The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-19

were startled by the sudden crash OF q
missile through the window. There.
said Uncle Rufus .'those cusssd Elwhas
have Erred rock and broken a square 81
glass With that he seized a club and
rushed out into the dark. uttering fearful
inprecauons on the heads OF the offending
szyages. / didn't consider Uncle Rufus
20 be what may be termed profane man.
but on this occasion be would have been
hard 10 beat. HIS ire was the greater
from the fact that the window was the
only one IN the house. While Uncle Rufus
rushed with his club into the bushes.
went TO the shed 70 see II my party were
safe, and found that they were the cause
or the uproar- They had thrown Their
canoe sail on the top OF the shed TO form
q screen TO keep OF the air, and without
knowing about the window. had run the
end or the mast through the glass. /
called Uncle Rufus back from his scout,
and explained TO him the state OF affairs.
he was satisfied that the Elwaas were not
intending 10 make an attack. but sadly
iamented his broken window. and ordered
q kanaka who was living with HIN 10
stun an old pair OF pantalooas into the
broken pane to keep out the cir. They
are not very transparent, those old
breeches, said he. They came from on
board ship, and the seat IS somewhat
tarry. but I can't say a word 10 the Indi-
ans Poor devils: they feel SO bad about
IL" told him they should get him new
light OF glass at Port Townsend, which
they did. and took IL to him, and the light
OF Uncle Rufus counteuance beamed on
them benignantiy. and he made them
present OF two sacks OF potatoes.
Uncle Rufus had a ehum, a Jolly fat
butcher named Jones. who lived in Port
Townsend, and great wag. He often
visited Uncle Rufus for few days hunt.
and always took along some grub. On one
occasion he procured an eagle which he
boiled for two days and then managed TO
dlsjoint- When ii was cold he carefully
wrapped the pieces IN a cabbage leaf and
took IL TO Uncle Rufus as a Wild swan.
but somewhat tough The captain chopped
It up with onions and savory herbs and
made fine soup, Of which he partook
heartily. Jones contenting himself with
some clam fritters and fried salmon, re-
marking that it was his off day on soup.
After dinner the wretched wag informed
him that he had been eating an eagle, and
produced the head and claws as proof.
This piece OF news operated on Uncle Ru-
fus Ike an emetic. and after he had re-
Eeved his stomach Jones remarked, did
the soup make you sick. Uncle Rufus?"
''No." said the captain, mot the soup but
i
the embleus of my country"
The following morning after breakfast
we babe goodby to Uncle Rufus and the
Elwhas, and steered for the butt OF Dun
geness spit, which We reached at noon
and hauled our canoe over into Dungeness
bay. The clouds, which had looked black
and threatening, now poured down a copi-
GUS shower, which lasted TIL we reached
Diamond point. ct the entrance 10 Port
Discovery, where we landed at Matthew
Fleming's place. intending to pass the
night, but, the rain ceasing, determined
ID proceed, as We were not many
miles from Port Townsend, and
could reach there In a few hours
The squaw objected. for she knew
we should have gale from the northwest,
but We did not heed her predictions and
pushed on. The wind now freshened up
from the westward and blew quite strong,
but We continued our course right before
10 till we came to Black point, where we
met the tide rips and had fearful time.
There was but one place where we could
land between Black point and Point VIII
son. and that was on the Ruel Ross
claim. afterward called Mormon's park
and to that we steered our canoe. The
wind now increased to a gale. and raised
such tremendous sea that we were IN
danger of swamping. On we few ike en-
arrow. every sea throwing a swash into
the canoe, keeping two persons constantly
bailing. The old squaw began TO sing
death song, thinking we were lost. This
frightened the others, and for the first
time did see Indians thoroughly scared.
felt so vexed at the old harridan for her
doiefui music that / gave her a sound
berating. but she minded the wind more
than she did me. and at last Tom begged
me not TO speak. So / let them alone,
and In a few minutes moro we were oppo-
site the landing, on which a heavy surf
was breaking. The Indians watched a.
chance and backed the canoe into the
breakers till she was near the beach when
they Jumped overheard and took her high
up on land. out OF the reach Of the tide
Here they determined TO pass the nlght,
but / had quite enough OF camping out:
so. taking my blankets, with Tom 20 ac-
company me. started off for Port Town
send. some four miles distant. Il was
lucky escape. for had we kept on we GER
tainIy would have beeen swamped off Point
Wilson, where the breakers were dashing
with such fury as TO throw the spray clear
across the point
We reached Port Townsend about 9
o'clock at night. and on the following day
the Indians came round with the canoe,
the wind having ceased. They said they
never had such n fright before. and when
Il Is remembered that these Makahs are
used from their childhood TO contend with
the breakers on the ragged cliffs or
Cape Flattery. the perils OF our situation
may be understood. 1 was entirely salts
fed with this experience. that a winter
trip IN a canoe on Fuca strait for dis
lance o. a hundred miles is not a picnic
or a holiday excursion.
JAMES C. SWAN.
Port Townsend. December {. 1886.