The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-10-06
CHAPTER /.
The Storm.


The foregoing ordinations cans
from 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-
ans we're vast waterfall swayed and
tossed by all of the gods Of fury. The
wind howled and moaned like power
inl monster, making the earth and
everything upon 1t tremble while il
pursued ita way as steady as tide from
the deep.
Trees bended their boughs to the
ground and writhed and quiveIed tc
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,
eTouched and trembIed with awed ex.
pressio, upon their faces as they lis
tened TO the deaiening din which was
Z sweeping the earth.
The waters at the broad mouth Of
the Colunb bia river arose like wild
steeds AZ 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 clinched and then fell and divided
for another attack.
Nature gave her picture additional
grandeur by the coloring. The ap-
proach Of night through such storm,
while there was still enough shaded
light TO cast lurid haze over the scene,
the mingling Of the blood-red waters OF
the river with the green and white Of
ocean streaked the whole with hue
smblematic 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
quivered to It's 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
'drenched to the skin, but they did not
mind this. They were more intent
upon watching an object battling for its
life on the bar OF the river. 1t was
theae who had made the exclamations
given at the introduction OF this chap.
ter.
II was the severest storm for many
years. They had been partially drawn,
practically thrown ashore in their crude
fishing boats by the receding waters
from the conflict between ocean and
river. While anxious eyes watched
them from the windows OF the fishing
village In the rear, which was wrapped
In the landstorm, they looked more
auxiously out to sea. Having been
handled 30 mercilessly by the waters
which had spent their fury and we're re-
treating from the battle at the bar, they
trembled at the fate OF an object which
they discovered In the center of the rag
Ing conflict.
II tossed and leaped and rose and fell
like wounded and bewildered animal
pierced by bullet from some hunters
rife. Now on peak, which shot up
like rocket from the depths below !,
now on the brink Of deep canyon,
formed In the twinkling OF an eyet now
on narrow ledge pending over a deep
abyss, and then in the depths of a
gulch, whose wateTy walls were crash
Ing down upon it-then Ii disappeared
from viewl
"Down she wentl'' said one fisher
man.
"All aboard were lost, " said another.
"she made gallant fight, remark
cd . third.
"Seel She comes to the surface
againi" exclaimed the man who had
frst spoken.
The ship had instantly appeared
again. But 1t writhed In the roaring
surf like q stricken serpent. 1t had
been . fine rugged sailing vessel, but
now It was . mere hull with part of
ieCk and . few stumps OF masts left.
Z bad been the pride of q country and,
ike q brave soldier wounded and dis
rmed, it was fighting the enemy even
n Its dying gasps.
II lunged this way and that. One
moment Il careened on its side; another
Il stood on it's beam; then 1t reared up
lie an animal in desperation, and with
she agility OF cat regained its position
On wild wave and rode 1t with gal
lantry that charmed the fisherman.
Then lost for q noment 1t appeared
again as II 1t bad been discharged from
one OF Neptune's greatest guns sta
lioned on moro OF the deep.
"Bravol" shouted q fisherman.
"She deserves to live" said another.
"But lookP' shrieked third.
The shattered vessel had crossed the
bar and was heading straight for Sand
Island. Caught on the receding waters
she was dragged mercilessly toward her
doom.
The storm grew stronger in its fury.
Az If angry at the prolonged life Of the
thip, 1t gathered over the
spot where II was making it's last feeble
aght TO live. The sheets of rain grew
thicker. the steady wind grew stronger,
the waves dashed together behind her
and reared high up into the air. Then
they broke apart and those receding
sent the vessel on more rapidly. The
spray from the ocean and the sheets Of
rain from the heavens formed veil
which obscured all for brief time.
The fishermen stood like statues for
: few moments. Night was closing in.
n,.s sor cna hriaf instant there WAS a