Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-09-13

~ will do the best can for you. !
came TO America from Holland in 1S47,
at the ago Of thirty yeara Being the
first person from that section to come 70
the United States. promised my people
70 travel from one end to the other. and
vYite them the results of my 0bserva-
tions. / first stopped in New jersey
for nine months; then cane west to
ISt. Louis, Mo-. where worked ut CON-
mon labor for Eve months. Then went
70 Iowa, and worked in . saw-mill for
ton months, and from there went to H.
. linois, and remained till the spring Of
1850, when returned TO Iowa, and made
, one Of q party of eight, with two OK
|. teams, and started
TO Cross THR PLAINS
To the then far Oh region Of Oregon.
, Our party consisted OF John and James
Thornton, Humphrey Long. Jake Wag-
ner and Charles Hendricks. On the
journey. Of course. We met with many
experiences and hardships incident to
such a trip, but arrived IN safety at
Clackamas river, near Oregon City, on
Sept. n, 1880. We CROSSED the Villa
mette, and went up 70 the Tualitan,
and worked at making shingles till
spring. Everybody then had the gold
fever, our entire Cparty caught the
disease. and accordingly 10 started for
the Northern California gold mines. In
five and one-half weeks We divided up,
and found We had taken out just
$1,000 EACH IN GOLD DUST.
Our water gave out, and being unable
to work our claims longer, five of our
party started back to the Willamette
Valley in juno, 1851.
On the road We fell in with L. n. Col
Inns, who had land claim ON tho Mis-
quslly River. on Puget Sound. In his
party was Hill Harmon, of New Tacoma,
and Jacob and samuel Maple. He per-
suaded John Thornton, Chas. Hen
bricks and myself to como to the Sound
with him. In ferrying across the Co
lumbia River, at st. Helens, on July 7th,
accidentally shot myself in the right
arm and shoulder, and was compelled to
remain at st. Helens month for medi-
cal treatment. This accident, which
seemed q great affection at that time,
afterwards proved great blessing to
me, and 70 my fellow men, as will ap-
pear - ] proceed.
Starting again on my journey, in
company With John Thornton, Who had
staid with me, came to the mouth Of
the CoWlitx River in a small boat. up
that stream to Humphreys Landing in
country TO Nisqually, whereswe Joined
the Others, who had preceded rs. !
walked and rode all over what 10 now
Pierce and Thurston Counties, but
could ind nothing TO suit me, and in
A>~Saad x<, rox,,v,. q, Az VV;l1.,,..A~. vi
Icy, tho other members Of the party Of
fering 20 Join me.
aThis did mot please Collins at all, for
be feared W would give tho country Q
bad name; % he proposed that IL our
party would hire an Indian and canoe.
b Vuuld accompany them to place
some 70 miles further down the Sound.
that b had ouoe visited, that he thought
would suit %. Agreed. Jacob Maple,
Mr.. Balance, . tanner, Collins and nv.
self made up the party, and ON Septen,-
ber l2tb, 1851, " ct out for the Du-
WAmiah River. On the 18th 10 made
camp ct what II now Milton. The sitc
now occupied BY Seattle was bowling
wilderness, inhabited By nothing but
Indians, and st that time there vSe nok
| 2 white settler within the boundasiee Of
King County. On The morning o1
snRTnuE1 15Tz, 1851.
We entered the mouth Of the Duvamiah
river and proceeded M that s1soem a
Tar - the mouths Of White and Black
rivera The appearance Of the country
pleased q. and ] aid, ''If there b one
othsr man in this party Who Win aeree
% ssttle here III b tbs seconds 0ol-
lins eaid be would esttls e b could aoll