, 1892-03-21
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
AN INTERESTING BOOK.

There is man, living hale and hearty in
Boston, who should endeayorto be present
at the centennial anniversary exercises of
the state of Washington on the 7th of May
next on Gray's Harbor. He was not here
one hundred years ago, but he was pretty
well around Puget Sound 81 years ago, and
is the sole survivor of the U, S. Wilkes ex-
ploring expedition to the Antarctic contl..
nent and of the expedition which surveyed
the waters Of Puget Sound in 1S41. George
Erskine, the person referred to, has just
published a highly readable work entitled
Twenty Years Before the Mast" giving
his experiences as a merchant sailor and
an Uncle Sans tar, and the scenes and in
cidents in the various countries he visited
a half century ago. His descriptions Of the
South Sea islands, the people there and his
subsequent entry into the Straits Of Fuca
and to Puget Sound as far as Fort Nisqual-
ly, half way between here and Tacoma, are
unique and intensely interesting. How it
would open his old eyes now to see the
cities of the Sound. Erskine was on the
q. S. sloop of war Vincennes, Commodore
Charles Wilkes, in this tour around
the world. Early on the morning Of
the 28th of April, 1871, . says Erskine, 1--WE
heard the cheering cry OF land ho.' 1t
proved to be Cape Disappointment, Co.
lumbia river, our own native land At
about 9 o'clock we entered strong tide
rip and soon after came within sight of the
Columbia river. 1t was blowing pretty
fresh, with considerable sea on, and
heavy breakers extended from Cape Disap-
pointment to Point Adams in one unbroken
line. Nothing could exceed the grandeur
of this scene when viewed from aloft."
After Yainly trying to get into the river
that day and night the Vncennes sailed
on the following morning for the straits of
Fuca, and after coming near being wrecked
off Destruction Island, the ship entered
the straits May 21st, it being beautiful day.
While beating up the straits the ship was
boarded by many Indians in canoes, and
on May I'd dropped anchor in Port Dis
coyery, where many Of the Indians asked
if they were Boston Or King Georges
ships. On the 9Th the Vincennes left Port
Discovery, and on the 11th, along with the
brig Porpoise and Flying Fish, dropped
anchor at Nesqually Bay. Seattle, Tacoma
and Olympia were then unheard of.
we were now on our own native soil, .
says Erskine, "and, though more than
three-thousand miles away from the place
of our birth, could not resist the sensations
kindled by the remembrance of t'home,
sweet, sweet home" He describes the
bow-legged, stunted, fat-headed Puget
Sound Indians, and gives some of the In
dian dialect.
Independence day, 1871, fell on Sunday
and was celebrated on Monday A national
salute of twenty-six guns, one for each
state, was fired early in the morning, and
it must have reverberated through the for
ests like an earthquake. They were fired
by two brass howitzers, brought ashore for
the purpose. The author says, "The re-
ports of the guns not only astonished the
natives but walked up the redcoats in the
fort, who came running up to the obserya-
tory with the Indians, nearly out of breath,
to inquire into the racket. We pointed
them to our country's flag, which was SO
proudly waving in the breeze over our
observatory. They looked thunderstruck
and wanted to know what it meant. We
told them it was Brother Jonathan's birth
day. They then called us a crew of crazy
Americans. AT two bells e oclock), all
hands, including the officers, with the ex-
ception of Mr. Vanderford, our masters
mate, who remained as ship keeper, went
on shore. AT the observatory the commo-
dore (WiIkes) formed us in a procession.
The starboard watch took the lead, then
came the Vincennes band, fife and drum,
then the master-at-arms with Chief
Yendovi (thls was a FIJI chief they
had captured in the South sea Islands),
dressed in the FIJI fashion and leading our
ships pet, the dog Sidney, by two fathoms
of marling; then the larboard watch and
finally the marines. We were all dressed
in span-clean white frocks and trousers.
The commodore led the procession followed
by the other officers, and we all marched
off with colors flying and music playing.
In passing Fort Nesqually we gave three
tremendous cheers, which were returned
very family from the ramparts by several
red coats. We soon arrived at a clearing
near the edge of the prairie, spot the
had chosen for the Fourth of
July celebration. Here we found an Ok
which had been slaughtered and dressedo
the perceding Saturday. we ran a pole
through the OK from end to end and then
placed the end Of this pole upon two forked |
which had been securely
planted iii the EARTH a trench was due
under him in which fire was built and |
arranged with which to turn him
at intervals, while a committee detailed
from the crew dredged him with -four and
oasted him every hour. At 10 O'Clock all |
hands were called to asplice the main
brace" Not man being sick, all in
iulged. After this the commodore ordered
'he starboard watch on the right and the
arboard watch on the left and then he pro-
duced foot ball, gave it a tremendous
kick which sent it high in the air and sang
out "sail in, my shipmates," and we did
sail in. With others I got my
'hins barked from my ankles
% my knees but never got so much as
zick at the ball. At eight bells, now, the
yrog was rolled and all hands piped to
Inner. When we repaired to the barbe-
'ue the Indians had gathered in large num-