CHAPTER XXII.
SHOALWATER BAY OR WILLAPA HARBOR?
While I was at Hoquiam I discovered that there was an appearance of rivalry between the population of Gray's Harbor and the inhabitants of the region about Shoalwater Bay, fifteen miles south of that place. I was myself conscious of a prejudice against this bay on account of its name, although its history for the last hundred years did not justify the feeling. In fact, I think a part of my aversion to this harbor was that it did not furnish a reason for this want of confidence, by wrecking some vessel, thus showing its true character as indicated by its name,—for shams of any kind are hateful to me.
Called to question my authorities on this subject, I could not learn that this bay had ever betrayed its trust, but, on the contrary, a number of vessels which had been unable to get into the Columbia River, in former times, had found shelter and safety in Shoalwater Bay. The history of the harbor since the settlement of the country is about this: A vessel or two in 1849, having blundered into this port in looking for the Columbia in heavy weather, drew attention to the harbor and surrounding country. In 1850, C. J. W. Russell settled on the bay, and, finding the extensive shoals a natural oyster-bed, opened a trade in oysters with San Francisco. In 1851 the schooners "Sea-Serpent" and "Robert Bruce" were regularly employed in supplying the California market. The "Bruce" was unfortunately burned at her landing, which place was called Bruceport, as her owners were named the Bruce Company; hence, Bruceport is the oldest settlement on the bay. Another company were at the same time cutting a cargo of piles for the San Francisco market from the grand forests around the port, and in 1852 a number of immigrants settled on the streams emptying into it. A party had already projected the laying out of a town on the bay, when their leader died. The first saw-mill was erected in 1852-53, near the mouth of North River; by David K. Weldon, one of this company.
