The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-11-27
THE HEIR OF KING KUMKUMLY.
Living In . Rude Cabin ON the Columbia
River.

River.
Fort Colv:lle, wash, Letter in New York sun.
There lives mere in . rude cabin, fast by
the great river of the West, and surround
ed by pine-fringed bills. q gray-haired man,
who alternately plies the busine of miner,
farmer, and caravaneer, ID nevertheless .
kings king uncrowned, it is true, but
none the less king. His life is wonder
ful story. He is Raymond Macdonald,
born 1t Astoria, then Fort George, in 1924.
His father was Archibald Macdonald, OF
the American and Hudson Bay companies,
and his grandfather was the powerful native
king, Kumkumly and whose empire extend.
ed from the mouth of the Columbia to the
territory Of the Blackfeet. beyond the Bit
ter Root mountains, in what is now Mon
tana. Macdonald is the only llneal de.
scendant aud heir of this king. He came
to Fort Colville in 1926 as an infant. his
mother, who was princess, having Just
died. HIS father was Ct that time COM
mander OF the post, as he was one of the
founders OF tue town. In this rude out.
post at SO early day the young king
passed the hrst few years of his life When
years of age his father concluded to be-
gin his education, and in the dead of win
ter he was started afoot on snowshoes for
Winnipeg, where he was to enter st. Johns
the route led over some of the widest parts
of the Rocky mountains.
On the olher side he was met by horses
which had been ordered around by his
grandfather, King KumKumly. Thence he
ana bis escorts proceeded down the Sas-
KAT chewan river. En- route thev saw
vast Quantities OF wild game. including buff.
fal0, bear and CARIBOU. anu scarcely night
passed that they did not hear the howllne
OF the wolves. Alter receiving as thorough
an education as he could get at Winnipeg
the youth returned to his boyhood home
on the upper Columbia. He had bv this
time grown ambitious and DESTROYS OF seq
ing the world and perfecting his knowledge.
SO he set out upon travels which lasted
many years. In one way OF another, some
times by travelling on foot and again on
horseback and by cars, he visited almost
every state and large city in the Union.
Later he took passage on q whaling shin
bound for the North Pacific, expressly
STIMULATING that he was to be set down in
his own pinnace. which ne had aboard.
when on the coast OF Japan. This was in
l84S, al q time when Japanese ports were
virtually csosed to Americans and Euro
pesns. He represented himself as cast
away, having. as he told the Japanese au-
thorities, been shipwrecked. He had only
his small box, with his Bible. Euclid
and histories with him. He was closely
questioned and was convinced his adven.
ture must cost him his head. He was
taken from Yesslo, in the north. to MAJ
asakl In the south, and remained in Japan
eleven months teaching the children OF the
NOBILITY.
After that he was ship captain. sailing
In his own ship. he carried merchandise
to Australia and Hong Kong. While
abroad IN Japan he did ali he could to omen
reciprocal relations between the sealed en-
N tria
ioa. the dignity Of which he always took
pains to uphold. In all his travels he
never forgot his home on the Columbia.
and in 1859 he returned and settled down
only being absent when ne was empoved
as teller In bank at ST Thomas. Canada
MT. mcdonald. while not ricn, is never
tneiess happy, and is contented to spend
his declining years al Fort Coiyille. A
the grandson and only heir of King Kun.
kumly 1t 10 his right to rule over a greater
anu naturally richer area than thai IN
which any king OF Europe holds sway. An
the chiefs OF the various Indian tribes
recognize him as their king, and render
MIN homage Is such. They tell him that it
- his land. and that his place ia usurned-
but that they will recognise no other ruler'
Ihe KING modesty tells them, however.
That, while be has better right To reign
than any OF the crowned heads of Error.
MS crown must give way TO repubIicanism.
Aing humkumiy was the only ruler in the
wild Northwest treated With and Considered
the reigning potentate. There neyer was
any doubt about his claim. Ii was eyery-
where recognized.
macdonald Is . well-preserved man of
more than medium hight His ewes and
complexion are dark and his hair hack
and straight, betoksning his Indian ances-
try.
Il am content to end my days here in
this little village" he said yesterday.
'Ihere IS no place in the world 20 dear 70
me-nowhere where the mountains are 20
high and the waters 90 clear. a NAM -.