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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1884)
THE WEST SHORE. 05 the Coast Range Mountains to Sonoma, reaching that place some time in February. Meanwhile the first party had sailed from San Fran cisco on the 9th of December in the brig Comm. They searched several weeks for the mysterious bay in vain, imd then returned to report the harbor a myth, only to be greeted by the appearance of Gregg's party, with the assurance that the bay really did exist. The news that Trinidad Bay had been discovered spread like wildfire, and a dozen expeditions began fitting out, some of them to go by laud and some by sea ; some of them having members of the Gregg party with them to servo as guides, and others "going it blind" on general principles. No sooner did the Cameo come into port and hear the news than away she sailed again, followed by the others as rapidly as they could make ready. Up and down the coast they sailed, meeting with numerous adventures and mishaps, but failing utterly to find the bay. Some of them returned with doleful reports of their ill success, claiming the bay to be a phantom, while others still maintained the search. The return of the unsuccessful ones did not restroin others from making the attempt Ships sailed loaded with adventurers, some of them going on the co-operative plan, while others charged from $50 to 8100 for passen gers. In this way the Cameo, Sierra Nevada, James R. Whiting, Isabel, Arabian, General Morgan, Hector, California, Paragon, Laura Virginia, Jacob M. liger. son, Mallcroy, Galindo and Patapsm, had all gone in search of the elusive bay by the 1st of April, at which time news of its final discovery reached San Francisco. The Cameo, the pioneer of this fleet of prospectors, was the first to find the long sought harlor, but not to enter it On the 16th of March, 1850, she rounded to off Trinidad heads and sent a boat's crew to examine a ioint that jutted out into the sea. The boat rounded the point and entered a harbor which they believed to bo the one they were bo desirous of finding. While they were making their explorations, the Cameo was compelled by the stormy weather to sail, not knowing that the harbor had been found, and thinking the men in the boat had been lost She landed her passengers at Point St George, some of whom were afterwards drowned in attempting to enter the mouth of Klamath River in a loat Meauwhile the deserted lx)at's crow explored the bay and discovered the inscription Gregg had left upon the tree, thus demonstrating the truth of his story and the foct that they had ut last found the object of their search. The inscription, carved with n jacknife, was as follows: tat. 4l- -a Haromntpr 29 Ml. Tier, fob. 4K at 12 M. Deo. 7, lrtl. J. (Imrs. They were on shore eight days and were nearly starved, when the Ixiura Virginia appeared in the oiling and was piloted in by the hungry explorers, being the first vessel to enter the harbor of Trinidad for nearly sixty years. The James R. Whiting and the California followed closely in the wake of the other, and cast their anchors in the bay. On the 28th the California sailed for San Francisco with news that the long sought Trini dad Ray had been discovered, and the pioneer Cameo had been lost, as tho dcoitod luou buiieved her to lie. The excitement was intensified by this intelligence. A large uum!er of vessels were at onco advertised to sail for Trinidad with freight and passengors. Not only that point, but others were advertised as tho place of debarka tion and starting ix)int for the mines, for it must le known that Trinidad had its rivals even nt that early period of its existence. The day after the California sailed from Trinidad, Captain Douglass Ottinger, of tho iMiira Virginia, also sailed from the bay in search of another harbor. On tho 5th of April ho fell in with the schooner General Morgan, fitted out by Samuel Braunan and commanded by his brother John, off the mouth of Eel River. Brannan sent two boats and Ottinger one to explore the river, but the latter was swamped in tho surf, and one of its occupants, Julius S. Rowan, was drowned. Ottinger then sailed north and found and entered Hum boldt Bay, which he tneu named in honor of that renowned traveler. The Brannaim explored Eel River, which they named Brannan River, a short distance from its mouth. The following day they dragged their IxmU across a neck of land at the foot of a high bluff, which they christened 15 rim nan Bluff, and entered Humboldt Bay. Unaware that Ottinger had entered and named the bay but tho day before, they (tailed it Mendocino Bay, apparently forgetting to apply the name Brannan to this also. None of tho names bestowed by them seem to have had any adhesivo properties. This party rowed along the bay to its head, and then proceeded up the coast on foot to Trinidad, wlnro they combined with the party headed by R. A. Parker, from the James H, Whiting, to lay out tho city of Trinidad. Harmony prevailed until the question of a division of town lots was raised, and then there was trouble enough and to spare. Parker's company was much tho smaller of tho two, but demanded half of the lots, while Brannan insisted that they should Iw apportioned to all tho men equally. Tho controversy ended in Brannan becoming angry, swearing consider ably in his own artistic fashion, and taking his departure from tho scene, and thus the only capitalist in lotli parties was driven away. He went to Point St George and then to Han Francisco in complete disgust. Meiulmrs of his company decided to build a town near tho southern end of Mendocino (HumlMildt) Bay, and cut a canal through to Brannan (Eel) River, which was to lo their highway to the mines. Still another party was interested in Eel River. Helim Franklin, with live companions, had l)een searching for Trinidad, coasting along the shorn in a whale lioat Early in April, just after tho Brannan party left, they came to Eel River, and in connection with a party from tho schooner Jacoit M. llyernon, explored tho river a distance of forty miles, supposing it to be the Trinity. As tho mines were in tho mountains, and as this stroma flowed from the mountains, the at once assumed that it led direct to the milieu. A town won therefore laid out, and Mr. Franklin returned to Haa