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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 16, 1889)
SHORE. ened by the prayer, he ojKmed hia oycn, and behold the first faint flush of dawn was in the skies, and he broke into grateful tears, for he knew that he should be saved. With the early day he was taken from hiB rock. The old man of the museum came out as usual with the sun and looked at the cliff and saw the landnlip, and went around to the American shore to study it from that point of view, and saw Hugh Ravelston clinging to his rock. Oh, the delight to Hugh of that first tread on the firm earth, to which he was raised by ropes lowered from sturdy, eager hands ! Oh, the rapture of that cup of scalding, strong teal Oh, the sight of that soft, delicious, restful bed to which he was brought I He ran toward the looking-glass, half afraid to look in, yet longing to know no, his hair had not turned white, it was dark and thick as ever. Marie would see in him no outward effect of his night of terror. AN INDIAN POTLATCH. ONK of the largest and most valuable potlatchcs or " (live away for 100 jht cent, return," says the AVuiiimo Frrt lrm, will take place at Fort Ru-M-rt, about Christmas day. The potlatch will bo given by ('apt. Jim, an aged Indian who is known from one cud of the province to the other. The arti ejes to lie lent will comprise (5,000 blankets, NIK) pairs silver bracelets (Indian make), forty large canoes, and muek-a-mmk galore, in all valued at $10,1 HI. For this 110,000 ('apt. Jim, according to Indian custom, will receive within two years 120,000. Our modem Shy lock a will bo green with envy to see the Intliun touting them out of sight at their own game. The Hitlatch will embrace nineteen tritos, residing between (Jualietim and Fort Kupert. This will make the hun dredth Ntlatch ('apt. Jim has given, and he intends to ccliime all former efforts in that line, and judging from the value and quantity of the articles to be do nate!, we should judge it to bo the biggest thing on record. The centurian hero of the jtotlatch is about sixty-five years of age, of fine physique, and sicaks Knglish with remarkable fluency. In the early days of the settlement of this island, the authorities deemed it necessary to bombard the Fort KiiH-rt Indian village, and (.'apt. Jim, who was then a noted and valorous war chief, was taken as hostage. Several thousand Indians will, no doubt, take part in this Indian feast. A law has lecn passed by the dominion parliament putting a stop to these jH)tlaU-hes, but the old Indians do not understand this infringement on what they justly consider their hereditary rights. The practice is x-mirious in the extreme, but ', oppression should to gradual, so that with the present elder generation of Indians the feast should die out. It is well to prevent the younger In diana from continuing the practice, but those who have looked upon it as a life-long duty should to al lowed to continue it, at least until they are gathered to the bappr hunting grounds. The greatest curse is the liquor that is taken to the tlatehoi by depraved and hardened white men. but this the authorities, by a little energy, could readily prevent. '-U.J - l,!!f7"rSii:'';' iilUnW -i. i THE SEA GULL'S FEATHER. On a sea where man is so helpless, And his creations are buffet and sport, A sea-bird's feather gallantly rode, Unpiloted into the port. So light, its weight couM be measured By only the silver-smith's scale ; But unharmed it lifted to heaven, The tremulous fleece of its sail. Neptune held his billowy breath, As the frail craft fluttered by. What cargo did the shallop bear, And whither did it fly? How strango it looked, as, rudderless, It swiftly sped from view, With its Ulry freight, invisible, And iti nnneen fairy crew ! No helmsman guided the little bark, Before the light, driving wind ; But it left our boat with its flagging sail Drifting along behind. We could not help but wonder What Its ultimate fate would be ; Whether the rudderless little craft Would be swamped In the open sea ; Or what was iU unknown haven ; And what was Its final goal ; Thank heaven the dainty, whit ship bore No freight of a human soul ! Uknii Clark Pomkrov.