Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1904-10-14
CHAPTER I.

"She made gallant fight"
"See! She comes to the surface
again!''
The foregoing EXPLANATIONS came
from a group of fishermen who stood
upon the shores of Bakers bay and
watched ship battling with the waves
on the Columbia bar.
The rain fell in long, slanting, twist
ing sheets. II appeared as If the heav-
ems were vast waterfall swayed and
tossed by all of the gods OF fury. The
wind howled and moaned like power
full monster, making the earth and
everything upon it tremble while it
pursued its way as steady as tide from
the deep.
Trees Bonded their boughs to the
ground and writhed and quivered to
the end of their tiniest roots. Houses
rocked and swayed like weather vane
upon their foundations. The more
timid OF the men and the women and
children, though accustomed to storms,
crouched and trembied with awed ex-
pressiors upon their faces as they lis
tened to the deafening din which was
sweeping the earth.
The waters at the broad mouth of
the Colun bia river arose like wild
steeds as they met the storm-driven
waves Of the Pacific and battled with
them for supremacy. The combating
elements formed like mountain range
along the bar. showing. with the rapid
ity Of q Kaleidoscope view, peaks,
gulches and canyons as the waters rose
and c.inched and then fell and divided
for another attack.
Nature gave her picture additional
grandeur by the coloring. The ap-
proach of night through such a storm,
while there was still enough shaded
light to cast lurid haze over the scene,
the ming]ing of the blood-red waters OF
the river with the green and white of
ocean streaked the whole with hue
OF contest and death.
The tides from the deep seemed to be
angered by the battle above their heads
and rose higher and higher, with a
power that made the rock -bound
shores shake, to crush out the wild con
Test between river and waves. The
spray dashed up even to the timber
belt above the beach, creating fog on |
the windows Of the high-perched light
house that made the newly lighted |
lamp appear dim, and the whole noun
tain range along the coast to the north
luivered to its foundation while STAY
ing the mighty rush Of the waters from
the ocean.
A group of fishermen stood at point
On the shores of the bay. They were
irenched to the skin, but they did not
mind this. They were more intent
lpon watching an object battling for it's
life on the bar of the river. 1t was
.hese who had made the EXPLANATIONS
yiven at the introduction OF this chap
er.
1t was the severest storm for many
'ears. They had been partially drawn,
thrown ashore in their crude
ishing boats by the reoeding waters
rom the conflict between ocean and
liver. While anxious eyes watched
hem from the windows OF the fishing
'illage in the rear, which was wrapped
n the landstorm, they looked more
'nxiously out to sea. Having been
handled 30 mercilessiy by the waters
which had spent their fury and were re-
reating from the battle at the bar, thew
rembled at the fate of an object which
hey discovered in the center of the rag
ng conflict.
1t tossed and leaped and rose and fell
Ike wounded and bewildered animal
ierced by bullet from some hunters
life. Now on peak, which shot up
Ike rocket from the depths below;
ow on the brink Of deep canyon,
ormed In the twinkling of an eye; now
n narrow ledge pending over deep
byss, and then in the depths of a
ulch, whose watery walls were crash .
ng down upon it--then it disappeared
rom viewi
"Down she wentl" said one fisher :
han.
"All aboard were lost, - said another.
"she made gallant fight" remark !
9 third.
"Seel She comes to the surface .
gainl" exclaimed the man who had ,
rst spoken.
The ship had instantly appeared
gain. But 1t wr,thed in the roaring /.
irf like q stricken serpent. 1t had :
zen q fine rugged sailing vessel, but
ow It was mere, hull with part of a
DCk and few stumps OF masts left. .
had been the pride of country and,
Ike brave soldier wounded and dis :,
'med, it was fighting the enemy even !.
| it's dying gasps. =
II lunged this way and that. One :
oment It careened on its side; another :
stood on its beam; then it reared up :,
re- an animal in desperation, and with
e agility of cat regained its position !.