Scandinavians on the Pacific, Puget SoundStine, Thomas Ostenson
History
Scandinavians on the Pacific, Puget Sound
Stine, Thomas Ostenson
Scandinavian Americans; Washington (State) -- Emigration and immigration
He became attached to his wife, and she reciprocated with equal depth of
conjugality, and shaped her costume to meet his liking, yet Uncle Sam
pried into their warm nestling by passing a law to either separate
or marry according to his code. Of course, Anderson had to marry his
wife the second time, which he did like a loyal citizen. He took his
corpulent queen, placed her in the stern of the big canoe, and paddled
to Seabold, where they were united in holy ties by Harry Shafer, Uncle
Sam's matrimonial agent. Anderson bears the honor of being the first
white man on Puget Sound concubined to a squaw in accordance with the
laws of the United States. He was industrious and elevated compared with
his station, turned a wooded bit of ground to a flowery garden, and in a
corner, beneath a weedy sod, he rests unsung.
PETER FRIBERG.--Peter Friberg, like Hood's Canal Anderson, has walked
the highway of frontier trials. He was born in Sweden, but when a mere
youth sought the waves. After years of trying experiences he found
himself on Puget Sound, among the floating Flatheads, about the same
time Anderson landed, but perchance drifted off with another flock of
red skins, consequently the two contemporaries were ignorant of each
others wanderings till later years, when they accidently met and shook
hands.
Peter Friberg also threw his heart to a squaw, and with her he barged
along the shores making depredation on salmon and halibut, finally
pinning his future to a happy point running into the bosom of the Sound,
near Salmon Bay.
MARTIN TOFTEZEN.--About two-and-forty years ago, a son of Norway
anchored his canoe on the north side of Whidbey Island. His name has
been pinned to its soil among the first on record. He was a pioneer of
heart and courage--chivalrous Martin Toftezen. He had drifted around the
Horn on a ship, and was tossed into the mouth of Puget Sound, where the
breath of the deep calmed to a gentle zephyr, and the wings of speed
flapped in disconsolation. The bark was dashed ashore by the angry
billows, caused by the agitating tide, and Toftezen stood in a transport
of mingled awe and perturbation. Nature was grand, enchantingly sang
the ripples up the fascinating arm, and mad in grandeur reared the
snow-capped peaks, flinging smiles of welcome. "Why reject the poetic
landscape? Nature's sweetness will smite the blue forehead of dreary
solitude." These thoughts rolled in his fancy, and up the Sound he
paddled, and settled on the green tail, where he wore out his life.
PETER ANDRIAS PETERSON.--No man on the Pacific coast ever endured more
hardships than the personage in question--Peter Andrias Peterson--who,
about a year ago fell prey to an incidental injury, and was carried over
the stream for the unknown sea beyond.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account