The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-02
PORT DISCOVERY CENTENNIAL.


One Hundred Years Ago Today Van
couver Entered and Named the Harbor.
The people Of Port Discovery are today
celebrating the centennial anniversary OF
the entrance of Captain Vancouver into
the harbor. In his narrative the famous
navigator thus describes his experience:
light, pleasant breeze springing up, we
weighed on Wednesday morning, May z, l39',
and steered for the port Port Discovery we mad
discovered the preceding day. The deiightfui
serenity of the weather greatly aided the beauti-
full scenery that was now presented; the surface
OF the sea was perfectly smooth, ald the eoun-
try before us exhibited everything that boun-
teous nature could be expected to draw into one
point of view. As we had no geason TO
imagine that this country had ever
been indebted for any OF lis decora-
lions to the hand of man, ! could not pos
sibly believe that any uncultivated country had
ever been discovered exhibiting SO rich pic
ture. The land which interrupted the horizon
between the northwest and the north seemed to
be much broken, from whence its eastern extent
round to the southeast was bounded BY ridge
OF snowy mountains, appearing to lie nearly IN
north and south direction, in which Mount
Baker rose conspicuously, remarkable for Its
height and the snowy mountains that stretch
from its base to the north and south. Between
US and this snowy range the land, which on the
seashore terminated like that We had lately
passed, in low perpendicular cliffs or on beaches
OF sand or stone, rose here IN very gentle
ascent aud was well covered with 9 variety OF
stately forest trees. These, however. did not
conceal the whole face Of the country in one
uninterrupted wilderness, but pleasingly
clothed its eminence and checkered the val
legs, presenting, in many directions, ex-
tensive spaces that wore the appearance
of having been cleared by art, like
the beautiful island we had visited
the day before. As we passed along the
shore near one of these charming spots the
tracks OF deer or some such animal were very
numerous and fattered US with the hope OF not
wanting refreshments of that nature while we
remained in this quarter.
A picture SO pleasing could not fail to call to
our remembrance certain delightful and be.
loved situations In old England. Thus we pro-
ceeded without meeting any obstruction to our
progress, which, though not rapid, brought us
before noon abreast of the stream that dis
charges its waters from the western shore
near five miles within the entrance OF the har-
Dor. which distinguished by the name of Port
Discovery, after the ship. There we moored in
thirty-four fathoms, muddy bottom, about Q
quarter of mile from the shore.
The entrance of this harbor is formed by low
projecting points, extending on each side from
high woodland cliffs, which in general bound
the coast. Had the island of the mouth of the
harbor been designed by the NEST able en-
gineer 1t could not have been placed more
happily for the protection of the port, not
only from the northwest winds, to the violence
OF which 1t would otherwise be greatly exposed,
but against all attempts Of an enemy, when
properly fortified; and hence called it Protec-
ton island.
The stream Of water near which we had taken
very convenient station appeared to have its
source at some distance from its outfall,
through one OF those low spits of land which
constitute most OF the projecting points we had
seen ever since our having entered this inlet
These usually acquire form somewhat circu-
lar. though irregular, and in general are nearly
steep too. extending from the cliffy woodland
country. from 100 to 900 yards toward the waters
edge, and are composed Of loose sandy soil
The surface OF some was almost entirely occu-
pied BY . lagoon of salt water, or brackish
swamp, Others were perfectly dry; no one of
them produced any trees, but were mostly COW
cred with coarse, spiry grass, interpreted
with Strawberries two or three species of clover,
samph1reand = great variety OF other small
plants, some OF which bore very beautiful how-
ers. On few of the points were some shrubs
that seemed to thrive excessively such as roses,
species ofsweet briar, gooseber raspberries
currants and several other smaller bushes,
which, in their respective seasons, produce
most probably the several fruits common to
all appeared to grow very luxurisntly; and
from the quantity OF blossoms with which they
were loaded. there was great reason to believe
them very productive.
We had little trouble in clearing q sufficient
space for our encampment, which was very
commodiously situated close to the north side
OF the stream or brook. The tents, observatory,
chronometers and instruments guarded by a
party of marines, were sent on shore after din
ner; and, while they were properly arranging,
made q short excursion up the harbor. 1t ex-
tended nearly in q south direction, about four
miles from the ship, and then terminated in a
muddy fat across its head, about q quarter of a
mile from the shore. The water, which was
seven fathoms deep close to the fat,
gradually despened to ten, twenty and
thirty fathoms, good holding ground. On
this bank were found some small
Indifferent OYSTERS The shores beyond il
are low and thickly wooded, and through them
there appeared to run a very considerable stream
OF water, with several smaller ones emptying
themselves into the harbor. The back country
had the appearance of q swamp for a consider
able distance. We landed not far from the
largest rivulet, where We found a deserted viii
iage capable of containing 100 inhabitants. The
houses did not seom to have been lately the res
ideEce Of the Indians. The habttations had now
fallen into decay; their inside, as well as O
small surrounding space tibet appeared to have
been formerly occupied, were overrun with
weeds, among which were found several human
skulls and other bones promiscuously scattered
about