Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1885-06-20
A TRIP AMONG THE ISLANDS.

that a briet account of trip among the
islands in this vicinity recently made by
a party of tourists in which your corres-
pondent was included, will here give
your readers the benefit of my observa-
tions.
One can bu. half appreciate the beau
ties of this glorious section or enjoy the
sublime grandeur of its rugged scenery IN
passing by on steamboat. To fully
realize it all, the trip should be made in
small boat; and 30 we made it.
After visiting the well cultivated farms
of Messrs. Lathrow, Gray, Alard and
others, near Anacortes, we crossed Fldal-
90 Bay to the residence of Mr.. Robert
Becker, where our party was most hos
pitably entertained by Mr.. B. and his
excellent lady.
From here we made tour of Guemes
Island, passing entirely around the island,
and calling on Messrs. OBryant, Wood
cock, Payne, Wehrli, Lewis, Murrow,
johnson, Shriver, Sullivan, Kelly and
Mangan, and at each place we were right
royalty entertained by the generous island
ers. We must not omit, in passing, t"
state that, notwithstanding the dull times,
the spirit of improvement is still abroad
in the land, and much good work has
been done by the people on the islands in
the way of putting up new dwellings,
barns, fences, slashing, clearing, etc.
notably, Messrs. Payne, Woodcock, Jen-
kias, Edens, Sullivan and Kelly, whose
neat and substantial cottages would be a
credit to any section.
On Saturday last we made trip to
Cottonwood Island, on which there are
some half dozen settlers. Being some>
what pressed for time we visited only
Messrs. Gillis and Bickford, both OF
whom have fine ranches, or at least wilt
have in a short time Mr.. Gills is en-
gagged in Gle airing land and getting out
bolts for the stave mill on Orcas Island
while Mr.. Bickiord is temporarily ems
gay q! in halibut fishing.
Returning to Fidalgo Bay We stayed
over night at Mr.. Becker's, AM then
started overland, over one of the finest
roads IN Skagit county, and undeniably
the best road on any of the islands here
abouts, to Deception Pass mill. On this
road we pass che beautiful aud well titled
farms OF William Munks, Il. Compton,
II. c. Barknousen and Judge Ii. j. White,
al. OF which, although an, ng the first
settled places on the island, were str.aing
evidences of what mans industry and
thrift can accomplish. We must also
meu,ion in thia group of fine farms the
places of Robert Becker, III. A. March
and james Kavanaugh. From Judge
Whites place there are no settlers on this
road until we reach the neighborhood of
Lake t'rie, where Mr.. Hurd and Others
have made clearings. Further on tne
Christensen brothers have settled.
Arriving at the mill OF Benn & Chris
tiansen, we inspected the splendid water
power owned by these gentlemen, and
which furnishes the motive power tor the
mill, and is also utilized in supplying
steamers touching here.
From this point on to the Pass, Messrs.
Lynch, Jackson. Ginnett, Halpin, Place
and The Miller brothers have farms in va
rious stages of cultivation. MIR. Lynch's
place, being the longest settled, Is OF
course under high state of cultivation.
and ab ,unds with fruits and flowers of
great variety.
In company with the Miller boys we
malle the perilous passage through De-
ception Pass in skiff. To say that the
trip was q thrilling one, but family ex-
presses it. The approach to the Pass
from the east side is rs pleasant as one
could wish, and it is not until we get
within few hundred feet of this danger
Gus gorge that we begin to realize what
10 in store tor US. We did not, on this
occasion, go through the pass proper, but
what Is known as Canoe pass, smaller
opening, about 80 feet in width, through
which The turbulent waters rush with
mighty roar, to be absorbed by the ever
wh,rling eddies beyond. The voyage
through this pass, we are told by exper-
fenced hoatmen, is not q ssarily dan
gerous, providing one does not lose his
presence of mind and keeps his boat
straight in the current Just ut the en-
trance to the pass tha boat encounters the
tide-rips, and some exertion at the oars
is necessary, put it's only for a moment,