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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (March 28, 1891)
208 though named " Cabo de Frondoso " by the Spaniards. Although for years before the Columbia was discovered it was believed that a mighty river flowed from the Rocky mountains westward to the Pacific in that latitude, the bay like appearance of its mouth prevented Its discovery by even such a famous and energetic explorer as Captain Vancouver, who visited it m 1792 for the Scial purpose of ascertaining whether a river really did exist there, and went away firmly convinced that such was not the case. Hecfla, a Spanish ex plorer, passed it by in 1 77 5 and named it " Encenada de Asuncion " (Assump tion inlet). Although he made no attempt to enter it, he gave it as his opinion that a river existed there, and Spanish maps thereafter marked the mouth of a river there, and called it " Encenada de llcceta " and " Rio de San Roc." A few days after Vancouver turned away in disappointment, Captain Robert Cray, in the American ship Columbia, on the eleventh day of May, 1792, crossed the bar and safely anchored in the broad estuary ten miles above, lie remained in the river nine days, ascended it twenty-five miles, bestowed upon it the name of his vessel, gave the two capes the names they now bear, THE WEST SHORE. rising in the Cascades and Calipooias, in Western Oregon, and flowtng north through the beautiful and fertile valley of the Willamette. It is on the banks of this stream, nine miles above its junction with the Columbus, that Portland stands, the great seaport of the Columbia river and commercial metropolis of the entire Pacific northwest. Under this heading are published us many as possible of the poems entered for the monthly poetical contest. Sec announcement in advertising columns for particulars. The names of priie winners for March will be given next week. I : ' I PS . '. .'-J. . ' .. xi -''- ', ' ' .. : I A HOMK.IS TIIK lOIA'MIIIA K1VKR GORGF..-Frora rholo by B. C. Towne, Portland. Or. nml then sailed north on fur trading voyage. Thus to an American belongs the honor of the actual discover)'. The Columbia river proiwr rises in Urilish Columbia, near the boundary line, and flows north between the Rocky and Selkirk ranges of mountains, wreping around the latter and flowing south again between them and the Cold mountains into Washington. It then makes a wide sweep to the west, known as the " big bend," and then to the south; turning again near the forty sixth parallel and forming the boundary line between Oregon and Washington to the ocean. It receives three great tributaries. The first rises in the Rocky mountains, near Deer Lodge, Montana, and it variously known along its course as " Deer Lodge," " Hell Gate,,' " Missoula," "Clarke't Fork " (its proper name) and " Pend d'Oreille." The second one riset in the Teton mountains, in Wyoming and in the National Park, near Yellowstone lake, and flows west through Idaho, then north at the boundary between Idaho and Oregon, and then west again through Eastern Washington to the Columbia. It it the Snake " (Sahaptin) or the " Lewiv" The third is the Willamette, No. 33. THE STORY OF THE AGES. A cry conies ringing down the ages vast: " Forget not, ye who on the earth abide, Thai we, the countless myriads of the past, Once lived and loved and wept and toiled and died. Our works live after us-ye see then yet By that strange river where the lotus grows In Grecian column eastern minaret. And on the hills by which the Tiber flows. Our deeds yet live the world remembers still The spot where Sparta's brave three hundred lie, And tides of Marathon the pulses thrill 0, day of glory! Thou canst never die! We were the conquering legions of old Rome; We wore the knightly cross on Syria's plain. Age after age, to you the records come Always the same sad tale of strife and pain.. Ye are, today, as we were yesterday; Tomorrow, as it swiftly passes by, Shall write (or you the same brief history: They lived and toiled and died and here they lie! " 0, silent lips that speak! 0, mighty dead! You have not lived and toiled and died in vain! Utile by little, from the low bowed head, Age after age hel Ufl the load ol pain; Little by little, to our waiting eyes Broadens the glorious light that makes us free; l.illle by little our cramjied souls arise And groe toward their higher destiny ; Little by little sinks the strife of creeds, As in our paths the stumbling blocks decrease; The cross ye bore, of old, to bloody deeds Now blossoms with the snowy flowers of peace. God sievd the time for which the prophet yearned. The happy reign of love for earth in store, When alt the " swords to plowshares " shall Ik turned, Anil nations shall learn warfare never more! Alanicila, California. EMU.Y HtowNK Powell. No. 34. SIGHT. Oh, kingdom limitless of mine. Inheritance divine! How are the waking hours blessed I'o one of thee ossesscd! A world of love through windows sweet Is rapturously seen; A universe is at my feet, The golden air lietween. Ftch day thv tributes newly paid Are never doled or weighed, Hut flood the earth and flush the sea With radiant ministry : While e'en the night's dim shaikiws tiring A shining pageantry Of star ami moonlit glittering, Of smitten waters 'inhering, Of cloud and foam and wnve-crest fire. And all the dreaming heart's desire. Fond memory to covered eves Will bring dear shapes in every guise I'nyielding love s demands require, With tenderness that satisfies; So. whether it I day or night, With on or unowned eves, In darknms at in brightest light. 1 thank Thee, Father, for my sight This one tr.inwn.lrm gift of sight! Sanu Barbara, California. Hums EsTKt.t.1 Mathis.