A7
THE ASTORIAN • THuRSdAy, ApRIl 7, 2022
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IN ONE EAR • ELLEDA WILSON
CHINA SEA BLUES
n April 7, 1885, The Daily Morning Astorian
reported, with relief, the arrival of the British bark
Allahabad, which had taken a hair-tearing 140 days to
arrive from Hong Kong.
“The bark had been given up for lost, and it was
with considerable curiosity that the arrival of Capt.
McCallum was awaited,” the newspaper noted. So
what had happened?
He left Hong Kong on Nov. 17, but that same
day was hit by a heavy gale that blew him into the
China Sea. “I stayed (there) beating about, trying to
work my way back against heavy northeast winds,
which made it hard to get headway in a light vessel.
One day was just like another, but I did make some
progress.
“While off Manila I fell in with a
steamer that, I understand, reported me. This was the
only vessel I sighted until nearly off the Columbia
River.
“On Jan. 17, I was within four hours’ sail of
Hong Kong, on the very spot where the blow struck
me 60 days before. That night came on a gale
that carried away the foretopsail and cracked the fore-
mast …
“I have been blown about ever since, and not till
within the last week have I experienced anything like
decent weather. It was first one way and then another,
and to go ahead one day and back the next was enough
to wear a man out.”
The ship’s log reveals that he had, indeed,
been stuck going back and forth, “the latitude
and longitude differing a little as the varying gales
in the China Sea blew the bark here and there like a
plaything.”
Despite their monthslong getting nowhere
ordeal, the captain and crew were “in first rate
condition.”
O
ROLLICKING GOONIES
MADMAN ON THE ROCK
distress signal first was seen flying at the Tilla-
mook Rock Lighthouse on a Friday afternoon in
late March 1890 by the steam schooner Louis Olsen.
They weren’t able to approach the rock, due to
heavy rolling seas, but they brought the news to Asto-
ria, causing “quite an excitement.” Unfortunately, at
the time, both the lighthouse tender Manzanita and
another government vessel that could have helped
were not in port.
When Capt. Richardson and the Manzanita
returned at sundown, it was too late to leave, so the
mission was put off until just before daylight. An
intrepid Daily Morning Astorian reporter, dubbing
himself “the scribe,” decided to ride along.
Once they approached the Columbia River Bar,
“the white surf crested rolling breakers come in from
the ocean, and at our left dash over the bar,” the scribe
wrote, “as the staunch little steamer plunges on … now
high upon the crest of a huge wave, then rolling and
bowing as gracefully as a sweet miss of 16, she sinks
away down into the hollow and gallantly climbs over
another incoming wave.”
Not surprisingly, he became quite seasick, calling it
“a day of reckoning.” They encountered a squall, but
chugged steadily along until at 8:30 a.m., when they
were “along side that wild, weird, natural fortress, Til-
lamook Rock.”
Six men took the cutter to the rock, with waves
“flinging the spray over 40 feet up in the air.” It turned
out that the assistant lightkeeper, Louis C. Sauer, had
gone insane after nearly three years of living on Tilla-
mook Rock. (Who wouldn’t?)
He would have to be removed, which involved the
steamer cruising around the rock steadily while the cut-
ter tried not to get dashed on the rocks while Sauer was
fastened into a basket and lowered into the cutter. Mis-
sion accomplished, the steamer headed back to Astoria.
Sauer was a Union cavalry veteran of the Civil War,
and no softie, but the isolation of Tillamook Rock was
too much for him. “He converses freely, but is uncom-
monly nervous now,” the scribe noted, “and is evi-
dently subject to temporary mental aberration.” He was
put into the sheriff’s custody until he could be exam-
ined by a medical commission. Hopefully, he lived far,
far inland happily ever after.
A
SCHOOL DAYS
glimpse of pioneer life: George W. Wilson was
born in 1866 in a log house in Bay Center in what
was then Washington Territory. He was still living on
320 acres of the original claim when he was interviewed
for “Told by the Pioneers” (1938). Part of his tale was
reminiscing about his school days.
“A small school house was built on the claim, a one-
room affair, very crudely constructed,” he recalled.
“When I was 9 years old, I attended this school, together
with my sister and two brothers. I remember the build-
ing had a window in one end, and we could see daylight
through the cracks in the walls.
“We had a two-months’ term, and father paid the
teacher $14 a month (about $410 today) … Our school
was quite different from the schools of today. We had to
cut our own wood, and help keep things going, but still
found time to make bows and arrows and have sport,
shooting at marks.
“The Native Americans showed us how to make these
things … I used to watch them cut big cedar logs, and
dig out their canoes in which they traveled over the bay,
and across the river, to gather oysters off the mud flats.
“… When I was born,” he added, “there were only a
handful of people in the county, or territory, but I have
lived to see wonderful developments, with numerous
towns, and thousands of people in this once almost-bar-
ren region.”
A
BLIMP ON A STICK
he iconic “plane on a stick,” a real A-4 Skyhawk,
owned by the U.S. Navy, is ending its 25-year
reign over the entrance to the Tillamook Air Museum.
“The cost associated with keeping it maintained
while it’s still on the stick is just too high,” Rita
Welch, the air museum’s director said, “whereas if
it was inside the museum, we can display it properly,
appease the Navy, and meet our mission of preserva-
tion and education.”
Welch’s idea was to replace the Skyhawk with a
3-D metal rendering of a K-class blimp as a reminder
of Naval Air Station Tillamook, which also served as
a dirigible hangar during World War II.
Welding instructor Ron Carlbom at the Tillamook
Bay Community College was enthusiastic to get
started on the 25-foot long, 6-foot diameter project.
“It’s a wonderful town, and it’s been very good to
me,” Carlbom said, “so this feels like a way that I can
give back. And, at the same time … we are showing
the whole community that this is what our welding stu-
dents are capable of.” (Photos: Jared Schmidt)
T
K, a little frivolity: Croatian YouTube user
and huge LEGO and Goonies fan, gsom7,
has created “LEGO The Goonies (Full Movie)
HD,” a 13-plus minute video tribute to the movie
“The Goonies.”
The details are impressive, and even though the video
rollicks along at a good clip, ardent Goonies fans will
notice little gems like the octopus (a deleted scene in the
movie) making an appearance. In fact, it is such good
fun, even non-Goonies fans will enjoy it; actual Goonies
fans even moreso.
“Here to make you laugh, amuse you, and taught
you something. I hope,” is gsom7’s aim. Mission
accomplished.
O
THERE’S THE BEEF
yspeptic rerun: Alli Calder, of Gearhart, had a
Sweet 16 birthday party, and celebrated with a
50-pound homemade bacon cheeseburger she shared
with friends and family.
Mark Kenny, of Seaside, made the monster
burger “very carefully” on his barbecue grill, then
added 3 pounds of bacon, 5 pounds of cheese, 3
pounds of onions, 12 tomatoes and Thousand Island
dressing.
Yes, he made the bun, too, which weighed in at
around 12 pounds. “She really loved it. It was a big hit
at the party,” Mark added. “It was a birthday she’ll never
forget.” No doubt. (In One Ear, 8/14/15)
D
POOPED PUPPIES
t’s that time of year again, from April to
September, when harbor seals are pup-
ping, the Seaside Aquarium reminds us.
The pups are often left alone on the sand
while their mothers go off to search for food,
and therein lies the problem: Please, please,
leave those babies (and any other marine
mammal you find on the beach) alone.
“It is important to remember that it is nor-
mal for a seal pup to be resting, relaxing
and soaking up the sun alone,” the aquar-
ium reminds us. “However, the mother may
not return if humans or other animals are
too close so experts advise ‘don’t touch seal
pups!’
“… Time spent on land is critical for the
young seal to regulate body temperature and
rest while the mother seal is close by hunting
… Any interference from humans that could
cause early separation between newborn pup
and mother could be detrimental to the pup’s
ability to survive.
“Harbor seals live on land for nearly
half their lives breeding, molting (shedding
their fur coat), resting and raising their off-
spring. As such, human and domestic dog
interactions are obstacles for the health and
well-being of both young and mature seals.”
If you come across a seal pup, or any
stranded marine mammal on the beach,
don’t approach them, but do call the Marine
Mammal Stranding Network at the aquar-
ium at 503-738-6211, and local wildlife offi-
cials will respond and assess the situation.
Just so you know, last year the Seaside
Aquarium responded to, and placed stay-
away signs, near 24 seal pups, all of which
successfully left the beach. (Original photo:
Tiffany Boothe/Seaside Aquarium)
I
TILLYBNB
ell here’s a good April Fools’ Day leg-puller,
courtesy of Cannon Beach Vacation Rentals on
Facebook:
“Book now! Brand new on the market! Be the first to
book your vacation on the Tillamook (Rock) Lighthouse
and see Cannon Beach from a whole new perspective!
“Newly redecorated and under new ownership, Can-
non Beach Vacation Rentals is proud to be the exclusive
host for this one-of-a-kind vacation rental!
“Daily helicopter service included. Five bedrooms,
four baths, chef’s kitchen, not walkable to town, sea lion
tending not required.
“… Amazing ocean views like no other in town; stun-
ning wildlife viewing in this sea lion sanctuary and bird
nursery … Sleeps six. Seasonal availability only.”
Good luck dodging the guano and sea lions!
W