not so much
with the view to any use III the future,
but rather to prevent quarreis amons,
the living for the property left.
At st. Hclens the rocks were paint
ed with figures in vermillion, and ii
was noticed that the Indians in passing
canoes invariably threw few twigs or
tufts of grass toward those rocks.
Chinese and japanese coins and to-
kens, and perhaps implements OF stone
would be found in toiiin Rock, also
beads of all kinds, being of less per-
ishable nature than other articles of
deposit. Mount Colin, where Ledoun
lives, was another great burial place.
1t was evidently burned over 10y some
of Wilks men in 1910, OF the explor-
ing expedition.