The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-06-29

meneement Day.
SEATTLE, June lst, 1881.
DEAR FRIEND:
You wished me 20 tell you Ct my
trip to Washington Territory and
what I have seen here.
In my last letter | told of our Jour
ney to San Francisco.
A description of the ocean e.n hard.
ly be appreciated by one who has al.
ways liyeI on the prairies. and has never
seen that broad expaase of green va =
tiers dotted. here and there by passing
vessels. with their canvas all spread,
reminding one as they are waited on
by the breezes. of the giant birds of
prehistoric sges Often the waters be-
meath and around seemed alive with
etenophera, hydroids, jelly and sun
fishes, while near by schools of dolphins
gambo!ed like dogs at play. and in the
distance score of whales appeared,
making mimic fountains. Beautiful
gray and white sea gulls, in large num-
bers. fioated on the waters, or scared
far above the masts uttering their Lone
ly cry.
Turning landward from the ocean,
we found, opened before us, the STRAIT
Of Fuca. broad and deep, with neither
bolt nor bar to hinder free entrance or
exit. This is guarded on the right by
Cape Flattery light house, the largest
on the northwest coast, while on the
left are "Her Maiesty's possessions"
As We passed along we could
but admire the scenery on either side;
the sandy beaches broken here and
there by clumps of trees or cliffs OF
rock reaching down to the waters edge.
The first view which attracted our
attention was scene on the Neah Bay
Indian reservation. We learned that
the Neah Bay Indians were giving
grand "Potlatch," word meaning
gifts" The British Indians were conn
ing over, SO We waited few minutes
to see them land. Steadily CT they
came. o score Of canoes. each propelled
by dozen paddles, which, to the time
Of the drum beat. rose and fell above
the bright waters. and rejecting the
brilliant sunlight looked like FURNISHED
gold. Subsequently we visited at this
place, the Indian School, Government
Life Saving Station. &c. Many of the
beautiful sea MOSES and shells, speci
mems of which sent you, and of which
the harp was made. were collected
here. Going out on the kelp covered
rocks at lowtide to gather this moss.
was an entirely new experience. Fancy
yourself with US while we watch the
surf as it comes rolling in. The great
frothy masses Of emerald green raising
themselves like huge walls, then break
ing and throwing the foam far upon
the beach, while the only sound is that
of the waves as they dash against the
rocks, or upon the cold, hard beaten
sands, causing
"a feeling OF sadness and longing,
That 10 not akin TO pain,
And resembles sorrow only, as
The mist resembles rain."
Passing through the Straits, other
views are principally of light houses
scattered along. great rocks, high,
rugged looking bluffs, and in the dis
lance at our left. Victoria the beautiful
capital of British Columbia.
The Territory is divided BY the Cas-
cade range into Eastern and Western
Washington. Running through the
Western portion is Puget Sound, really
q Gulf. and one of the grandest bodies
of water to be found anywhere. The
entrance to this is the Strait before
mentioned. but the Sound. spreading
out like an immense inland sea, is dot.
ted with fertile islands. and, with its
hundred arms ramifying in various di-
rections, opens to commerce. O vast
country, and forms many harbor in
which the fleets of the world might
safely ride at anchor.
Extensive forests of large trees lift
ing their spiry heads high, high 10 air,
are to an Eastern eye, simply wonder
full. Some of our most choicely cult.
waited flowers of the East here flourish
both in forest and field in wild luxuri-
ance.
The climate ia fine in summer with
much rain and little or o snow in win.
ter.
The scenery is unsurpassably grand
l am told by European travellers that
in the whole Alpine Range there is not
q mountain that rises far above all
surrounding mountains, snow-covered.
solitary and alone, as in the Cascade
Range do Adams. Jefferson, st Helen's,
Hood. Rainier, and Baker. Mount Ra-
nier shows 10 all its beauty from here.
and was thus spoken of by DIR Jordan,
who yisited here last susnmer s.Nfourt
Rainier Is o great white cone two and q
half miles in hight On its lower mile
the dense fir forests cover il with never
changing green, and its next half mile
with lighter green OF grass and bushes
gives place In winter to white; and on
it's uppermost mile the SHOWS of the
ice age still linger in unspotted purity"
This region affords rs fine opportu.
mites for scientific explorations as any
part OF the world: large majority Of
the families in both the mineral aud
vegetable Kingdoms being be o repre-
sented. and the immense depo sits of
coal. iron. marble. gold, silver, rubies
aud others. are. l suppose, perfectly
inexhaustibls. r
We have enjoyed many excursions,
and daring one Of these we waited De-
ception Pass. The banks on either
side are sandy. broken only By higher
banks OF solid rock, which in some
places are covered with 9 few trees and
dense growth OF gAultheria. here
called by their Indian name sallsl Der
ries, and with the delicate Linnaea b.