USA > Oregon > The Oregon native son, Vol. I > Part 71
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Cox Plain, located some two miles le- low Vancouver, takes its name from a Kanaka by that name. It is said that lic was a witness of the death of .Captain Cook, who was killed by the Hawaiian Islanders in 1799, and that he afterward. went to England with the king of these islands, being one of the guards of the! monarch who presented arms to King George III. On his return to the Island. he became a sailor and finally wound v. as a care-taker of the hogs belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company.
The first cider made in the Pacific Northwest was made by R. C. Geer, in 1854
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PIONEER STEAMER OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
Over three score years have passed since the Hudson's Bay Company's steamer, "Beaver," floated from Graves- end, England, down the river Thames with prow directed towards the far-away Columbia river. After a stormy and de- layed passage she at last reached her destination. She is not only entitled to the lasting glory of being the first steam- er to round Cape Horn and enter the waters of the Pacific ocean, but she was second only to the famous Savannah to plow Atlantic waters. She was built at Blackwell, England in 1835, and it is safe to say that no other vessel con- structed subsequently attracted any- where near the attention as this pioneer water craft did from the day that her keel was laid until she went down the father of waters and disappeared from sight on the trackless ocean, she was watched with greatest interest. Over a hundred thousand persons, including King William and a large number of the nobility of England, it is said, wit- nessed the launching. Cheers from scores of throats 'answered the farewell salute of her guns. as she sailed away for the new world. At the time of her start- ing, the machinery was placed in posi- tion, but the side wheels were not at- tached, as the application of steam was still in the experimental stage. so she was rigged as a brig and started for her destination under canvas. Captain David Homebeing in command. But lit- tle was known about steam marine navi- gation at that period. and the far-off Pacific Northwest was even more of a mystery, consequently much speculation was indulged in regarding the success of her cruise.
She was for feet in length, 20 feet beam and 113 feet deep, and her tonnage 109.314. Her wheels were 13 feet in di- ameter, and five feet wide, and owing to
the position of her machinery, were plac- ed well up towards the bow, thus giving her a strange appearance, her engines cost £4500, and weighed 52 tons. They were the old-fashioned side-lever type, and after they had been in use some fifty years the engineers who understood that style of engine were nearly all dead, and it was with difficulty that men could be secured to handle them. They were al- ways stopping on the center, and, being pondrous affairs, it required a small army of men to get them over, and make them strike out for themselves. She was built in the most substantial manner of live oak and greenheart, the timbers be- ing held together by copper bolts.
She started on her long voyage with the bark 1Columbia as consort, but being more speedy than that vessel she was very often obliged to shorten sail so as not to get too far ahead. While round- ing Cape Horn she lost sight of her con -. sort and did not see her again until reaching the Island of Juan Fernandez, where she anchored on December 13, 1835, the Columbia arriving there a day behind her. After entering the Pacific she met with considerable rough weath- er, losing some of her gear off Cape Horn. Her log book, which is now in possession of an old Hudson's Bay Company employee living at Victoria, shows that for some time. both before and after rounding the Horn, high seas were the rule and for several Sundays the entry appears. "Weather too unset- tled to read prayers."
She remained at "Crusoe's" Island for six days to repair damages to rig- ging and secure a fresh supply of water. and again set sail for Honolulu, arriving there February 4. 1836. On the follow- ing 26th she again weighed anchor and took up her journey to Vancouver. On the trip the Columbia was again lost.
[ Dr. Parker says that this was the "Ne- reid." The above statement is taken from the log book of the Beaver. The doctor evi- dently got the steamer and the Rev. Herbert
Beaver' mixed up. This clergyman came on the "Nereid," arriving about the same time as the steamer Beaver.
SEDAN OHT 3D VAMAATE ALIMON
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OREGON NATIVE SON.
bad weather was experienced and pray- ers were again dispensed with. On the 19th of March she anchored at Baker's Bay, followed by her consort on the 20th. On the 26th she started up the river with Mr. Latta, the Hudson's Bay pilot, who ran her on the sands at Tongue Point, but got her off again at flood tide without damage to her. She reached Vancouver on April 10th, 1836, after a passage of 226 days, including the de- lay caused by frequent shortening of
and ran up to the sawmill and back to the lower part of Menzie's island," re- turning again to Vancouver. On May 3Ist, "a party of ladies and gentlemen from the fort came on board." She then steamed down the river "and. entered the upper branch of the Wilhammet; ran un- der half power until we cleared the lower branch and then went back up the river to Vancouver." The captains of today would write up this trip as being made from Vancouver to the mouth of the
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STEAMER BEAVER. IN VICTORIA HARBOR. The first steamer to plow the waters of the Pacific ocean.
sail. together with the necessary stop- ping for fresh water and supplies.
On the 16th the following entry ap- appears in her log-book: "Carpenters shipping her paddle-wheels. At 4 P. M. the engineers got the steam up and tried the engines and found to answer very well." The following day she made fast to her consort, towing her to the Hud- son's Bay Company's saw mill, situated about two miles above Vancouver. after which she returned and again anchored in her former berth.
On the 31st, after securing fire wood, "received a party of gentlemen on board
Willamette river, and from thence around Wapatoo (Sauvie's) Island, by way of the Willamette slough to the Co- lumbia river and then up that river to the place of starting. After coming to anchor we find that her log-book says that all hands were called to "splice the main brace." What that signified in pioneer times no doubt meant the same thing as the expression "take a smile" of the present.
On the 11th of June another excur- sion over the same route was made, and among the passengers going on this was the 1Rev. Samuel Parker, a pioneer of
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PIONEER STEAMER OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
1835, who came across the plains and who was the first Congregational minis- ter to reach the Willamette valley, and Rev. Herbert Beaver, a pioneer of 1836, coming on the bark Nereid, who was the first Episcopal divine to come to the Pa- cific coast. During the trip Dr. Parker allowed his mind to dwell upon "a train of reflections upon the probable changes which would take place in these remote regions in a very few years," and in the dream, "a new empire be added to the kingdoms of the earth."
On the following 19th she steamed away to Puget Sound and where, on those waters, and running up and down the coast to Alaska, she was employed as a trading vessel by the Hudson's Bay Company. At this time nearly all of the North was under lease to that company from Russia, who at that date claimed and exerted jurisdiction over Alaska and its waters, and her trips in such direction were mainly for the purpose of taking up a cargo of produce, goods, etc., to pay the rental.
For many years after her arrival on the Sound she made frequent voyages to the American side, and on one of these, in 1851, was siezed for an alleged infrac- tion of the laws and sent to Olympia. While lying there her captain put the man in charge on shore, and steamed away for the British side. The incident did not, however, destroy the amicable relations between the company and this government to any great extent, for her
1 Dr Parker puts this date down in his journal as being the 14th. The steamers' log book says it was on the date given. And it further states that she made three trips from
The first remains of a mastodon found by the whites in Oregon were discovered in Old Yamhill, on the Chehalem creek, in 1834, and were sent to London by Dr. McLoughlin and, no doubt, now form a portion of the exhibits in some one of the museums there. These remains were laid bare through a wash-out around a mill- dam which had been constructed by Ew- ing Young and Solomon H. Smith.
mate was not long afterwards engaged to pilot a U. S. vessel up to Sangster's Island.
In 1860 she was overhauled and fitted with state rooms, and ran between Vic- toria and New Westminster. A few years later she passed into the hands of the Imperial hydrographers, under char- ter from her owners. For several years she was kept busy in the survey of Brit- ish Columbia waters. In 1870 she was again in the custody of her owners, who gave her another repairing. From this time until 1888 she jobbed around, as a tow, freight, and at last a passenger boat once more. In July of that year she ran upon the rocks of Burrard Inlet, and, wrapped in a sheet of troubled waters, with head resting upon a huge barnacle- clad boulder, the pioneer steamer to the waters of the Pacific ocean and the Co- lumbia river, after over forty years of usefulness, passed into history. Efforts were made to float her, but without avail, the last being for the purpose of taking her to the world's fair. This was aban- doned when it was found that she was more damaged than suspected and be- cause of the cost of transportation. Af- ter remaining as a wreck for some four years, her remains were purchased by a firm in Vancouver, who derived a hand- some profit on their investment through the sale of souvenir medals made from the copper and brass they got out of her. The timbers were also worked up into canes and other mementoes that were eagerly sought for by relic hunters.
the time of her arrival to the date of her de- parture, which occurred on the 19th follow- ing, when'she went to the Sound, never to return to the waters of the Columbia river.
Wm. Canning was probably the first American to come to the Pacific North- west and permanently reside here. He came in 1811 with the Hunt party and after years of employ as a trapper for the fur companies, finally settled in the Wil- lamette valley. He was a native of Vir- ginia. His death took place at French Prairie, August 29, 1854. He was 99 years of age at that time
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JAMES DUVAL HOLMAN, A Pioneer of 1846.
MRS. RACHAEL HIXSON HOLMAN, . A Pioneer of 1846.
HE MAN J. GEER, A Pioneer of 1847.
CYNTHIA A. GEER, A Pioneer of 1817.
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WILLAMETTE.
WRITTEN FOR THE OREGON NATIVE SON.
Copyright 1900, by G. A. Waggoner.
From the groves of spicy cedar, from the fir trees' baliny shades, Cold as ice, clear as crystal, springs the gem of the Cascades. White-robed Hood, the mountain chieftain, joys in many crystal streams. But Willamette is his treasure, brightest fairy of his dreams.
River worthy to be storied by the poets of the earth, With the land it flows to gladden, and the mountains of its birth- Storied for its mighty conquests where white-robed Three Sisters stand, Guardian angels, witness of its triumph grand.
1
Orvil W. West. Photo. See the sun is slowly sinking and the shadows and the trees-
For the triumph of its torrents where the mountains bar its way, For its flash of wondrous beauty where the sunbeams on it play. For its reckless dash and gladness, rushing down the mountain side. In its haste to greet the sunlight on its.journey to the tide.
Long years have poets sought thee, sighing for thy flashing beams- Art and genius in their visions ever of thy beauty dreams. Bide thy time, O, lovely river, all the world shall joy in thee, Yet some bard shall tell thy journey from the mountains to the sea.
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OREGON NATIVE SON.
Some great artist yet shall know thee, some great poet of thee sing, Then thy beauty, sung by genius, tribute from the world shall bring. Hearts will thrill and eyes will soften, when the fairy tale is told How the valley wooed the river, in the fairy days of old.
How the nymphs of flowery meadows, grace and beauty, held their sway- Charmed the madly rushing torrent, till its wrath had past away. How it ever after glided, all its motions filled with grace,
Murmuring love-tones through the meadows, locked in beauty's fast " embrace.
Tho' no art be mine to burnish these poor leaden words to thee, Yet I love to linger near thee, underneath thy forest tree. For 'twas here the gifted Simpson sang a song so passing sweet, Of the shadows where I wander, and the waters at my feet.
That methinks I hear its music steal in cadence soft and low O'er the bosom of the river as its rippling waters flow. And the waves they ever whisper, in a low and sweet refrain, We will keep our trysting ever, till the songsters come again.
Sad and pensive, now I scatter roses on the river wide; See they fragrant float and buoyant on the bosom of its tide. Now, in silence, gentle river, bear these rose-leaves on thy breast For the one who sang the sweetest of thy beauty is at rest.
Tho' he wandered through thy forest, threaded all thy shady dells, Tho' his voice has floated o'er thee, like the chime of silver bells; Yet thy beauty won him for a moment to thy side,
For like thee, he journeyed sea-ward on time's resistless tide.
Now the western sunbeams glancing over all the mountains high, Show the Sisters, silent, standing outlined on a golden sky- Guardian angels of thy cradle, witness of thy noble birth And of thy journey through the fairest land of earth.
See the sun is slowly sinking and the shadows and the trees -- And the perfume of the flowers and the hum of the honey bees, Flow a magic flood of pleasure the senses to control And to join the beauteous river in its mission to the soul.
When thy music greets the ocean, when thy sunbeams kiss the tide, Yield the crystal treasures. freely tell the story far and wide, Whisper to the surging billows all thy waves with one accord- Thou has journeyed thro' the Eden, beauteous garden of the Lord.
River. valley, lovely Sisters. be thy banner soon unfurled. Grace, love and beauty blended. yet shall conquor all the world; Then. not sadly, ever gladly. man shall journey to his sea. Bearing sunshine to his ocean, hope into eternity.
G. A. WAGGONER.
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STANDARD WHIST.
BY ANNIE BLANCHE SHELBY, NATIVE DAUGHTER OF OREGON.
"It is a far cry to Oregon, and some of us are apt to think of it as a new. wild sort of country (way out on the edge of } creation), but every little while we find that they have brain, as well as brawn out there-that they are thoroughly in touch with all the latest features of mod- ern development, and that even in the Hub the 'royal game' is not studied with more keenly appreciative interest.
"We have recently been favored with the perusal of one of a series of lectures which Miss Annie Blanche Shelby has been delivering before the Kate Whee- lock Club, of Portland, Oregon. It
MISS ANNIE BLANCHE SHELBY.
deals with mannerisms, whist etiquette, whist laws, penalties, etc., and it is a pro- foundly thoughtful and well-considered paper. It is rare, though less rare than it used to be, to find a woman selecting the philosophic side of so intricate and complex a subject for her theme: and it is still more rare to find it so ably handled."
Thus spoke the "Whist Journal," of September, 1897, and heralded the ad- vent of a new star in the lecture and liter- ary field. That Miss Shelby has attained a national reputation as a writer and lec- turer upon the subject of which she
treats-"Standard Whist"-creates no surprise amongst those who have known her from childhood's days, for not one of them doubted she would make a credit- able showing upon any work she under- took. Their only surprise is that anyone should be surprised. Yet it is with much pride that the Native Son pays its re- spects, and bows in admiration. to the fair and talented authoress, a native daughter of our own Oregon, and rec- ognizing the old and homely proverb that one must go abroad to get full credit for his acts, we print in our col- umns what is being said beyond the con- fines of our state, of the authoress and her work.
In May, 1899, Mr. C. F. D. Hamilton, author of "Modern Scientific Whist," a work of recognized authority and merit in the whist world, after reviewing the manuscript of "Standard Whist," wrote Miss Shelby :
"I wish to say that I have read your whist manuscript, and find the rules and maxims of plays advocated, orthodox. sound and entirely consistent with the American Long Suit Game. You have treated the various phases of the game in a very clear, concise and readable manner, and your work should be a val- uable addition to the existing literature of the game."
Under date of December 29th. 1899, Mr. Charles E. Coffin, author of "Gist of Whist," another authority recognized as eminent throughout the land, wrote the authoress :
"It is with much pleasure that I ac- knowledge your Christmas greeting. in the copy of your elegant book. "Stan- dard Whist." I have read it carefully and haste to congratulate you on its great merit, from both the technical and literary point of view. It is concise and correct. and covers the whole range of whist thoroughly in such an interesting and practical way, that all lovers of the game, and especially every earnest stu- dent, will welcome your good work as a valuable aid in acquiring a thorough
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OREGON NATIVE SON.
knowledge of the fascinating and intel- lectual pastime.
A very comprehensive review of "Standard Whist" was given in the Ore- gonian of December 24th, last, under the caption of "New Book on Whist." The Oregonian is conservative, and there must be merit where its commendation is bestowed. It says:
"Miss Annie Blanche Shelby, of Port- land, has written, and Herbert S. Stone & Co., of Chicago, have published, a standard work on whist, which is just out. Miss Shelby has attained national repute as a teacher of the finest of all card games. and in this new volume she has compressed all the precepts which as a teacher she put into practical use. Her work is called "Standard Whist." It embraces all the principles laid down by whist authorities, from Pole and "Cavendish" down to Cassius M. Payne. While Miss Shelby clings very closely to the clear landmarks of science, she weaves in all the experience of the best players of modern whist. and carefully avoids setting down arbitrary rules for every play which may arise. She never shuts out, but always leaves an opening for individual judgment.
"Before dismissing any subject, she exhausts it and thus avoids the necessity of taking it up elsewhere. This continui- ty of purpose, the sticking closely to one text and allowing no extraneous matter to find place therein, constitutes the chief value of the book. The author tells what to do and the reason for doing it; not what to do. and the wherefore, in such a way that the instruction can be easily comprehended and remembered."
The following from the pen of Mr. Geo. M. Mott, president of the Sacra- mento Whist Club, one of the largest whist clubs in the United States. and ex- president of the Pacific Whist Associa- tion, has written Miss Shelby, Febuary 2. 1900:
"I was much gratified with receipt of your book, and have had pleasure in looking it through-finding very much to admire in the clear style with which you treat the subjects of the various chapters. I particularly like your treat-
ment of the trump problem. As I am almost daily asked questions as to cer- tain hands, leads, etc., since getting your book I have quoted from it frequently."
The following is a resume of what the newspapers are saying:
Times - Star (Cincinnati, O.) - In "Standard Whist," by Annie Blanche Shelby, is embodied the first complete text-book to set forth and discuss the system of play adopted at the last whist congress at Chicago. The book is very complete, with the laws and etiquette of whist and of duplicate whist, with a glos- sary, and quite an elaborate discussion. The writer has culled from all the lead- ing authorities, with good judgment, and her book is of much merit.
Albany (N. Y.) Journal - Annie Blanche Shelby has met a long-felt want in her publication of a handy volume. entitled "Standard Whist. The work is clean and concise, easy for reference, and will be found invaluable by those who love the game, but not its many intrica- cies until they are explained away in a manner easily understood.
Atlanta Constitution-Whist players will be deeply interested in an exposition of the rules and principles of the modern game of whist set forth by Annie Blanche Shelby, entitled "Standard Whist." Besides setting forth the rules and principles of the game, she also dis- cusses the etiquette of whist and fur- nishes many other important bits of in- formation.
Buffalo Express-A little volume en- titled "Standard Whist" is published by Herbert S. Stone & Co., of Chicago. The author is Annie Blanche Shelby, a whist teacher. While she intends her book ior both men and women, she makes a special appeal to women to reduce their play to a system. The author is a close reasoner on the science; she has no fad- to exploit, but is a true lover of the game and makes her treatise thoroughly scientific and helpful. The tyro and the seasoned player will find this to be a book of rare merit and helpful, with many suggestions and directions.
Mr. Nicholas Browse Trist, of New Orleans, the "Father of. American
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STANDARD WHIST.
Leads," and perhaps the greatest living authority on whist-whose opinion and advice is eagerly sought and highly val- ued by all true lovers of the game, writes Miss Shelby:
"Many thanks for copy of your "Stan- dard Whist." I like it very much, be- cause you have rightly ignored the mod- ern fads, and have set forth in a clear and concise manner, well adapted to both learners and advanced players, the sci- ence from the game involved, from the accumulated experience of a century and a half."
A very pretty compliment, showing due appreciation of Miss Shelby's effort, lies in the fact that "Whist," in the March number, awarded a copy of "Standard Whist" as a prize for the best solution of one of their prize puzzles. "Whist," in review, says:
"The book is of a very convenient size, well-printed and tastily gotten-up. Its teachings are thoroughly sound and the points are well-put and clearly stated. Miss Shelby has done a most creditable piece of work, and we commend her book most cordially."
Thus, from every point of the com- pass, with remarkable unanimity, come the same songs of praise, each forming a link in the chain through the different phases of student, teacher, lecturer and author, and thus we have traced her way, rung by rung up the ladder of fame, un- til she has reached that enviable height where each successive effort can but mark an upward step. To the writer, one of the brightest chapters of her book is that upon whist etiquette. That of it- self renders it worthy of a prominent position on the shelf of every well-regu- lated library. Why teach children, and "men and women are but children a little larger grown," gentleness to the birds - gentleness to the ani- mals-and fail to teach them, upon "very occasion, that greater lesson, gen- Teness toward each other. Those who "know it all" will accept rule on neither leads nor other vital principles of the game, while those broad, comprehen- sive minds that have learned how little it is given any of us to know, will not
reject the cardinal principle on which rests the pleasure of playing whist- gentleness.
From cover to cover the columns of this magazine could be occupied with excerpts from meritorious papers and letters from well known writers on the subject, and players of whist. But as they all speak in terms of laudation, we content ourselves with a few of the most prominent; neither will it better serve our purpose to write at length where writers far better informed on the subject have said so much. We therefore rest our pen and close this article with a short sketch of Miss Shelby's life.
Miss Annie Blanche Shelby was born at Portland, Oregon, of Southern paren- tage, her father being a descendant of Isaac Shelby, the first governor of Ken- tucky, and her mother of General Joseph Lane, of North Carolina, one of the heroes of the Mexican war, an early pioneer, and the first Territorial gov- ernor of Oregon. She received her education from St. Mary's Academy at Portland, graduating therefrom with high honors at the early age of fifteen, and shortly afterwards, was appointed teacher in one of the Portland public schools, which position she held with satisfaction to its patrons and credit to herself for several years. When a mere child she received her first instructions in whist. It was her good fortune, from the beginning, to play almost entirely with players of experience and ability. A club of which she was a member soon became known as the best in Portland. One of the rules of the club called for a certain amount of application on the part of each of the members, a rule which was cordially complied with. When the club had been in existence some two or three years, on the death of her father, she left Portland and spent several years traveling in this country and in Europe. Enjoying the advantage of meeting and playing with thoroughly advanced play- ers, and with diligent work, she soon familiarized herself with the modern scientifia game.
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