Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1918-09-13

lief was by division of the Terri
tory. the erection of separate Or
ganization which would bring to our
| doors the presence CT those influences
which in reminding us we were part
of a great nation gave to us all the
i belief that in settling here the Ameri-
can citizen might expect to receive
/ some little of the fostering care of
his government.
Captain William Rowland, master
of the "Georgianna," thus narrates
the disaster Of his sloop, in a letter
dated November 25th, 1851.
Il have been, with 26 others. here
among, the Indians and have had no
opportunity to write to any white man
whatever. ! was cast away in lati-
tude 80 degrees so minutes on the
east side OF this island Queen Char
lotte's) on the 18th of this month in
a heavy gale Of wind from the south
east, with % passengers and five OF
crew from Olympia, November 3rd,
and have succeeded in getting on
shore
1.-The Indians have robbed us OF
every necessity and some of the cloth
ing off our bodies and we are left
without one blanket or a shirt t.
shift. Consequently we are in most
wretched and deplorable condition.
therefore we all of us do earnestly
pray you if there is any possible
means to render us any assistance to
send it as quick as possible"
Captain Lafayette Balch was at the
same, time at Gold Harbor. on the
west side of the island, unable to ge,
to the sufferers. and actually com.
Delled to leave the island, December
list, by the hostile demonstrations OF
the natives. He thus writes to Col
onel Moses under date of Fort Steil-
accom-, December II, 1851:
Il have the painful duty to an
nounce to you and the citizens OF
Olympia that the party which left
that place on the 3rd of November
has been wrecked l refer you to the
enclosed letter of Captain Rowland
for the particulars. am in hopes
that you will take some immediate
steps for their relief. They will un-
doubtedly remain on the island until
they are ransomed or taken by force,
but l do not think that the Indians
will further modest them or attempt
their lives, their object being plum
der.
During my stay at Gold Harbor.
(Which is on the west side of the isl
and), had great difficulty in protect
ing my vessel and avoiding a conflict
with the Indians without being able
to negotiate a trade for the suffer-
ers, they at that time being on the
opposite side of the island about three
days journey distant. AS you are
we'll aware. l had not sufficient
number of persons on board to deal
with them successfully and having
had my vessel previously injured in
her sails and rigging and several at
tempts having been made to plumber
us, gladly availed myself of favor
able wind and left the inhospitable
coast, sincerely hoping that I might
! not again be placed in a similar con-
dition and exceedingly regretting that
necessity compelled me to leave my
fellow citizens in such deplorable
condition without having the power
to assist them"
/ To those who knew the gallant and
disinterested Balch in his lifetime
! nothing need be added to this letter
of his to prove the desperate condi-
ton in which the "Georgianna" I'M
fortunates were reduced. He never
would have left while there was a
CLEAN of hope that his staying would
/ contribute to their relief and he wise
" believed their chance of safety was
in an appeal to their fellow country
men on Puget Sound.
Appeal was at once made to Cap
tain Hill, U. S. Army, commanding
Fort Steilacoom, who at once en-
braced the opportunity to make in
quiry of Governor John Work (the
late venerable chief factor of the
Hudson Bay Company. so long in
charge of their Northern posts, then
! fortunately on visit to Fort Mis-
/ Qually) as to the probability of re-
lief coming from Fort Simpson. That
door for hope was closed by Cover
nor Works letter of December II, in
! which he says:
Should the unfortunate passen-
gers and crew be able to reach Fort
Simpson, ! have no doubt that DR..
Kennedy. the gentleman in charge.
will render them every assistance in
his power. but the difficulty will be
for them. to get there The shortest
traverse from Queen Charlottes ISL
and east side near it's north end to
the islands bordering on the main
| land is about 80 miles and dangerous