Page:All Over Oregon and Washington.djvu/60

54 Some treasure-seekers have endeavored to find the hidden box, but without result. One enthusiast expressed it as his opinion, that he could go right to the spot where it is hidden; but why he did not do so, he failed to explain. Like the treasure of Captain Kidd, it would probably cost as much as it is worth to find it. Casting backward glances at the beautiful mountains, with their romantic foreground of forest and river, we turn toward Astoria. All along the edge of the wood which covers the point are hazel, wild cherry, alder, vine-maple, spiræa, mock-orange, and elder, besides several varieties of ferns, some of a great height.

Of the elder there are three varieties, all beautiful. The trees grow to a considerable size, and to a height of thirty feet. The colors of the berries are lavender, scarlet, and orange. We find also some other orange-colored berries, resembling immense raspberries, which our guide tells us arc "salmon-berries." They are so juicy they will hardly bear handling, and literally melt in your mouth. Of the trees in sight, the most are fir, hemlock, cedar, and yew. But of whatever species are the trees, their unusual size and beauty make them interesting.

When we reach the point of the peninsula again—Point of Bowlders, we should call it—we are just in time to witness the golden changes of the sunset over Cape Hancock, and to see an ocean steamer coming in. She has passed Fort Stevens, and, by the time we have clambered over rocks and drift-wood to a smoother portion of the beach, is abreast of us, and almost within a stone's throw. We wave our handkerchiefs wildly, knowing, by experience, how pleasant is any signal from the land when our ship is coming in. Then, as if to answer us, she fires a gun, which stuns us with