The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-10

!, THE CRUISE OF Thu POTTER.
\NCN-
BIZ JAMES e. sHaN.

10
States Indian agent and general superin-
iendenf e tue Indians OF Puget Sound and
western Washington. on a visit 10 the
various tribes or the sound Col Sim
mons had chartered the schooner Potter.
OF Port Townsend. belonging 20 Messrs.
Fowler q CO. and commanded by Capt.
Enoch :. Fowler. who went ~ the schOou-
er 70 Olympia where she took on board
a party consisting Of Col Simmons and
his secretary. Mr.. Armstrong. Capt. Rob
ert e. FaF and Z. :. Bailey. local Indian
agents. with Col Rankin, United States
land register. and Charley Weed. of Oiym-
pia. and Mr.. Ahern. OF Philadelphia, in
Vited guests.
ON the return OF the Potter TO Port
Townsend. May 81. 1S5s, I went on board,
and al a. n. we made sail and stood out
for Eeliingham bay. our crew consisted
Of two men as sailors. a Chinese and a
Portuguese AS cooks a Yankee Tor stew
ard and two Indian servants, john Fay
and Dick Bailey, 10 wait and tend, haul
ropes. catch fish. spin yarns or eorrobor-
ate any improbable tales their respective
masters. Messrs. Fay and Bailey, mlgnt
see fit 20 amuse us with.
II may De well al this place to give de-
scription of the gentlemen composing the
party. for certainly there was never d
more agreea bic set congregated together.
Col Mike Simmons, the chief OF the ex-
petition, Is well known in the history Of
Washington territory, he being one OF The
earliest settlers. He first settled at Tum-
water, near Olympia. sometime about "a.
and built a sawmiil al that place. one OF
his assistants was Frank Shaw, stall
warf young Missourian. who could whip
his weight in wild cats. but who has calm
ed down into the respected and popular
Col. r. F. Shaw. Of Vancouver. Wash.
col. Simmons was general agent under the
governor, the late Gen. Isaac |. Stevens,
and had in charge body of 1900 In
dams OF various tribes. The object OF his
visit 10 the Sound Indians was 10 inform
the principal chief that congress had rat
ined their treaties, to make them a few
presents and to ascertain If they wished
any changes made relative TO the location
Of their respective reservations. Col. Sim
mons was fun OF anecdotes and seemed
determined 10 make every one enjoy him
self
Cant Fav. the local agent residing at
Port Townsend resembled the chief In TWO
particulars, both Of them being quite cor
puIent and very good-natured and jolly.
The captain. however. possessed wonder
ful constitution for sleep. and while Ia that
state was acknowledged 10 be the great
est snorer in the territory. His qualifica-
lions in this respect were so great that
the gentlemen decided that he must make
up ks bed in the forward part OF the yes
sci. This he DID very willingly, and ac-
c1UmOudfe1 niinSelI on tile in1 or q pie
Of sacks Of -four. But when awake he WIS
fun of fun and most excellent company.
being fully prepared at all times and for
all occasions. and never allowing any one
TO get to the windEard OF him In telling
yarn.
Bailey. the assistant agent. was another
oddity and universal favorite among all
his acduain.ances, by whom he was known
as BLACK Bailey. from his dark COM
plexion and long ringlets Of coal black
hair. Bailey used 10 say that he came from
the second families 0f Virginia, although
he could recollect his ancestors claimed %
have some OF the royal Pocahontas blood
! IN their veins.
So much for the Indian department. As
for the rest, the. drolI jokes and capital
mim'cry Of COL Rankin. the debates and
discussions OF Mr. Ahern. the Indian stories
81 Mr. Armstrong and Charley Weed. and
the excellent supervision of Capt. Fowler
made the time pass IN the most agreeable
manner
When of Point Partridge. the northwest
ern point Of Wildly island. We passed a
canoe containing Gov. Stevens ard several
other gentlemen. bound "a Port Townsend
whore political speeches were % he made
by the governor and Col. Wallace. rival
candidates for the office al delegate 20
+ congress. We fired A salute with our
swivel and gave the governor three hearty
cheers. Whieh We're returned hv the party
: On the canoe and then each proceeded on
I their respective course. The days We're
pleasant. and The wind. though light. was
fair. So that we sailed along leisurely. en-
i0yiug the fine scenery OF the islands IN
Rosario straits and re-ched rockingham
hay and anchored at p. m. on the milf
f9r} station near the mouth Of Lummi
Z river.
col h r. Shaw was agent for the Lum-
mi Indians and resided at She reservation.
some SIX miles I'd the stream.
Al t7e schooner could not go mp the river
We dispatched a canoe 20 Col. shaw 10 send
us Some canoes early mex morning 20 car
~ us up Before brsa kf-,st the next day
thc canoes came alongside and after a
hearty meal ! lef. in one ~ them with
col Simmons ard SIR A1ern.
At II = n. we reached the reservation
and vent ashore 20 ne house Of col Shaw.
The Iamni reservation contains 3 200
acres ~ excellent bottom land, ali ~ wai-h
IS adaptad 10 cultivation. u IS situated
partly on an island a. fho mouth Of The
I.umwi. enc branch ~ which runs into
Bcll.oraam hay. and t1o other into The
Gulf Of t2eorr{a. she rest Of the reservation
is an t1e main land We had time before
dinner 10 Ralk over portion ~ tAe cut.-
waited fields and found the crops looking
vel and crerE 1ing IN good order. Tho
principal 8rtirla raised Hs potatoes and
the average Weld was 20A bushels ~ the
acre The farming work ives an dcHo ov
Indians uuder Hae direction of col Shaw.
VINO has practically taught these natives
bow to cultivate thr land hy taking bold
ana working himself aua his eX1mele
stimulated Gre lao ans Io learn how 20 per-
form All Kinds ~ farm work
Affef dinner Coi simmons addressed trc
chiaf vao w a crowd ~ Indians. we've
drawn up la clrrie I'm front Of col. shaw s
hoUs@. T1ax sat1 -at-v were satisfied 81 %
~hat he toi1 taen. and then e Few p-es-