The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-26

eVhtECtIluu WIZ WON IL pOOl III bilo ady .
u was sure to be relieved Of II before
breakfast the next morning. A lady.
the heroine Of the story. was ohloroec-nncd
and impoverished by the redoubtable
thief. Dunniston reported the loss OF
his gold studs and sleeve buttons.
1t Is proper to say that almost from the
beginning the reader will soc quite clearly
into some OF the mystery. 1t was neces-
sary to permit him TO do this In order
that he should have the fun. This quality
Is not curtailed. A very clever and
amusing story.
The Story OF the Columbia River.
The story Of the Columbia River IL the
history Of four Of the largest and richest
States In the Union and Of all Of southern
British Columbia. with their wealth Of
legends, their stirring tales Of pioneer
days, the diplomatic contests OF which
they formed the prizes, and a marvellous
agricultural, industrial and commercial
development with which we are now too
dazzled fully to understand. Obviously
no n hook can cover in detail such a
subject, but in "The Columbia River, Its
History. It's Myths, Its Scenery, Its Com
merce' (G. P. Putnam's Sons>, William
Denison Lyman. professor Of history IN
Whitman College. Walla Walla. Wash,
has provided a general account OF this
mighty w~ateroourse, it's diversified water
shed and the jewellers on its banks and
on those Of its tributaries, that covers in
ga satisfactory the principal Incl
dents OF a wonderful corner OF the globe.
or the physical peculiarites Of the
country it is enough to point out that
the Kootenai River. rising In a small lake
on the western flank Of the main chain
Of the Canadian Rockies and flowing
south, passes within a mile OF the source
Of the Columbia. being separated from
the head waters Of that stream by a nearly
level plain less than a mile in width,
through which q canal once joined the
streams. The Kootenai flows south into
Idaho. her turns to the northwest, FORM
ing Kootenai Lake. and thence flowing
to the west joins the Columbia near the
Arrow Lakes. From the point where II
passes 30 close to the Columbia to its
point OF junoture with that stream the
Kootenai travels nearly 600 miles. The
Columbia itself, after parting with the
Kootenai. flows north to latitude 50 de-
grees. its highest point, and thence south
to the confluence Of the Kootenai. in all
a distance OF quite 800 miles. What beauty
spots Of mountain. valley and plain these
rivera pass through the camera attempts to
record. but the grandeur Of the scenery is
indicated. not caught, by this means.
The Indians account for the rough hewn
course OF the Columbia by the tale Of the
beaver king Wishpoosh. whose home vas
the lake on the summit OF the Cascade
Mountains, the source OF the Yakima River.
1t was in the time OF the animal people.
and 80 destructive did Wishpoosh become
that Speelyei, the coyote god Of the mid
Columbian region, undertook to curb his
appetite. In the struggles between these
mighty gods Wishpoosh broke his way
through obstruction after obstruction.
until at length he reached the sea-. There
Wishpoosh continued his destructive
career. until at length Speelyai, by the
simple stratagem OF causing himself to be
swallowed by the beaver. obtained oppor-
tunity to stab Wishpoosh in a vital spot
After the death OF Wishpoosh his carcass
was cut up by Speelyei and devoted to
the laudable use Of creating man
From the head he made the Nez Perces. great
In council and oratory. From the arms came the
Cayuses, powerful with the bow and aTNclu
The Klickltats were the product Of the legs. and
they were the runners OF the land. The belly was
| transformed Into the gluttonous Chinooks. Al
last there was left an lndescrbable mass OF hair
and gore. This Speclyei hurled at the far dis
lance 10 the east. and out Of II sprung the Snake
River Indians.
The Indians tell Of the arrival of q
strange white mar. konapee. apparently
about I725. at the mouth Of the Columbia.
He may have been a shipwrecked Span
lard, and from the natives learned OF the
whites and their arts. particularly oi
iron working. Another legend is Of a
treasure, buried in its iron chest along
with a black man knocked on the head and
entombed with it as a guard on the beach
near Nekahni Mountain. Treasure seek.
ers have uptiirned the whole beach in
searching for this prehistoric deposit,
AMI as a rock ut the foot OF the mountain
to this day shows a rude cross and wha,
may be an arrow pointing in "a certain
direction" enthusiastic dreamers may be
expected to look for it hereafter.
1t was on May II. 1872. that Captain
Robert Gray Of the ship Columbia Rediviva
Boston, having told Captain George Van.
oouver, the British commissioner appointed
to explore the region. that he believed O
river let into the ean there, an opinion
Vancouver secuted, boldly entered thu
then unknown passage and gave to tht
river the name OF his ship. To the north
ern cape he gave the name Hancock. Il
the southern Adams. Had yancouvel
been less obstinate. In his belief that nc
important river entered the sea at thil
point. had he explored diligently, hac
a British ship entered the stream first
there would have boon a different story
to tell OF the development Of this cont
nent and the United States.
The fur trade, the agricultural richie
OF the country drained by the Columbia
the early days Of pleasant and proftabl
intercourse with the Indians. followed
as was inevitable. by savage warfsr
when the aborigines saw that the incoming
Of the whites meant the end Of the rex
mans ife-these subjects all receive III,
attention OF Professor Lyman, and fron
his chapters an idea OF the winning o
the magnificent territory for tho whit
man may DO got. The record could No
be embarrassing. however badly told