Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-05-17
REHISIsCEsCE or An EsRIY ~
PL0EER.

/ AR0D-Ak NNINAs tE& ak110FErHT yT IKE 10
inmbia river.
Mr.. DOda gas in business in Boston
a. one Of the ffEa Of Do1d a Parker,
who fitted cut ths ship Columbia ana
sloop Washington in 1881 for Burrell.
bQlhnco, PInkArc. Darby and others,
who owned the two vessels: the former
being commanded by CAPT. John Kene-
brick and the later BY Capt. Gray. This
was tie first exptdition ever lifted out
By Ameriears for the northwest coast,
and was crowned With success. GRAY,
while ia command Of the sloop Wash
InRtou, discovered the Columbia, and in
attempting to enter IL came near being
wrecked On Clateop spit, and vas obliged
70 procef d Horth ~ Aootks. He sGbse-
/ quently entered ths river in she ship Co
!smbIa IN i7s1, aud named tie great
river after his shir.
When enough furs had been obtained
Gray took command Of the ship and
kenebFlck remained on the eoast IN the
sIoop, trading with the indians. Gray's
y0yaRe from kootka wss 20 Canton and
thence 20 Boston Un his way be visited
several islands Of the Hawaiian group.
where be was mosii Hospitality reesiVsd
and kindly treated. such Was the con-
ndenee of both kiDK and people in Capt.
Gray thaf he was permitted TO take with
him 10 Boston. the crown prince, fully
relying on his promise TO return him
home agAiu.
Some time about the year lS42 an eye
witness Of the rstllrn of the Columbia
from her nFst voyage felatks the scene,
which vas published in tke Cincibnsti
PoA and the article preserved by Mr..
ID id IN his scrap book. from which be
kindly permitted me TO make the follow
lag extract:
THE ship Colarnbia was absent up
yards of three years, aud had not been
heard from for = large portion Of the
time, when, in the summer of 1880, on Z
fine afternoon, a strange ship, bearing
the American haZ, arrived abreast Of
the castle and firtd national salute,
which Was promptly returned by that
fortress.
"Ihe firing was distinctly seen and
heard from Boston, but no one could
imagi, What ship il ~as bearing our
country's lag and doing and SeceIving
sueh honor. The inhabitants we're ali in
metiop, crowding TO Long Wharf by
thousands. The artillery was ordered
out. As the shIp came TO anchor of the
end Of ths wharf ths delighted multitude
rent the air with joyful accsamations.
while salvos of aaillt ~ shook the neigh
boring hills, and the astonishsd people |
OF the adjacent TOWNS harried INTO the
city 10 ioln the general JOY.
Ihe ahip having retained the salute |
of the clty. the custom house barge vas
manned and the venerable Gen. BENZ.
Libeoln, collector 3f the port, with the
OWNERS of the Columbia, repaired On
board, and after bidding hearty vel
come TO Oaptsin Gray and his prineely
passenger, they returned TO the wharf
soQegheF, when tha air again rung with
loud cheers and the artillery poured
forth its thunder.
"The prince was dressed In a helmet
Of the ancient Roman fern, coversd d gih
small feathers of the niost beautiful
plumaee, which etlttered in the sun. On
mis- body be wore q close dress not visible
excspt the slseve'A and over IL q large
snd flowing robe, IN tue form of tOga
Of cloth, covered With feathers precisely
like the helmet. In this splendid COS
tune he took the arm OF Captain Gray,
and, PROCESSION being formed, they
marched to Gey. John HancocA's house
ON Beacon street. who had sent his ad-
intant general to bid them welcome,
and where the distinguished stranger
was received with the priucely hespi-
ialIty of the grand old governor. The
owners OF the vessel we're also received
with distinguished honors by the gov
ernof, and the occasion vas one long
remembered
After a stay of some months, during
which the prince sas ths recipient Of
every kindness ami courtesy, the ship
was reftted, and with the saTue com
mander returned the prince In safety 20
his country and friends. From thence
sprung all that friendly intercourse be-
tween these islandeFs and the United
States, to whom Ehs,y are indebted for
civilization aud the useful arts aud ben
efits Of the Christian religion.
1 Itwas On shis second voyage that Capt.
Gray, while in command Of the Colum
bla, catered the great river of the west
and bestowed upon 10 the name OF his
ship. IL was his enterprise which &C.
cured 10 the United States the whole OF
| that valuable region Satered by the Co
lambia, and bis first oysge from Nootka
- Canton, where be arrived on the l0th
Of December, iTS9. and his voyage from
thence 10 Boston, where he arrived on
the 10th Of August, 17y0, Was the first
time the American dag vas carried
round the world. Capt. Gray was the
first man who bsonRht about friendly
feeling and Subsequent intercourse with
the Hawaiian islands, which has nov
ripened into friendship Of lasting i'm
portancc. when century shall have
elapsed since the ship Of Captain Gray
| arst catered and named the Columbia
river. il will be fitting for the people
Who have derived such great benefits
/ from kis enterprise 10 erect q suitable
I l.. "a Al. ~
| gator somewhere at the Columbie's
msath. either at Scarborough,s Hill,
| ChinOok or at Astoria, the nd Fort
Georss. Ary other country doabtless
would ere this have bad come Dona-
ment or tablet erected 20 the memory
OF snch q man. Although our whole
nasion IL benefited BY Capt. Gray's dar-
| inc intrepidity and brilliant discoveries,
/ vet it is Oregon and Washington Terri
| tory which should be proud to do him
honor for the discovery of the Columbia
river and Balflnch harbor, now knovn
az Gray's HarboF. Coarles Bulnneh.
the Boston merchant, was ,sne OF the
owners Of the Columbia who took the
mnss active part in the enterprise. and
GRAY named the harbor in hhs honors
name which should have been perpetnat-
ed, a. Gray's bay, On the Coiumoia, per-
peiuases the nane Of the dis1verer of
The Mighty Oregon"
| ID seems both right aud appropriate
that q monument 10 Capt. Gray sbouid
be erected, and ON II inscribed The Nance
| Of the men whose means and enterprise
gave this great ssction Of the northwest
10 the United states.
lea honorable mention, therefore. be
made Of the name Of Capt- Gray. thai
the memory Of his gallant deeds perish
not from among rs.
Gray continued 70 command trading
vessels from Boston tai lSe. about
which time hs died, and. according 10
tradition. sas barred In Copp's Hill bufy-
ins eroand, a. the north end. Boston
y.G. Swkx.
A I.oSa CAsz--fhs case af w. and