The Western news., 1904-12-07
By Paul De Laney
Autf,or Of lord of the Desert" "Oregon Sketches.
and other Pacific Coast Stories

to the southwest told this. The roar.
ing clash of waters on the bar spoke it
in so many sounds. The moaning
winds in the boughs of the tall trees
on the hills sung it in dismal notes.
The angry surges on the beach hissed
out like the warning Of an adder. The
gloomy mist which surrounded old
Cape Disappointment lighthouse hung
like pail over the river and bay.
Yet the water was dotted with the
boats of the needless fishermen. They
had seen the signs a thousand times
and had never known them to fail.
They knew that no frail craft could be
reasonably expected to survive such a
storm as was indi :ated tonight. 1t
was the night after the battle between
the fishermen. It was the night upon
which Sankala had started out to sea
to find Dan Lapham. 1t was the
night upon which Dan Lapham left
Sand island upon raft of driftwood
for the nol tn shore.
This was a typical night storm at the
mouth of the Columbia. The people
of the village had been on the alert,
kindling beacon fires and walking the
beach to render aid to their friends on
the bay.
The morning b, oke forth with many
stories Of hardships, disaster and death.
The fishermen on either side had been
slow to yield their position. In spite
of the fact that they were warned in
many ways of the approaching storm,
they stood in the teeth of danger from
force of habit. The southsiders were
determined to destroy the objection
able traps and the northsiders were
firm in standing by the defense Of their
property.
But all had eventually been com.
PEELED to yield to the elements. The
northsiders had beer driven one by one
to the north shore, while the south
siders had been compelled to take ref.
uge on the island. They had not the
time to make it to the south shore.
Fishermen on both sides, it is true,
had remained too long. They had
been caught in the angry sea and
dragged like captives toward the bar.
The dawn had found the life savers
active. 1t was the same old story.
They succeeded in rescuing some OF the
men from watery grave. A few had
gone over the bar never to return.
Some of these had been swept away
long before the life savers could see
their way to 60 to the rescue.
The wind did not lull until we'll up in
the day. The southsiders nestled
along the shores of Sand island, like
go many water bound animals. The
northsiders rushed up and down the
bank looking for missing ones and pre-
pairing to return to the defense of their
traps so soon as the waves should sub.
side.
Women were wringing their hands
over the loss of their dear ones anG
children were crying for fathers they
would never see again. The loss o.
life was go common among the fisher
men that only those actually bereaved
bore sad hearts on such occasions
The sudden making of widows and or
phans had been going on for years, fol
every storm claimed it's victims.
heavy wave, a swamped boat, los
fisherman, told a common story. l
was expected. Those who battled will
death knew that they must eventual,
lose.
"Where is Sankala?" was asked O
the fishermen as they arrived ashor
throughout the night.
"Where is Sankala2" asked Dal
Lapham when he had visited her cabil
and found it vacant.
"Where is Sankala?" was the ques
ton passed from lip to lip throughou
the day.
Dan Lapham had steered his crud
raft straight Tor the north shore. III
had been buffeted by the waves, it
true, and had been carried far to tn
south, but fortune favored him and h
had butted into the boats of hi
friends who had taken him ashore. Bu
not one of all the men returning ha
seen Sankala. They were indignan
that she should have been permitte
to leave the village.
"We have no time for grieving owe
9 the lost" said old Seadog, walking u
and down the beach like an angr
lion. "See, the men on the islam
A are in action and will soon be upon OF
| traps. To your boats, men, to yor
! boats! We must protect those traI
: with our lives"
9 1t was late in the afternoon. Tt
t storm had again subsidized. The me
8 on the island decided to take advan
l age of the northsiders while they wei
r ashore and destroy their traps.
0 The northsiders were quick to 81
: this and hustling their arms and an
b munition aboard they leaped into IL
g boats along the beach and rowed wit
# all their might to the defense OF the
b cause.
d The southsiders also started o,
l. briskly to peat them to the traps. tt
: latter had slight advantage in di
j tance but their opponents were retresl
ed by a warm meal and many of the
hoJ ooouroj n fou, houro olaon