The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-01
MAY DAY A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

unuance. ABE SPRING.
MAY DAY A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
Captain vancouver's Delight With the
Beauty of Protection Island.
In his narrative Captain George Van
couver, who discovered Puget sound, says:
The evening of April so brought US to anchor
under New Dungeness. Our May day, Tuesday.
was ushersd in by morning OF the most de-
hghtfully pleasant weather, affoyding US, from
the broken appearance of the coast before us,
the prospect OF soon reaching a safe and COM
modious harbor. Indeed, our present situation
was far from ineligible, as it promised to admit
US a. near the shore as we might think proper
to take our station. Mr.. Whidbsy was therefore
dispatched in the cutter to sound and search
for fresh water.
The appearance of the huts we now saw indi-
Gated the residence Of the natives In them to
be OF Q temporary nature only; as we could per-
ceive with our glasses that they differed very
materially from the habtations of any OF the
American Indians we had before seen, being
composed Of nothing more than a few mats
thrown over cross-sticks; whereas those we had
passed the preceding day, in two or three small
villages to the eastward of Flattery, were built
exactly after the fashion of the houses erected
at Nootka The inhabitants seemed to view US
with the utmost Indifference aud uuconcern;
they continued to fish before their huts, as re-
gardless OF our being present as if such vessels
had been familiar to them and unworthy Of
their attention. On the low land of New Dun
geness were erected psrpendiculariy, and SEEM
ingly with much regularity, number of very
tall, straight poles, like fagstafs or beacons,
supported from the ground by spurs Their first
appearance induced an opinion of their being
intended a. the uprights for stages on
which they might dry their fish, but this on a
nearer view seemed impossible, az the height and
distance from each other would have required
spars OF q greater size to reach from one to the
other than the substance Of the poles was capa-
BILE OF suttaining. They were, undoubtedly, in
tended to answer some particular purpose; but
whether Of a religious. civil military nature
must be left to some future investigation.
These poles, Judge Swan says, were used to
string nets for ducks. They can be found to
this day on Queen Charlotte island, some of
them nearly 100 feet hight
Mr. Whidbey found from ten to three fathoms
water close to the shore. He landed at the up
per part of the bay, but could lot find any wa
ter; nor did he see the appearance of any along
the shore near the nabitations of the Indians
who remained as before described, or fishing on
the water, without paying any more attention to
the cutter than If she had Deen one of their own
canoes.
On receiving this report the Chathams cut
ter with the Discovers yawl and cutter, were
ordered to be armed and supplied with days
provision, with which set of to examine the
two apparent openings nearest to US. We found
the surface OF the sea almost covered with
aquatic birds of different kinds, but all so ex-
tremely shy that our rportsmen were unable to
reach them with their guns, although they
made many attempts. The first opening to the
southeast appeared to be formed by two high
bluffs, the elevated land within them
seemingly at considerable distance. 1t
I'D hos 20 bn Ill
compact shore, the apparent vacant
space being occupied by very low,
sandy beach, OF which extended Q fiat of very
shallow soundings. From hence we made the
best of our way for land, appearing ike an
island, off the other supposed opening, from
whose summit, which seemed easy of access,
there was little doubt of our ascertaining
whether the coast afforded any port within
reach of the days excursion. On landing on
the west e2d OF the supposed island Protection
tsland1 and ascending its eminence, which was
nearly perpendicular cliff, our attention wa,
Immediately called to a landscape almost as en-
chantingly beautiful as the most elegantly fur
nished pleasure grounds in Europe. From the
height we were now upon, our coniectures of
this land being an island situated before the
entrance OF an opening in the main land were
confirmed. The summit of this island pre-
sented nearly horizontal surface, interspersed
with some inequalities of ground, which pro-
duced beautiful variety of extensive lawn
covered with luxuriant grass and diversified
with an abundance of flowers To the north
westward was u coppice of pine trees
and shrubs of various sorts that seemed
as II IL had been planted for the
sole purpose of protecting from the
n northwest winds this delightful meadow, over
which were promiscuousy scattered a lew
clumps OF trees that would have puzzled the
most ingenious designer of pleasure grounds To
have arranged more agrseably While Wa
stopped TO contemplate these several beauties of
nature, In prospect no less pleasing than nm
expected, We gathered some goossberries and
roses in q state OF considerable forwsrdness
Casting our eyes along the shore, we had the
satisfaction OF seeing IL much broken, ana
forming to all appearances many nayigable in
lets. The inlet now before US Port Discovery,
did not seem 80 extensive as We had reason 10
believe 1t 10 be from thu ships; yet there wa.
little doubt OF Its proving su ficiently sseura
and convenient for all our purposes Wa thara-
fore proceeded to its examination. and fonna
its entrance to be about league wide, having
good soundings, from ten fathoma closa 10 -
shore, to thirty, thirty-fye and thirtv-s,,ns
fathoms in the middle, without any anns,.n,
danger from rocks or shoals Fresh w..
however, seemed hitherto scarce CO..
modify. and yet, from the gsne,.,
face Of the country, def cheney
In this respect was not to be apprehended. The
ahofes OF .he hstoor were OF moderate height.
Its western side bounded at no great distances -
aridge OF high crsggy mountains fths Oivr.
pics.l In quest OF the only great object nsc..
sary for constituting this one of the hpast ~
bors in the world, We prosecuted our rese.resss,
until, ALMOST despairing of success, 1 student,
ieii In with an excellent stream of very hns
water. Inc design OF our excursion was Tim.
happily accomplished; and, after takinv sou.
little rsfreshment. we returned toward thu .h,r.
and arrived On board about midnight, psrf,c,iv
satisfied with the success OF our ex peditlon 80
amply rewarded for our labor. Daring INV -
senes some OF the natives had been trading WITH
the vessels In very civil and friendly mama,