The Northwest Coast: Or, Three Years' Residence in Washington Territory [B0580]

1992 PB printing of the 1972 University of Washington edition, in nice clean condition. In 1849 James Swan turned his back on his wife and two children, a prosperous ship-fitting business, and the polite and predictable world of commerce in Boston and fled to the newly opened gold fields in California. Soon sick of the bonanza society, he emigrated to a shallow harbor called Shoalwater Bay (now Willapa Bay) north of the Columbia River in Washington Territory. Swan eagerly became a part of the frontier community, enjoying the company of both the white settlers and friendly Indians in the area. First published in 1857, his classic account of the western frontier remains fresh and timely for the modern reader. Swan saw himself as both an observer and participant in a barbaric invasion. His interest in the Indians and his acceptance of them as individuals of importance and integrity emerge clearly in a lively and informed narrative.

From Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "If you're into the history of the Pacific NW, especially WA state history, this is a must have book. I found a copy in a B&B and came home and ordered one of my own. Since then have purchased several as gifts for friends, all of whom really enjoyed it as well. It's a great account of what it was like when there were few non-native people here, and how the few that arrived interacted with those who were here first. As a bonus, it's got a lot of ethnobotony information regarding herbal, medicinal, food uses of native plants. I highly recommend this read."; ""