USA > Oregon > The Oregon native son, 1900-1901 > Part 22
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The Indian names for the snow peaks - in the Pacific Northwest varied, as did those of the rivers. It was the rule to name locations on the rivers, but not the river itself. With the mountains, the name depended on the location of the Indians who spoke of them, each people designating them by some appelation peculiar to their own tongue. In some cases neighboring tribes adopted these. Some of the tribes called Mount Hood, Wi-ye-ast; St. Helens, Loo-wit; Jeffer- son, Pha-to; Adams, Klick-i-lat: Rai- nier, Tahoma; Shasta, Yee-ka. Mary's Peak was known as Chin-tim-i-ni, and Mount Coffin as Yee-eh-mas-tee.
Astoria is the only place within the present limits of Oregon where the British flag floated from a flag-staff. It first kissed the breezes there on Novem- ber 12, 1813, passing at that time to the control of the Hudson's Bay Company, who rechristened the location, calling it Fort George. The Stars and Stripes were again unfurled there on October 16, 1818, when the original name, As- toria, was resumed.
The "Fort Walla Walla" of the Hud- son's Bay Company was not the Walla
Walla of the present, but was located on the Columbia river, at the old town of, or steamer landing known as Wallula. Upon the abandonment of the fort by the Hudson's Bay Company, it was oc- cupied by the United States. In 1851 the stockade and buildings were burned and in 1856 the post was abandoned. The present city of Walla Walla was founded some years subsequent, and the present Fort Walla Walla, a military post of the more recent years.
The city of Olympia was called Smith- field from its founding in 1845 until 1850, when it took the present name. It was called Smithfield after Levi L. Smith, one of the first settlers.
The first coal deposits of any magni- tude discovered in Washington, was in 1850 .. They were located on the Skoo- kum Chuck river.
Oregon's public school law was en- acted by the first legislative assembly of 1849. The first school taught under the law was at Oregon City, C. F. Beaty being the teacher.
NESIKA WA-WA.
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Again we have to apologize to our readers. This time it is for the lateness of the June issue of the magazine. Only those who have to do with independent printers and pressmen can appreciate the difficulties encountered in getting out a publication like the Oregon Native Son. First the electric baths, by which half-tone cuts are made, refuse to work and another has to be prepared, causing a delay of several days. Then a press- man goes to sleep and spoils a form, and several pages have to be run over again, another delay of several days. Then the press breaks down and has to be re- paired, another delay of a few days, and then, when the magazines are all bound, it is found that the knife in the paper- cutter is too dull to trim them, and an- other delay is necessary to sharpen it. These are a few of the things which caused the delay of the issue of the June number. Now, friends, if any of you think you can do any better than we have done, without committing murder or suicide, come down and give it a trial, tussel awhile with the printers and press- men, and if you are successful your for- tune is made.
We call attention to the fact that the present is a double number, July and August. It will be re- membered that we have attempted to get the magazine out and de- livered during the last days of the month, but we find that the custom of issuing magazines on the first of the month is so general throughout the United States that an infraction of the rule leads to misapprehension, and, as we do not care to be considered freakish, we have decided to make the change. This can only be done by issuing a double number.
Let our subscribers understand that they will lose nothing by this change. They will all get their twelve numbers for the year's subscription. While there is a certain amount of humiliation as well as trouble incident to such delays as are above set forth we cannot but feel a little complimented at the large number of letters we have received that com- mence, "What is the matter? I have missed the June number of the Native Son."
PURPLE AND GOLD.
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Maxamilia Riddle Cabin No. 23, Na- tive Daughters of Oregon, was instituted June 9, 1900, at Riddle Oregon. The following officers were elected: . Past president, Mrs. Nellie Pence; president, Miss Maxamilia Nichols: first vice-presi- dent, Mrs. Ada Clough; second vice- president, Mrs. Ada Nichols: third vice-
president; Mrs. Mell Quine; marshal, Mrs. Anna Brown; treasurer, Mrs. Mary Riddle: recording secretary, Miss Clara Riddle; financial secretary, Mrs. Minnie James; inside sentinel, Miss Dell Quine; outside sentinel, Miss Ethel Riddle; trustees, Ella Yokum, Mellie, Riddle, Mrs. Essie Dyer.
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
EDWARD D. BAKER.
Col. Edward D. Baker was born in Eng- land and brought to this country with his father's family when quite young. His pa- rents and family died, leaving him an orphan in the city of Philadelphia when but a mere boy. His father was a weaver, and he him- self worked at that business. He obtained an education under many difficulties; first studied for the ministry, but soon turned his attention to law, becoming famous as an ad- vocate in Illinois, to which state he had emi- grated in his nineteenth year. After serving in the Illinois legislature for two years, he resigned, and in 1846 enlisted for the Mexi- can war and attained the rank of colonel of volunteers, acquitting himself with credit at the battle of Cerro Gordo. He was a repre- sentative in congress from Illinois from 1849 to 1851, after which he took an active part in the building of the Panama railroad. In 1852 he settled in San Francisco, devoting himself to his profession. In 1860 he came to Oregon from California and canvassed this state for the Lincoln ticket, and subsequent- ly removed to Oregon, being elected senator in congress from this state in 1860. He took his seat in congress March 4. 1861. The war of the rebellion having broken out, he raised a body of men in Philadelphia, called the "San Francisco regiment," and while gal- lantly leading them in battle at Ball's Bluff, Virginia, against a superior force, he was shot from his horse and killed October 21, 1861. He is known in Oregon history as one of Oregon's greatest orators, statesmen and patriots.
HENRY L. PITTOCK.
The man whose name stands as the cap- tion of this biography, was, as far as we have been able to ascertain, born in London, Eng- land. about the year 1835. He came to the United States with his parents when quite young, and spent most of his youthful years in Pittsburg, Penn. Here. it is presumed, he went to school and afterwards learned the printer's trade. The modesty of Mr. Pittock, who by nature, is a listener. rather than a talker, has made the ascertainment of more than a moiety of his earlier history next to an impossibility. Always ready to give publicity and praise to others for their do- ings. he has as uniformly shunned notoriety for himself in all its forms and phases. It is presumed however that the deep thinking business proclivities which have marked his life while a resident of this state, was a prominent feature of his boyhood days, for men seldom acquire such tendencies and
business habits after arriving at mature years. In this connection, in explanation of the meagerness of early incidents in his life, it is fair to say that Mr. Pittock is at this Writing absent from the city, neither is it probable that he would if at hand, on ac- count of his retiring disposition, give the necessary information. if he knew it was to be used for the purpose of publication.
Mr. Pittock crossed the plains with the emigration of 1853, arriving in Oregon City in October of that year, and came to Port- land in search of work the following month. Being a practical printer, he at once received employment in the composing rooms of "The Oregonian," a paper then published as a weekly by Thos. J. Dryer. From this time until early in 1861 Mr. Pittock was identified with the paper as an employee. In this latter year he accepted its ownership for the amount of back salary due him for work done on it. Believing that its future success lay in the publication of a daily paper in con- nection with the weekly, he determined to enlarge upon his undertaking, and, on the Ist day of February, 1861, the initial number of the "Daily Oregonian" appeared.
From a paper comprising four pages of four columns to the page. it has grown to one in size from ten to thirty-two pages with seven columns to the page. In the beginning. it was run off on a hand press at the rate of about a hundred to the hour. while at pres- ent it is printed on one of the finest and lat- est improved power presses in the world, and capable of printing 24,000 per hour and from four to twenty-four pages at a time.
Since Mr. Pittock has been identified with the "Oregonian," he has been the soul of its business management, and to him, more than to all others, is due its success.
It is probable that at times the business prospects of Mr. Pittock were unpropitious and discouraging. If so. few, if any, know of the circumstances, for he has ever maintain- ed the same apparently stolid indifference, and "smiled at honors won or lost."
On June 20, 1860, Mr. Pittock was united in marriage with Georgiana M., oldest daugh- ter of the widely known and universally re- spected pioneers, E. M. and Phoebe A. Bur- ton. Mrs. Pittock was born in Keokuk. Iowa, November 14. 1843, and crossed the plains with her parents in the immigration of 1852. As above stated she was married to Mr. Pit- tock June 20, 1860. The fruits of this mar- riage have been nine children, four of whom are dead. Of the survivors, four are girls, viz .: Susie. (Mrs. F. Middleton) ; Carrie T .. (Mrs. Leadbetter) ; Kate T .. (Mrs. Hertz- man) and Helen Louise; and one boy, Fred F. Pittock.
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OREGON PINE.
- Who boasts of palm, the tropic's crown, Hath never seen the pine step down The mountain side in kingly ease, Our Coeur-de-Lion, warrior of trees; White canyon streams their banners fling, From Peak to peak the mountains sing; In wid'ning curve the eagle sweeps His dusky wing, and sentry keeps Upon the heights, where burns a star, The pine-king's oriflamme of war.
-Nellie Evans.
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" The Sugar Loaf Peak, which stands in the valley above the lake."
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KA-NA-WITZE-A TALE OF THE OLYMPICS.
Many snows ago the Quinault Indians were a brave and warlike people, the warriors perfect types of manhood, and the women possessing a degree of come- liness not found among the descendants of the aboriginal inhabitants of the Pa- cific Northwest. The Quinaults, with the Quilliutes and the Hoe tribes, com- posed the great nation of Chehalis, or water Indians. Their hunting grounds were located in a beautiful scope of coun- try extending from Willipa to the ridge that divides the valleys of the Quilliutes and the Queets rivers, and back to the snowy, cragged crests of the Olympic mountains. Winding through this ver- dant territory is the Quinault river, a stream springing from the Olympics, ever and anon dashing, leaping, laugh- ing and swirling its way in mad whirls and waterfalls past cloud-kissed cliffs, through unfathomed mountain gorges, to reach and comingle with a beautiful lake bearing the same name. Here it rests a spell, and then, as if weary of in- sipid lake life, bursts forth again and whirls and rushes on through numerous rapids and cascades, a score of miles to a stretch of water placid as the mother's bosom when the babe's asleep thereon.
Here, in the bay at the mouth of the river, it rests again and then goes forth to battle with, and lose its identity in, the mighty surf that beats on old ocean's shore.
The principal village of the Quinaults lay on the low, flat banks of that portion of the river affectedby the ebb and flow of the tides: protected from the fierce ocean storms by the high sand dunes on the higher winter beach. Many of the tribe, however, dwelt along the middle
waters of the river, between the lake and the bay at its mouth.
Farther up on the coast lived their in- veterate enemies, the Quilliutes, a people for whom the Quinaults had resurrected the tomahawk and broken the calumet, and, at the time our story opens, were were painted and in war regalia on the warpath to invade the country of their northern neighbors.
A short distance above the village the warriors of the Quinaults had halted to propitiate the will of the Great Spirit, through the incantations of their "med- icine-man," and just before them ran a high, precipitous ridge whose outer con- fines overhung and reached far into the waves. To go around it was beyond human power. The only way to pass it by was to await the pleasure of the tide, which at ebb, receding, left behind a tunneled cave, through which one could pass in safety beyond the granite wall.
Concluding his incantations, the "med- icine-man" announced that the "Toma- · owis," in the shape of a hugh white bird, had appeared to him in his visions and indicated to him that their incursion into the enemy's country would be successful and bring them much renown. As he finished his prophecies the "to-tem" of the tribe, a white-tipped eagle, was seen to come o'er head and circling there for a moment, with majestic spread of wing, flew to resting place, and perched him- self on the rocks high above the comb- ing surf, as if waiting to lead the Quin- aults to victory, as foretold.
Such is a retrospect of what was trans- piring on the south of this obstacle to ready progress. To the northward, fierce violence was contemplated. There .
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OREGON NATIVE SON.
could be seen a pale face of youth's scarce years, flying with fleet foot, but closely pursued
By warriors bold, From tribes last told.
At short intervals his hand fell to his side and for the instant touched the trusty sheath-knife that hung there; then he turned and breathed defiance at his following foes-for in his knife he knew was an antidote for all their torments, tortures and ordeals. Over the hilltops and down the steep declivity from the elevated tablelands he passed to the beach below, and soon reached the ob- structing wall of stone that seemed to bar his further progress, the tunneled way therein being obscured from view by mighty breakers dashing upon it with tremendous noise. He was about to halt and contend for life against unequal numbers, when the Sacred Seals, so the story runs, through pity for his tender age, fought back the waves and allowed him to pass beyond, closely followed by · his would-be captors. Scarce had they cleared the southern portal, however, before a gigantic swell, held back anon by spirit power, rolled against and filled the opening to its roof, making a noise like booming cannon or heaven's thun- der, as the waters, entering from either end, met within the confines of the cave, there to remain for several hours, for the tide was still at flood, and thereby cut- ting off retreat of those who had just. passed through.
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As the boy emerged from the. tunnel he found himself among the Quinaults, who stopped him, and quickly over-pow- ered and bound his stupefied pursuers hand and foot. The boy was nonplused at the turn affairs had taken, and, with folded arms, waited patiently for further developments. The limbs of the Quilli- utes being securely pinioned, the "med- icine-man" of the Quinaults approached the youth whom he believed to be the white bird of his vision, and offered him a plume which he had taken from the circlet of eagle feathers at his brow. Un-
accustomed as the boy was to Indian ways, he recognized the action as a ten- der of peaceful token and an assurance that he had found friends. Neither did he hesitate to accompany them back to their wigwams at the mouth of the river. On his arrival there he was furnished bearskins and fur robes plenty, and was allotted a floor space in the tepee of the Indian chief. Their treatment soon ad- vised him that he was considered a sa- cred being, come to them in answer to the prayer of the "medicine-man," to lead the northern warriors into captivity. Being bright of mind, he learned at once to speak in Indian signs, and 'ere a moon had waned away he spoke their language well. He informed them that he came from the land of the rising sun-a land inhabited by pale-faced people-and, in canoe whose masthead reached the clouds, had crossed the seas. He spoke of the perils of ship-wreck which he had endured; how a dozen men like him had swam ashore, been taken captives by the Quilliutes and all but he been murdered. His captors had reserved him for a fate or purpose he could not conjecture, but he had been closely watched by braves both day and night, until the morning- in the darkest hour, before the streaks of daylight appeared-he felt a breath upon his cheek, his thongs were quietly re- moved and his belt and sheath-kinfe re- stored. Then he was conducted by a gentle hand around the sentries and through the sleeping camp, and headed o'er the trail. No word was spoken, yet by intuition there was an assurance that some gentle creature would save his life. When his pathway meandered near the sea, he observed a seal-maid swimming in the smooth waters, the flows that rise and fall between the two first lines of combing surf, and when he loitered it
appeared she urged him on. With morning's dawn a hurried glance inform- ed him that he was pursued by swift and stalwart runners, but he hurried on with quickened speed, wondering what oppor- tunity had in store for his escape. And then auspicious fortune launched him in the hands of his deliverers, who, with
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A TALE OF THE OLYMPICS.
him and the captives, returned to the chief's village.
The "medicine-man," entering his abode where no other dared to venture,
of the white bird. This time it descend- ed and perched upon the head of the pale-face youth, the sacred shell drake sought his protection and in his bosom
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" Perched himself on the rocks high above the combing surf."
in solitude, was overcome by the Great Spirit, slumbered and dreamed-and in his dream there appeared again the vision
nestled, safe from the talons of the pur- suing sparrow-hawk. These were om- nious signs, and he came forth and spoke
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as of the "Tomanowis" in words of wis- dom:
"The white boy," he said, "shall be adopted into the tribe. The Great Spirit has spoken. In time he shall become the wedded spouse of the chief's daughter, and, following his death, become the chieftain of the tribe. He shall be edu- cated to hurl the harpoon at the whale, duly instructed in all the warriorlike arts of the red man, and invested with all the rights, customs and privileges due to the exalted station promised him."
The warriors present bowed their heads in acquiescence and it was ordered that three braves, recently captured from the Clatsops, be given him as thralls. The softest buckskins were chosen for his garments and trimmed with choicest ivory elk's teeth; and the circlet round his brow was plumed with the tail-feath- ers of the mountain eagle, and after that bird, the monarch of the air, by com- mand of the chief, he was named Ka-na- witze. The chief's daughter, Kon-i-te- na (Young Fawn), a child of ten, was taught henceforth to consider the come- ly youth her affianced mate.
Much was the white youth interested in the ceremonies carried on, for circum- stances assured him that compliance with the terms of the prophecies was the only alternative to sure death, or the worse fate of excoriation.
Ka-na-witze, active and athletic, soon became expert in shooting arrow and hurling spear; and, by his prowess in the canoe chase of the whale, won his way to leading hunter of the tribe, occu- pied a seat in council by the chief. and gave advice at will-distinctions only ac- corded braves and warriors of proved skill and valor. When the appointed bride was growing out of childhood, oft they wandered together through the for- est's leafy bowers, where the breath of summer, laden with the perfume of wild roses, invited love. He grew to be an inseparable part of the wild maid's life, and in his absent hours she occupied her time weaving garlands in her hair and beautifying herself, as sweethearts do for those they love, by aid of nature's mir-
rors, the deep pools in shady nooks of crystal streams. She wept in grief when he departed for the whale chase or the war-path-she wept in joyousness when he returned. He grew to love her well, for she was moulded in disposition sweet and winning ways, but he regarded her only as a sister. He loved another with that deep passion, the culmination of all the sacred feelings of the heart, and often his mind soared back across the billowy deep to a little girl he ever cherished in his memory-his captain's daughter -- whom he had left behind, and to whom he had promised to return-a girl just budding into maidenhood. Then his heart would beat with mighty force as if to burst, and send the blood in torrents to his temples. At such times he would wander down the beach and up the sinu- ous streams where the shell-drake and black swan used and breeded, and when he heard the cooing of the doves and saw the swans woo in the wild reeds, he would heave a mighty sigh and yearn for word of home. These unexplained ab- sences the wild maid noticed, and griev- ed her heart away, but hid her grief from all the tribe. At last the appointed time was near at hand when he should fulfil the prophecies of the medicine-man and take the dusky maid to wife, and numer- ous runners went forth north and south, along the beach and up the valley, to apprise the members of the tribe of the coming feast, and make announcement of many ponies to be given away, and many yards of wampum, and elk's teeth. A whale chase was planned wherein Ka- na-witze should ride in his accustomed place at the bow of the first canoe, and if, on this occasion, again a steady hand he proved, and they brought the whale at last to beach, he should be made guardian of its sacred eye, the fetich of the tribe, and dispense the tid-bits of whale skin to the assembled wedding guests, a distinction not easily won or worn.
One day, with fullness of heart, he sought for solitude, and wandered down to where Coph Palis stands boldly forth within the surf, and swimming out he
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A TALE OF THE OLYMPICS.
climbed up to its top. While pondering o'er the situation of affairs, his brow within his hands, his attention was at- tracted by a mournful sound. Lifting his eyes, he observed the seal-maid swim- ming in the surf. In her embrace she bore another form with face white as the field lily, and beautiful hair, in long tress- es hanging down and sporting with the waves. With the quickness of thought he sprang into the sea, and res- cuing the fair one from the arms of the seal-maid, swam ashore and chaffed her limbs and breathed the breath of life again into her lungs. As she resumed consciousness he looked out on the sea, and then the setting sun, fired in the west, showed forth above the horizon the silhouette of a mighty ship, with broken masts and torn sails. From her bowels, as still he gazed in astonish- ment, burst flames of fire. While yet his eyes were riveted upon the thrilling scene there came an explosion with thun- derous tones, which shook the earth and ocean, and threw the water heavenward like a hugh waterspout, and through the falling water of the giant geyser, the ship, whale-like, raised her stern and dived beneath the sea. Then it dawned upon his mind that the seal-maid had rescued the girl from the burning vessel and brought her safely to the rock.
When he scanned the face again, in consternation, he recognized his cap- tain's daughter-the love he had left be- hind. With renewed efforts he chaffed and rubbed her sea-numbed limbs, and warmed her back to partial health, and when she had gathered strength suffi- cient, she told her story. How, his ship not returning, and remaining over-due while days grew to months and months to years, the captain's family had pur- chased a craft and followed his ocean trail in search of him. How, after cruis- ing between countless points for many months, they found a rumor among the natives living many leagues to the south, of the wrecking of the vessel and the captivity of all those who had escaped alive therefrom. How, when nearing the point where they expected to gain reli-
able intelligence of the lost ship, and of the crew, if any chanced to be alive, their vessel had encountered heavy storms, and when dismasted and dis- mantled-the sport of ocean's wave- had taken fire, and for many days had burned away within the confines of the hold, until the heated decks became un- bearable. Then she, being Catholic, kissed the Vatican-blessed charm hang- ing in her bosom, told her beads and sprang into the sea expecting death, but was saved from a coral bier by the seal-maid, who rescued her when de- pairing, and bore her toward the shore.
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