Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-08-03
Northwestern Coast Scenes i'm
June.

a Trip by Rail up the Pacific Coast. and
by steamer through Puget Sounds
The Scenes of Magnihcence Described
by n TOwnswoman.
We had hidden adieu to San Francisco
WIN It's honorable conventions, its abound
ing inequalities and its generous entertain
menus; It's wonderful climate, its wealth of
fruits and flowers, its Golden Gate and its
outro Heights. We had paid flying visit
W historic Monterey, where we had enioyed
and marveled amid the one hundred and
GWenty-six acres of garden, surrounding
Hotel del Monte. We had looked lnger-
ing farewell to the beautiful Pacific, its
waters mingling in ever changing kaleido-
scope of sapphire and emerald, while the
crested waves, four or five deep, broke in
fascinating whiteness along miles of pebbly
beach
We had crossed the Siskiyon mountains
amid the most awe-inspiring scenery of
rugged mountains, rocky walls and deep
gorges; sometimes climbing grade of ia
feet to the mile; the track, meanwhile,
doubling upon itself in short curves or
semi-circles, or turning angles so sharply
That within five minutes we had left our
own track 100 feet below us. We had spent
the whole day circling about Mt. Shasta,
That stately giant, which for untold ages
has stood in solemn repose among the Sis
kiyon foothills.
We had visited Portland, its streets mum
dated; and seen the freshet-covered coun-
try, Is miles wide, as we went by steam
ferry boat for 50 miles through the Will
jeanette, Columbia and Cowlitz rivers.
1t was June - and the sleeper with
those on it who were bound for Victoria,
had been dropped at Tacoma, from the
train which kept on its way to Spokane.
| The early morning found us comfortably
settled on the City of Kingston, steaming
northward on the clear waters of Puget
Sound, a land-locked, island-dotted sea, 80
miles wide. Cold winds from the snow
covered ranges brought vigor and refreshing
to lungs cramped in close cars, and filled
with dust and smoke, as, wrapped in win
| ter garments, we took our place on deck,
prepared to enjoy the new strange scenes
of natural magnifcence.
South of us was Tacoma, the great tow
ering monarch of these mountains, reach
ing heavenward II, 444 feet. Unhidden by
foothills, its mighty bulk stood forth against
perfect sky, a vision of mlgnifcence to
make one rejoice in the strength of the
| hills"
To the west of us was the long range of
the Olympcs; the misty blue sides rising
almost from the waters edge. Anon on
the eastern shore similar picture, made
| by the Cascade range, invited attention;
and made one wish for eyes on all sides,
that he might grasp at once the details of
the wonderful scene which changed with
every curve of the shore and winding of the
channel.
We stopped little at Seattle, in cres-
cent shaped harbor, the city rising terrace
upon terrace up the hillside. We passed
| Port Townshend into the broader, rougher
sound, yet still amid the infinite blue of
water, mountain and sky, and noted the
occasional lumber camps in shore.
Before us towering into the clouds stood
another massive mountain pile, Mt.
Baker, lofty, white and glistening, not as
imposing as Tacoma, yet grand enough for
an inspiration.
Eight hours amid the breezy freshness
of these ice-built hills, and we landed at
Victoria and at once realized that we were
in foreign land. The cabs, with driver
standing at the horses heads, were in line
through the middle of the street, car-lines
on either side of them, and between the
latter and the side-w walks were the carriage
drives.
We dined at "The Dogs" visited the
post-office for stamps, rummaged the stores
for curios, rode to the Castle" not the
ruins of an olden age, but many turreted
castle. modelled residence, with entrance
guarded to the ingress of the curious
stranger.
The houses are generally unpretentious;
each with an inclosed yard which is usually
lily kept. We decided that living in "the
States is best, and in the early evening
betake ourselves to the steamboat. Little
canoes were darting hither and thither on
the mirror-like waters, as in the weird blue
ness of the gathering twilight we rode out
from the harbor, to be startled by the sud
den change of color and scene as later we
retreated aft.
The sunset sky had shed its CLEAN into
the waters and FURNISHED all the shores
with gold, and from stern to shore we were
leaving behind lis a sea of ripping flame
broken only by the steamers wake OF
shimmering purple. Far into the long
evening the vision held us spell-bound
then leaving it to exist in fancy forever
we sought the rest of our state rooms, and
the morning awakening found us nearing
the busy world at Seattle.
:. f. c.
West Brattleboro, July %, '94.