The morning call., 1891-02-21
THE OLDEST Historian,
An Interesting Sketch of Grand.
son of an Old Indian Chief.

The following, taken from a recent issue
Oh the Historian, is an interesting sketch of
the Oldest Historian alive. His name is
Roland Mcdonald. and he is grandson of
The old Indian chief, King Kumkumlv:
AT Fort COlyille, former Hudson Bay
Company's most, resides the Oldest living
Historian. He was born sixty-seven years
ago to-day-February s, 1924. His name is
Roland Mcdonald, and he is grandson of
old King CoDcomly of happy memory,
who lives in the sougs and chronicles of
dusky descendants. and who had street in
Astoria named after him till the summer of
1883, when the Astorian changed the name
to First street.
-sSonald Mcdonald is son of Archibald
Mcdonald, an old Hudson Bay Company
man, who lived in Astoria before the era of
progressive euchre parties and masquerade
balls given by Elks or anybody else. When
Ronald's father was doing his counting there
were no electric lights, and had he been
asked for subsidy to build railroad he
would have failed to respond,
AT the time of Ronald's birth in Astoria
his grandfather. old Concomly, or Kun
kumly.was powerful chieftain in command
OF all the tribes from the mouth of the Co.
iumDia River TO The Fiathead country, and
ne was the only chief recognized by the
Hudson Bay Company, on account Of his
great influence with all the tribes.
When Ronald, our oldest AstOrfan. was
2h years old his mother died, and the little
fellow was taken from Astoria to Fort Col
VILE, where he remained until he was 7
years old, when he was sent to St. Johns
College, at Winnipeg, to be educated. This
was tough trip for the little fellow. who
had TO travel on snow-shOes in the dead of
winter across the Rocky Mountains, dis
lance of 1000 miles. On the other side he
was met NV horses Inv bic &C.
King kumkumly, when they struck for
Saskatchewan River and followed it to Win
nlpeg. This was brought about through the
advice OF his stepmOther, Jane Klein Nc
Donald, VINO was born at Jasper House, on
the summit OF the Rockies, and was married
to Archibald Mcdonald when only Is wears
OF age. She was a most eStimable lady.
highly educated and fine entertainer. She
died III the year 1874 at st. Andrews. Prov
ince of Quebec.
After receiving thorough collepe educa-
ton, Ronald returned to the home of his
boyhood, but being of an ambitious and ad-
yenturous disposition, he soon tired of life
Ill these forest wilds and started out to seek
more knowledge and finish the education he
had received in college, by coming into con-
tact with the world. He has been a great
traveller, having visited every State and
Territory in the Union, and almost every
prominent city on the globe. He was a bank
cashier for while at st. Thomas, Canada,
anu htto Ou extensive merchandise
operations while a resident of Australia and
Hong-kong Besides being a sea captain
and owning his vessel. ne taught school
IN Japan IN 1S4S, many years before that
Island Kingdom was thrown open to foreign
ers. or before treaty was made with this
country. In this adventure. for it was moth
Ing put sheer adventure, he took passage in
whale ship bound for North Pacific
waters, upon the express stipulation that
when the ship should be- off the coast of
Japan, he was to be permitted to leave her
for and took with him.
he was "a years of age when ne under
took this desperate adventure. In those
DAYS the rlgor OF the Japanese decretal of
exclusion was enforced in its utmost Sc
verify, even against shipwrecked mariners.
The intrepid Historian took his life in his
hand and presented himself as a castaway.
his total baggage was small box with his
bucks, viz: Bible, Euclid. histories, etc.. for
his idea was. If spared. to teach and him
self learn. He was received with hostility.