Blazing The Way Part 1

Blazing The Way.

by Emily Inez Denny.

PREFACE

BLAZING THE WAY.

In the early days when a hunter, explorer or settler essayed to tread the mysterious depths of the unknown forest of Puget Sound, he took care to "blaze the way." At brief intervals he stopped to cut with his sharp woodman's ax a generous chip from the rough bark of fir, hemlock or cedar tree, leaving the yellow inner bark or wood exposed, thereby providing a perfect guide by which he retraced his steps to the canoe or cabin. As the initial stroke it may well be emblematical of the beginnings of things in the great Northwest.

I do not feel moved to apologize for this book; I have gathered the fragments within my reach; such or similar works are needed to set forth the life, character and movement of the early days on Puget Sound. The importance of the service of the Pioneers is as yet dimly perceived; what the Pilgrim Fathers were to New England, the Pioneers were to the Pacific Coast, to the "nations yet to be," who, following in their footsteps, shall people the wilds with teeming cities, a "human sea,"

bearing on its bosom argosies of priceless worth.

It does contain some items and incidents not generally known or heretofore published. I hope others may be provoked to record their pioneer experiences.

I have had exceptional opportunities in listening to the thrice-told tales of parents and friends who had crossed the plains, as well as personal recollections of experiences and observation during a residence of over fifty years in the Northwest, acknowledging also the good fortune of having been one of the first white children born on Puget Sound.

Every old pioneer has a store of memories of adventures and narrow escapes, hardships bravely endured, fresh pleasures enjoyed, rude but genial merrymakings, of all the fascinating incidents that made up the wonder-life of long ago.

Chronology is only a row of hooks to hang the garments of the past upon, else they may fall together in a confused heap.

Not having a full line of such supports on which to hang the weaving of my thoughts--I simply overturn my Indian basket of chips picked up after "Blazing the Way," they being merely bits of beginnings in the Northwest.

E. I. DENNY.

NOTE--The poem referred to on page 144 will appear in another work.--AUTHOR.

INDEX

PART I--THE GREAT MARCH

CHAPTER PAGE

I. CROSSING THE PLAINS 17 II. DOWN THE COLUMBIA IN '51 34 III. THE SETTLEMENT AT ALKI 41 IV. FOUNDING OF SEATTLE AND INDIAN WAR 63 V. THE MURDER OF McCORMICK 96 VI. KILLING COUGARS 105 VII. PIONEER CHILD LIFE 113 VIII. MARCHING EXPERIENCES OF ESTHER CHAMBERS 151 IX. AN OLYMPIA WOMAN'S TRIP ACROSS THE PLAINS IN 1851 168 X. CAPTAIN HENRY ROEDER ON THE TRAIL 177

PART II--MEN, WOMEN AND ADVENTURES

I. SONG OF THE PIONEERS 182 II. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES AND SKETCHES, JOHN DENNY, SARAH LATIMER DENNY 186 III. DAVID THOMAS DENNY 203 IV. THE FIRST WEDDING ON ELLIOT BAY 257 V. LOUISA BOREN DENNY 272 V_a_ MADGE DECATUR DENNY 288 V_b_ ANNA LOUISA DENNY 294 V_c_ WILLIAM RICHARD BOREN 300 VI. ARTHUR A. DENNY, MARY A. DENNY 305 VII. HENRY VAN a.s.sELT OF DUWAMISH 320 VIII. THOMAS MERCER 329 IX. DR. HENRY A. SMITH, THE BRILLIANT WRITER 344 X. FAMOUS INDIAN CHIEFS 358

PART III--INDIAN LIFE AND SETTLERS'

BEGINNINGS

I. SAVAGE DEEDS OF SAVAGE MEN 391 II. PIONEER JOKES AND ANECDOTES 415 III. TRAILS OF COMMERCE 436 IV. BUILDING OF THE TERRITORIAL UNIVERSITY 452 V. A CHEHALIS LETTER, PENNED IN '52 467 VI. SOME PIONEERS OF PORT TOWNSEND 479 VII. PERSONNEL OF THE PIONEER ARMY 489

SYNOPSIS OF INCIDENTS.

Part I.

Page

Chapter I--Crossing the Plains--Names of the Denny Company 20 Attacked by Indians at American Falls 27 Chapter II--A Narrow Escape from Going Over the Cascades 36 About to Sink in the Cold Waters of the Columbia 38 Chapter III--Tramping a Long Trail 42 Landing of J. N. Low, D. T. Denny and Lee Terry at Sgwudux (West Seattle) 43 Exploring the Duwampsh River 44 Names of Party from "Exact" 50 Chapter IV--A Visit from Wolves 66 A Flight to Fort Decatur 76 Battle of Seattle 80 Story of John I. King's Capture 91 Chapter V--A Tragedy of the Trail 98 Chapter VI--A Hair-raising Hunt for a Cougar 107 Chapter VII--Seeking the Dead Among the Living 121 The Strawberry of Memory 126 Three Little Girls and a Pioneer "Fourth" 131 A Rescue from Drowning 138 Chapter VIII--Frontier Experiences 151 Chapter IX--Placating Indians on the Plains 171 Chapter X--Capt. Roeder's Meeting with the Bandit Joaquin 180

Part II.

Chapter I--Poem--Song of the Pioneers 182 Chapter II--A Notable Pioneer Reformer, John Denny 188 Chapter III--A Tireless Foundation Builder, David Thomas Denny 203 Threats from Anti-Chinese Agitators 211 His Own Account of Arrival on Elliott Bay 214 Surrounded by Indians 243 Trials and Triumph 256 Chapter IV--A Lively Celebration of the First Wedding on Elliott Bay 258 Story of a Bear Hunt 268 Chapter V--Indian Courtship 275 On the Day of Battle 276 Chapter VI--Discovery of Shilshole or Salmon Bay 310 An Escape from Murderous Savages 313 Defense with a Hatchet 316 Chapter VII--Immune Because of Indian Superst.i.tion 323 Chapter VIII--Saving an Auburn-haired Girl 341 Chapter IX--A Grand Description of a Vast Forest Fire 350 Poem--"The Mortgage" 352 Poem--"Pacific's Pioneers" 354 Chapter X--Hanging of Leschi 370 Poem--"The Chief's Reply" 388

Part III.

Chapter I--Shooting of Lachuse 392 The Fight at Fort Nesqually 395 Abbie Casto's Fate 409 Chapter II--How the Old Sh.e.l.l Blew Up a Stump and Cautioned Mr. Horton 423 Mr. Beaty and the Cheese 425 Chapter III--Poem--"The Beaver's Requiem" 436 Chapter IV--Poem--"The Voice of the Old University Bell" 459 Chapter V--Charming Description of Early Days on the Chehalis 467 Chapter VI--Founding of Port Townsend 481 Chapter VII--A Number of Noted Names 489 Poem--"Hail, and Farewell" 503

ILl.u.s.tRATIONS

I Fort Decatur, Jan. 26, 1856 Frontispiece II Chips Picked Up Facing page 17 III Bargaining with Indians at Alki " " 49 IV Indian Canoes Sailing with North Wind " " 81 V Log Cabin in the Swale " " 105 VI Where We Wandered Long Ago " " 113 VII A Visit from Our Tillic.u.m " " 145 VIII Sarah, John and Loretta Denny " " 193 IX David Thomas Denny " " 209 X Sons of L. B. and D. T. Denny " " 241 XI Louisa B. Denny " " 257 XII A Flower Garden Planted by L.

B. Denny " " 273 XIII Daughters of D. T. and L. B.

Denny " " 289 XIV Erythronium of Lake Union " " 337 XV Types of Indian Houses " " 369 XVI Last Voyage of the Lumei " " 385 XVII A Few Artifacts of P. S. Indians " " 401 XVIII Ship Belle Isle " " 481 XIX Rev. Blaine, C. D. and Wm. R.

Boren " " 489 XX Mrs. L. C. Low " " 493

BLAZING THE WAY

PART I.--THE GREAT MARCH