angle in the Sound is Tacoma. Suffice it is to say of this harbor, that it has no superior even on the Sound. It is especially remarkable for its depth; for in many places it is too deep for ships to anchor. The depth is so great, in fact, as to become an impediment to navigation, rather than a help. The distance from Tacoma to the point of Whidby Island is about fifty miles. From Tacoma the Sound extends in a southwesterly direction some thirty miles farther. It becomes broken up into numerous branches, all deep, abounding in fine points for landings, and still bordered with the majestic forests, which it seems to be its mission to offer to the world. There are seven of these arms spread out in the rugged forest land like the fingers of a hand. The most southerly of all is known as Budd's Inlet; and beyond the tide flats which border its southern extremity is Olympia, the capital of Washington. There are many little rivers entering the Sound and the Gulf north of it, from the snowy heights of the Cascade Mountains. Of these, the Skagit, Nooksack, Stillaquamish and Snohomish, are navigable short distances. The others are small and afford little or no opportunity for navigation. Of the Sound itself and its adjacent waters, it is scarcely necessary to say that they furnish the finest possible opportunities for steam-boating and the movements of all kinds of craft. So deep and spacious are these waters and so regular are the winds, that sailing vessels can and generally do enter the straits and go to their usual destination at Seattle or Tacoma without tugs."

For commercial and manufacturing purposes, for conveniences of traffic by land and water, for safety, for salubrity of climate, for abundance of valuable timber, coal and other varities of mineral wealth, and other natural resources desirable for the speedy and profitable interchange of the products of mankind, the above described Puget Sound Country presents more facilities and attractions than any other locality in the known world. This wonderful collection of natural advantages is so placed, that three-fourths of the population of the globe is accessible from the wharves and docks of Puget Sound, either by land or water, by rail, or steam, or sail, at all seasons of the year. The eight hundred millions of China and the East Indies are simply on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. These millions and the thriving inhabitants of Australia and South Africa look to Puget Sound for lumber, wheat and other products of the United States, brought to Puget Sound by several transcontinental lines to be shipped at its wharves and warehouses. Nature never does anything in vain, or without some specific object in view. She has not assembled a marvelous multitude of advantages at this point at random, or by mere chance. That she has had a fixed and wise purpose in so doing cannot be questioned. That she intended these advantages to be used by man, and for the benefit of mankind, needs no argu

of cotton

ment or demonstration; that here shall be the seat of a world-wide commerce, corresponding with the facilities which have been provided, and beside which the great commercial cities of the world in the past will be as the age of the stage coach and the Conestoga wagon compared with the age of the telegraph, the railroad, the telephone, steam and electricity. That the facilities for doing business here are becoming understood will appear when it is stated that the exports from Puget Sound have increased in ten years from $6,567,000 per annum to $33,900,000, an increase of over four hundred per cent, while the imports into Puget Sound have, in the same period, increased from $572,000 to $11,970,000, an increase of one thousand nine hundred per cent. The first cotton that passed through Pacific ports was exported in 1895 from San Francisco. In 1902, of a total 89,000,000 pounds exported from this country to Japan, 64,000,000 pounds were shipped by rail to Puget Sound, and thence by steamer across the Pacific. Puget Sound now exports more cotton than Charleston, South Carolina, or Mobile, Alabama. In like manner the exports of flour from the ports of the Pacific have rapidly increased in ten years, from 51,000 to 446,000 barrels a year, and to Hongkong from 550,000 to 1,398,000 barrels per annum. The exports of flour from Puget Sound have grown from 19,250 barrels in 1882 to 103,596 in 1892, and to 1,295,000 in 1902, making Puget Sound the largest flour exporting port on the Pacific and fifth largest in the United States. In 1902, 34,000 tons of hemp were imported from the Philippines into the United States valued at $6,318,000, the greater part of which was carried by the Suez Canal to Atlantic ports, but it is altogether probable that the hemp from these Islands will hereafter come by way of Puget Sound, and thence by rail to Chicago, where it is largely manufactured into harvest twine for the grainfields of the country. The same course is also probable in regard to the 127,000 tons of jute imported from India and the 43.723,000 pounds of block tin imported from Java, also the 35,000,000 pounds of low-grade carpet wools from China, India and Australia. It is now being done on a large scale with tea, rice, silks, matting, curios and many other products of the East Indies, and, being the shortest, easiest, best and safest route, it must eventually secure a very large proportion of this traffic. Not only the captains of industry but the laborers in every line of human endeavor, all over the world, are looking with interest upon these struggles for commercial supremacy, because their personal fortunes are concerned in the outcome, as cheap transportation means for all of them increased comfort in living, a broader intelligence the result of better wages, and many steps of progress in the onward march of civilization and enlightIn this way men who bring about cheap transportation by either land or water, or both, are public benefactors. The prize at issue is one of

enment.

tremendous proportions. The trade between the United States and the countries across the Pacific including Australia amounted in 1902 to the enormous sum of $242,000,000. This trade is rapidly increasing. It is esti mated that it will double every ten years. If it can be shown, as it undoubtedly will be, that this trade, for a variety of reasons, can be carried on more cheaply and more expeditiously by the way of Puget Sound than by the Suez Canal, then it is certain to come this way, for in trade and commerce there is no sentiment. They are conducted only on practical and common sense principles, such as are applicable to lines of business of every description. Puget Sound is the natural and logical gateway of the United States to the Orient by reason of its geographical position, and because it has been provided by nature with all the advantages of land and water, timber, coal and numerous other products for the uses and conveniences of commerce and transportation.

The Puget Sound route for American commerce with the Orient is about one-half the length of the New York route via the Suez Canal, 11,575 miles against 5,830 miles from Puget Sound. The distance from New York via Suez Canal to Yokohama is 13,000 miles. From Seattle to Yokohoma it is 4,240 miles. Commerce via the Suez Canal is taxed two dollars per ton canal charges. No such charge is incurred on Puget Sound. Steel rails are shipped from the Mississippi valley via Puget Sound to Yokohama, Manila and Hongkong at eight dollars per ton. Lumber is shipped from the Puget Sound to the same ports for about eight dollars per thousand. Between 1895 and 1903, the export volume of Puget Sound business has multiplied sixfold. For steamship tonnage, Puget Sound is the leading Pacific port, with seventy-five per cent American tonnage. On the Atlantic ninetytwo per cent of the tonnage is foreign. On the Pacific Ocean the United States owns a total coast line of 12,425 miles, not including Hawaii and the Philippines. Throughout this entire line, although it has many beautiful harbors, there is not one that compares with Puget Sound for beauty, safety and convenience. If we include Hawaii and the Philippines the United States owns a greater extent of shore line than all other nations combined on the Pacific, and all will be valuable in time to come for commercial purposes.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE INDIANS' QUEST FOR BOOK OF HEAVEN RESULTING IN SETTLEMENT

OF MISSIONARIES.

In the year 1832, before any American settlements had been made of a permanent character in all the region then known as Oregon, the first of a series of striking and important events occurred, which had a decided bearing upon its future destiny. This was the visit to St. Louis of four Flat