The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-08-18

DEAR INDEPENDENTS: Ii not disagreeable
to yourself or your readers, | think l will
give you rapid account OF a few prominent
features OF my journey TO the Sound. After
hearing the concert of the Mendelssobn Club
at Portland, July ODD, in company with a
selec. party from the barracks, we were
brought back to this place about midnight,
returning directly to Portland from which
we started for kaama at : A. NJ. Reaching
the latter place, which Is the present south
ern terminus of the railroad which connects
the waters of the Sound with those of the
noble Columbia and finding that had near
ly Ole hours time before the departure of
the train, l strolled along the bank of the
river, at this point two miles wide. to place
where fisherman aided by his wife was
mending his nets. Seeing that they We're
pretty badly torn and that he had to cut
and throw away parts too badly injured to
be repaired, | asked him how this had hap
pened: "'The simplest thing in the worid
you see stranger, these are made to ketch
salmon and them alone, but there he a lot of
intruders that have no business with the
nets and still will come and be caught among
the meshes, consarn them! | hate the med
dlesome fellows. "W hat are thew" ''Why
what do You suppose they can be. hut those
meddlesome good for nothing surgeons:
Why can't they let my nets alone? The nets
amt made for them. No body cares for
them at this time OF the year and 1t is mighty
little good they are any way. even in winter
What are they good for. bat to come aud
tear my nets all to pieces? You see, stran-
ger, they are very strong, sometimes weigh
ing several hundred pounds; they tear the
nets fearful and often they get away, leaving
nothing but their damage behind. Here
have several boats, and my nets alone cost
ME over $500. and ] must spend much of
ms- .m ne. In %ssgahigg9 fFlow many salmon
do You average per night "Wall, some
times Is and up to 80, and we can't fish sun
days nor some portions oil the year. because
they say that the fish would become instinct
except for the law" You mean extinct.
don't YOU" 'Why yes, that's the word,
come to think; but you see we western folks
must tell a thing three or four times before
we can get it right"
Leaving the fisherman with his nets, /
took the ears, or rather the car, for the com
pany bad provided only one coach and the
heat was very oppressive, the car being quite
crowded. The road runs a good part OF the
way along the Cowitz river whose waters
were of milky white color. Having in
quired the cause, | was told that logs were
jams and when disturbed, these in turn dis
turb the clay bottom of the river, dyeing the
water, which in ordinary times is clear.
The country along this portion OF the road
appears better than | expected to find it.
1t shows strong marks OF glacier deposits;
for all that the crops look fine and especially
l saw some fields of peas as good as | ever
saw in my life. Other products, grass. grain
as well as fruit appear to thrive and crops
look as well as can be expected among 80
many stumps. The main draw back to agri-
culture here, to the development of farms. is
the cost of clearing. For all that, the peo-
pie appear thrifty and contented. and cult
waited areas are steadily charging
Two hours ride brought rs to Tenino,
when our party of five persons changed cars,
taking the narrow gauge road TO Olympia,
the capital of the Territory, which we reached
about four in TIE afternoon. About three
miles west of Tenino my attention was at
tracted to an immense number of mounds
through which the narrow gauge road passes
for three or four miles. aud was told that
they appeared to he an enigma, nobody be-
ing able to tell what they were, some per-
sons supposing them to have been made by
beavers aud the word Beaver is actually
printed on the Cotton map at this point.
am compelled to dissent from this view and
would refer those who tase interest in this
question to.an article on the subject in the
OregoniaB of the 9th inst.
Before arriving at Olympia, we pass a
place called Tnmwater. where the river. OF
rather creek. affords very fine water pow
er, having a total fall OF at least l50feet. bu,
not utilized, mostly in consequence of hav'
sng hereto been in litigation. But it seems
that now all questions have been satisfac
torily harmonized, and the Tumwater ha;
brighter prospects in store. Olympia is 10
Gated in charming position, but does mol
bear the marks OF thrift: quite the reverse
am sorry to say, for it is place that with
Its southern exposure and charming location
on the Sound could be made most attractive
More anon. CD.