to Astoria, that city of most interesting historical associations, and
no little actual importance in these stirring days of trade and
manufactures. Admirably appointed steamers, making fast time, run daily
between Portland and Astoria. The trip need not, therefore, occupy more
than two days. The distance from Portland to the point at which the
Willamette discharges itself into the Columbia, is twelve miles, in the
course of which opportunity is afforded for observing the progress being
made by the city in its manufacturing and other enterprises. The busy
wharves are also passed, and the stately ships riding at anchor.
[Illustration: MOUNT TACOMA.]
After the first few miles of the Columbia the tourist may be surprised
to find that the scenery of the lower river is far from being tame or
monotonous. The river itself winds considerably for so great a body of
water; the forest, too, is luxuriant, and the hillsides are covered with
heavy fir; numerous islands occur at intervals, wooded and exceedingly
pretty. Where the river has worked its way through the Coast Mountains,
the scenery, though not so abrupt, stern or impressive as that of the
middle Columbia, presents many fine effects, the lofty walls of the
river being surmounted by hills of considerable altitude.
Not far from Columbia City, on the north or Washington bank of the
stream, is an island rock known as Mount Coffin, and formerly an Indian
place of sepulture. Here the tribes deposited the bodies of their noted
chiefs and warriors. In his canoe, previously rendered useless, and
with his bow and arrows, the dead hero was here laid to rest.
After passing Kalama, the tourist comes upon some of the great canning
establishments, which before long are passed at such short intervals
that they seem to line the north bank, on which most of them are
situated.
The fisheries of the Columbia river are almost as famous as its scenery.
The canning industry, which was first established in 1866, has within
the last few years attained great importance. Producing the first year
some 4,000 cases, representing, at the high price they commanded, $16
per case, a total value of $64,000, it has steadily increased its
product, until now it has reached upward of half a million cases. The
catch of 1885, which was 524,530 cases, fell short of that of 1884 by
132,000 cases, in consequence of the markets of the world being
temporarily overstocked. It is remarkable that the supply should at all
exceed the demand, when the gigantic extent of the industry is taken
into consideration. The great perfection to which the methods employed
in capturing the salmon have been brought, is probably accountable for
the recent glut in the market. Among the most effective contrivances for
the purpose, is the floating fish-wheel, by means of which the fish are
literally scooped up out of the water in shoals. The industry gives
employment to 1,500 boats, 3,000 fishermen, and 1,000 factory hands, the
latter principally Chinese. The canning season is from April 1st to July
31st, when the lower Columbia is alive with fishing boats, and the
canneries are in full operation.
As we approach Astoria, the river widens out into a broad estuary, some
seven miles across. Here is Tongue Point, a bold headland running out
into the river from the Oregon shore.
In a beautiful bay between this point and Point Adams, is Astoria, built
partly on piles, and partly on the shelving hills. For the story of its
early history, of the arrival of John Jacob Astor's trading ship,
"Tonquin," and of its subsequent British occupancy, the reader is
referred to Washington Irving's delightful volume. It is sufficient to
say that it is to-day an exceedingly interesting city to visit, not more
on account of its being the oldest British settlement in the Northwest,
and the central figure in the salmon fishing of the Columbia river, than
for the novelty of its construction.
Its busy wharves and abundant shipping proclaim it a seaport of
considerable importance, requiring only a railroad or the removal of the
barriers to the navigation of the middle Columbia, to make it a great
city.
Opposite Point Adams is Cape Hancock, formerly known as Cape
Disappointment. On the sea-coast, both on the Washington side, north of
Cape Hancock, and on the Oregon side, south of Point Adams, are various
summer resorts attracting crowds of visitors during the season. On the
Washington shore is Ilwaco, beautifully situated on the north shore of
Baker's Bay, with a long, crescent-shaped beach of fine, white sand
sloping to the water, and heavily wooded hills in the rear. This growing
place, with its hotels, stores, church and school house, is rapidly
growing in popularity. Steamers meet the Portland boat at Astoria,
where passengers are transferred without inconvenience or delay. They
call, both going and returning, at Cape Hancock, affording tourists an
opportunity of visiting Fort Canby, and the great lighthouse, from which
there is one of the most extensive and magnificent views on the entire
Pacific coast. On the Oregon shore of the ocean are Clatsop Beach, where
there are good hotel accommodations and excellent hunting and fishing,
and a popular resort known as Seaside, boasting a multitude of
attractions, including a fine ocean beach and a trout creek. Should the
tourist be unable to make a long stay at any of these places, he ought
at least to pay them a brief visit, if only to cross the great bar of
the river, and to see where its mighty flood discharges itself into the
ocean at the rate of 1,000,000 gallons per second.
The climate of this section is exceedingly humid; but its summers are
delightful. Its rainfall is mostly in winter, when it is both heavy and
continuous. It is said, that, if a barrel, with the two ends taken out,
be placed upon its side with the bung-hole uppermost, the rain will
enter by that small aperture faster than it can run out at the two ends.
For this story, however, the writer can not vouch, any more than for
that of the recent visitor to the National Park, who is said to have
caught, in one of the lakes of that remarkable region, a fish so large
that, upon his dragging it ashore, the water of the lake fell six
inches.