The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-09-14
BATTAo's BEAUTY.

small, covered Win virgin forests.
Immense cedars tower above an un-
dergrowth of lesser trees, of Towering
shrubs and vines of semi-tropical lux
uriance. The white blossoms of the
mock orange gleam in the sober woods;
, the fallen, decayed trunks are clothed
with strange and beautiful mosses;
crested blue-jays scream among the
the trees; close by the waters edge
plundering crows and STRENGTHENING
sea-gulls watch their prey; and occa-
sionally an eagle sails far, far above
in airy heights. In The wild solitude
of one of these islands We camped out
for nearly six months. Our beach
was broad and pebbly. High up on
its crest was fantastic barricade of
immense trees that have been borne
there from other islands by heavy
storms. Under the rain of countless
winters and the sun of the summers
the thick bark had dccayed and drop
ped off, leaving The trunks and roots
bleached almost to the whiteness of
ivory. Within q sheltered little hol-
low the salt grass grew, and we often
saw in the damp sand the prints of the
tiny hoOfs of the deer, which came
down to crop the piquant herbage,
though we were never so fortunate as
to get glimpse Of the shy creatures.
The beach presented to the eye q
stretch Of unvarying brown, but as
we paced back and forth we found
much unsuspected beauty; stones of
bright, clear hues, reds, yellows, rose
tints, browns and deep velvety plum
color. But these are found on many a
beach. There were others of soft uni
form gray, carved and worn by the
waves into strange shapes, and in
vested with Legendary charm.
The aboriginal name of the island
was Battao, and opposite it, Oh the
main land, there lived, centuries ago,
a mighty Nisqually chief. He had
one child, Battao. for whom the is
land was named, whose surpassing
beauty has been handed down by tra-
dition. She had many lovers, but
queen in her fathers lodge she wes in
different to them all. In vain they
rehearsed to her apathetic ear stories
of their prows 3 IN hunting and in
var, and tried % win u tende, thought
by their offerings of mats and robes of
choicest skins, glistening stones, brace
let's of strange shells and rude trinkets.
But though the mills of the gods grind
slow, they grind sure, and Battao,
who had made so many hearts ache,
was destined to have her peace dis
| turbed.
There appeared in the tribe brave,
| taller, haughticr and more athletic,
with keener eyes than any one they had
ever seen. No one knew whence he
came, but night after night, around
the camp-fires, he fascinated them all
81 ~ -, ~ <.f
deeds. The Obdurate heart of Battao
| throbbed with new emotion; in his
presence she was happy; away from
him restless and disputed. They
passed many bright hours in her Ca
noe, which frequently bore them to
this island. One morning she sat on
the rocks of the main shore, her lover
pacing uneasily near. Her quick ear
missed his footsteps, and raising her
eyes, she was terrified to see him
walking on the water. He vanished
from her gaze in thick mist, which
drifted away before the midday breeze,
but did not reveal her lover.
| In her disconsolate lonliness she
came often to this island where they
had been 10 happy together, and, sit
ting on the shore in idle thought,
|
| fiugers. AS it fell 1t took the form OF
OF children, till the beach was thickly
strewn with the curious shapes.
Once when she went out In her ca
noe its progress was mysteriously ar
rested. Her maidens piled their pad
dies, and, leaning over and looking
down, she saw the shining face Of her
beloved. She implored him to come
back to her; but that, he said he could
never do. For u long time they
talked. He described to her the
strange beauty of his caverned home,
and begged her tO go with him there.
Her heart was warmed ut the familiar
voice, but when he urged her to come
down with him she grew cold with
fear. Stronger, though, than fear was
love. Bidding her companions to 60
back and tell her father she would re-
turn In i've days, she sprang into the
water. and the circling eddy hid her
from their view. Their shrill lamen-
tatious filled the air as they hurriedly
padded to the land. The whole tribe
abandoned themselves to the extrava-
gances of savage mourning, but In five
days Il WAS changed to the widest joy,
for the sea gave up its prisoner.
Her love for her Kindred continued
unchanged, aud her life was divided
between her fathers lodge and her
mysterious home beneath the sex
Some gracious enchantment kept f6f
her the freshness of youth, while those
who were young with her became aged
and dropped out Of the ranks Of the