The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-28

a few clumps OF reed rose above tie
cIapping water and shook In the northsr-
iy gales And then, when no guest came
for weeks together, and the salt spray
crested the panes so thickly that looking
abroad became a WEAKNESS Of the spirit,
Master Simon would reach down his long
gun from the ehimney-piece and polish It,
and having pulled on his wading boots
and wrapped large wooden comforter
around his throat and another around It's
head. would summon his tap hoy, m
moor the ferry boat and go duck shoot
ting For in winter birds innumerable
haunt the river side here-wild duck.
snipe. teal and widgeon. curlews. field
fares and plovers, both green and golden:
rocks. starIings little uninterrupted sand
plpers. herons from the upper woods and
gulls from seward. Master Simon had
hne sport in the short days. and the inn
might take care of itself which IL was
perfectly well able TO DO. Its foundation
rested on sunken piles OF magnificent
girth-"as stout as myself" said Master
Simon. modestly-and on these Il stood
30 high that even the great food OF 80 had
overlapped the kitchen threshold but
once. NJ the top of a spring tide with a
northwesteriy gale behind e. and then
had retreated within the hour. at dida't
put the fire out" hoasted Master Simon.
He was proud OF his inn, and for some
very good reasons. To begin with. you
would not find another such building II
YOU searched England for a year. II con-
sisted almost wholly Of wood; but Of such
wood. The story went that on blowing
afternoon in the late autumn of lass two
Spanish galieons from the Great Arna1a
they had been driven around Cape
Wrath-came trailing M the estuary and
took ground just above Ponteglos. Tneir
crews landed and marched inland, and
never returned. Some say the Cornish
men cut them OF and slew them. For
my part. I think II more likely that these
foreigners found hospitality. and very
wisely determined 20 settle in the coun-
try. Certain Il is, you will find IN the
upland farms over Cuckoo valley a race
OF folks with olive compilations. black
curling hair. and southern namss-Santo
Hugo. Jago. Bennett. Jose
Ar all events the Spanyers tSpanards)
never came hack to their galleons, which
lay in the aoze BY the marsh meadows
until the very birds forgot 70 fear them
and built I'm their rigging BY the Roles
Oleron~which were In effect the mari
time laws ~ that period-all wrecks or
wreckage belonged 10 the crown when
neither an owner nor an heir OF the late
owner could be found for ~ But in those
days the kings law Travelled through
Cornwall With hating foot so that
whom. IN 1s(S. these galleons were nut up
90 auction aud sold by the lord of the
manor who happened to be high sheriff
nobody inquired very closely where the
money went n Is more 20 the point taat
the timber Of them was bought by one
Master Blaise-nevcr mind the surname.
he was an ancestor 81 Simons and a
well-to-do wool comber 81 Pontegios
This Master Blalse already rented he
ferry rights ny Flowing Source. and cer-
tain rights or fishery above and below
ana having a younger son 20 provide for
he conceived the happy notion Of ms
hosteiry beside the river For ground rsnt
he agreed 20 carry zach Mlchse'mas 10
the lord or the manor one penny Ia n six
purse. and the lords haiuff on hrfn~ir,e-
tho receipt. was 20 take annually Of Ms
ter Blaise and his heirs one aek Of ale
of the October brewing. and one smoke
cured salmon OF rot less than Hfts.,t
pounds weight These conditions ~ ie-
been dulv signed. IN the YEAR. 1fos Master
Blaise laia the foundations 81 his ann
uron the timhers of one Ca,feon and set
up the elm keelson ar the other for hie
root tree, It's stout ribs. curvine oufvy rl
AMI downward from FATS magnificent
NalE. supported the clincher-huilt roof "a
that The upper haif Of the building ap-
reared-and indeed was-a large frve-se.f
hui. decorated With dorner wind ..,.s
brick chimneys and round pivoon h0fss
snruioun'ed by a gi,3ef vane. The yvle-
dows he took ready made from tre So,-.
Hrfs hu}E.n< stern works. Ana for ...r
hoard he hung out between tho h,tte...e
poop lanterns a large hitunlnors o4|--
.hF on panel that hsd been found an
n'RFt me larger saEeou. and was ~tp-
noS'd 20 REPRESENT tNe features NJ .e--
patron. saint Nicholas P~,7,~atf rs..
the ~fta ~ che AursfnE rs3 sfvavs he.t.
knnwn rs Blowing Source ara A, t.s.