Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-06-19

less ScHOOner-!A1O From an
Unexpected Quarter.
Captain Thomas Webster was one of
the pioneers in the settlement of Vic
torla, Vancouver Island. At that time
the remote region swarmed with saw
age and hostile tribes in frequent and
sanguinary conflict with each other.
He and his partners were the Joint
owners of a fine schooner called The
Golden Gate" which piled between
San Francisco and Victoria. \ skill
full navigator, the command of this
vessel naturally devolved upon Web
ster, his partner remaining on shore
and running their large general store
at Victoria.
1t was early in the month of May
that the Golden Gate left the port of
San Francisco, bound for the new set
Element with a general cargo. She
mad on board as crew two men, q Chi
nese cook and the captain. In addi-
ton to this complement, she carried
with her as supercargo young ma
tive the son of friendly chief. This
boy had made the trip down to San
francisco, and was then returning to
his tribe. All went we'll until within
fifty miles of the Straits of Juan-de-
Fuca, when, being we'll in with the
land, it fell a dead calm. Captain
Webster was a little nervous about
their growing proximity to the
shore, the food-tide setting the
schooner slowly but surely in that
direction. He was well aware of The
presence Of fierce and hostile tribe in
that district, accustomed to range the
whole length Of the coast, penetrating
even to the waters CT Puget Sound in
their swift war-canoes, and oftentimes
creating, by their sudden onslaughts in
unexpected quarters, the utmost panic
in the peaceful and, at that time,
sparsely -peopled settlements This
tribe, known on the coast as the Ap-
ponees, had proved themselves. both
ON land and sea, doughty opponents,
and had in years before been one of
the most formidable obstacles to the
founding of the city of Victoria. To-
ward noon the captain, seeing that it
still held calm and that the schooner
was approaching the shore, distribut-
ed revolvers and ammunition to his
two men and saw carefully to the con-
dition of his own rife. Upon his two
men he knew he could thoroughly
-ely. "California Benz was an excep-
tional shot with pistol; his CON-
panion, Bill Graves, an equally excel
ent and reliable marksman. Hon Pee
was simply instructed to heat all
the boiling water possible, and
have it ready to repel board
ers. There now only remained the
native boy. Of this young fellows 10y
atty the captain entertained some
doubts. Notwithstanding his protesta-
tons of friendship, therefore, while,
for appearance sake, he intrusted him
with an old muzzle-loading gun, he
took good care that powder alone went
into it. The young fellow, however,
who had witnessed the loading of the
weapon, unbeknown to the captain
slipped into it's large single barrel
nearly handful of rusty nails.
The Apponees and his tribe were not
altogether on friendly terms, and they
would have killed him just as quick as
a white man.
Every thing being now in readiness,
the captain took a survey Of the situa-
ton. The Golden Gate had ridden in
on the doodtide to within half a mile
of the low coast, and that her presence
was perceived by the natives was evil
dent, as they could be seen running
along the shore, evidently in great ex-
element. In a few minutes they OBJ
served two large canoes putting out
from the shore and heading for the
schooner. Determined not to provoke
hostilities, Captain Webster instructed
his two companions to keep their
weapons we'll out of sight, at the same
time placing his own rifle behind
the rail of the schooner where
it could not be seen. As the canoes
approached it could be seen that they
were crowded with natives. One
canoe took up a position on the star.
board side of the schooner, about
twenty yards away, it's companion as
Stunning a similar position on the port
side. There being no steerage-way on
the, vessel, Captain Webster directed
his two men to watch the movements
of the canoe on the port side, whilst
he gave his undivided attention to the
movements of the canoe on the STAR
board, in the center of which stall
wart native now stood erect and hailed
them in broken English. Whilst the
usual parloy for gifts of blankets, -four
OF any thing the captain might have to
give away, was progressing, Captain
Webster had time to notice that the
center of each boat was occupied by q
suspicious-looking heap, snugly COW
cred by q blanket. He also counted