The Sea Runners: A Novel. By Ivan Doig. (New York: Atheneum, 1982. 279 pp. Map.)

Recommendation submitted by:
Will Stuivenga, Cooperative Projects Manager, Washington State Library, Tumwater, WA.

There exists an actual letter-to-the-editor published in the Oregon Weekly Times, mentioning three Scandinavians who had managed to travel by canoe from Russian Alaska to Shoalwater (now named Willapa) Bay in 1852/53. Doig’s novel imagines what their trek must have been like, full of trepidations and tribulations, all the way up to and including loss of life.

At the time, apparently the Russians recruited Swedes, Finns, and other “outlanders” as 7-year indentured laborers, to do the real work for the Russian-American Company’s fur-gathering enterprise headquartered in New Archangel, now Sitka, Alaska. It was not a pleasant place much of the time: cold, wet, rough, and not very civilized, with the Russians lording it over the “thugs, thieves, hopeless sots, no few murderers, . . . debtors, escaped serfs,” and the rest of “the flotsam of any vast frontier” as Doig describes them.

So perhaps it’s not too surprising that one of them, Melander by name, a former ship’s first mate, decides to plan a way out, recruiting a couple of his fellows to assist him. The idea is fairly straightforward: he engages the best thief among his fellows to squirrel away the supplies they need: food, maps, a compass, etc., and they intend to steal a large cedar canoe from the local native encampment and paddle their way south to Astoria, where they expect to find passage on the ships that stop there. As the story unfolds, the also indentured blacksmith notices what’s happening, and forces his way into the group, making for a frequently skeptical and less than enthusiastic fourth.

Their imagined adventures, replete with inner turmoil, plus all too real privations and misery, are ably described in intricate detail by the author. Doig’s language here is at times a bit convoluted, requiring careful attention to unravel his precise intent, which is not altogether a bad thing, given that the story and the imagery are worthy of the effort. As is not uncommon with Doig, the interior life, thoughts, and feelings of his characters are of at least equal significance to the landscape and actual events as they unfold. Recommended for anyone with a strong interest in NW history and landscape, and who enjoys well-crafted historical fiction.

ISBN: 978-0-15-603102-8

Available in the Pacific Northwest Collection at NW 813.6 DOIG 1982
Available as an eBook. Not yet available in Digital Talking Book or Braille format.

From the desk of Sean Lanksbury. PNW & Special Collections Librarian

This weekend, C-SPAN Cities will be featuring a block of programming on the history and the literary culture of Olympia on its American History TV and Book TV specials.  Individual segments featured in the block will also air in between other programs throughout the weekend.  Each segment deals with a single topic, such as local authors, notable political figures, historic industries, plus visits to literary and historical sites.  Among those featured during Book TV’s block on Olympia literary culture and history is the Territorial Collection of the Washington State Library, maintained at the Central Branch in Tumwater, WA, just south of Olympia.

Book TV’s Olympia block will air Saturday, February 1st at 9am (PST) and again on Sunday, February 2nd at 6:45am (PST) on C-SPAN2. American History TV’s Olympia block airs on Sunday , February 2 at 2pm PST.  (Check your local listings for availability)

Read below for additional details, courtesy of C-SPAN:

“OLYMPIA WEEKEND

Featured on Book TV and American History TV

Weekend of February 1-2, 2014

Hosted by our Comcast cable partners, our C-SPAN Cities Tour staff visited numerous locations to explore the history and literary culture of Washington’s capital city.

 In addition to having the below pieces sprinkled in throughout the weekend on the respective networks, both AHTV and BOOK TV will have a block of programming where ALL of the respective Olympia pieces for their networks will air.

BOOK TV OLYMPIA BLOCK: SATURDAY, February 1 at 9am PT/12pm ET on C-SPAN2 (Comcast Ch: 25)

AHTV OLYMPIA BLOCK: SUNDAY, February 2 at 5pm ET on C-SPAN3 (Comcast Ch: 150)

AHTV FEATURES

• Tour the Washington State Capitol Building with Tour Guide David Shipley. Learn about the history of Olympia as the state’s only capital city.  Hear about Washington’s transition from a territorial government to becoming a state, its historical significance and the damage caused by two earthquakes since the building was built. See the granite halls of this historic building and view its extensive Tiffany collection.
• Learn about the Boldt Decision, which secured Native American’s fishing rights on the Puget Sound in the 1970s. During the 20^th century Native Americans were arrested and jailed for fishing salmon in certain parts of the Puget Sound.  Washington State claimed their fishing activities were eroding the fish supply.  The Native Americans argued they had a right to fish these lands under the Medicine Creek Treaty, signed in 1854. Hear former Washington State Supreme Court Justice Gerry Alexander explain the origins of the treaty and the events leading to the Boldt Decision, and Nisqually tribal member and activist Billy Frank Jr. share his stories and thoughts on what many call the landmark civil rights issue of the Pacific Northwest. 
• Learn about naturalist and explorer David Douglas, the namesake for the Douglas Fir Tree.  Douglas, a Scottish botanist, explored North America and Hawaii in search of plants that could be grown in his native land. Jack Nisbet, author of “The Collector” talks about Douglas’ adventures, and showcases Douglas’ findings which were part of the first systematic collection of flora and fauna in the Northwest
• See the Murrow Brothers Exhibit at the State Capitol Museum.  Susan Rohrer, Manager of the State Capitol Museum, showcases the traveling exhibit that explains the lives of the three Murrow brothers, including Edward R. Murrow, who grew up in Washington’s Skagit (SKAA-git) County.  See photos of the men throughout their lives and hear how each contributed to Washington State and to the country.
• Tour Taylor Shellfish and learn about the history of the Olympia Oyster. Hear local historian Ed Echtle talk about the origins of Olympia’s shellfish industry and the impact oyster harvesting has had on the Puget Sound and the rest of the country.  Taylor Shellfish’s Sustainability Manager, Marco Pinchot takes us on a tour of one of their processing plants, and talks about the health of the Puget Sound today.
• Visit the Bigelow House, one of the oldest homes in Olympia.  Explore this historic home with local historian Shanna Stevenson. Hear about Daniel and Ann Elizabeth Bigelow’s ties to the early settlement in Olympia, their relationship with Susan B. Anthony, and their fight to get women the right to vote.

• Hear Governor Jay Inslee (D) talk about the state’s economy and the impact of recent legislation.
• See the Grand Coulee to Grunge Exhibit at the Washington State Capitol. Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman takes us through the exhibit and highlights several innovations from Washington that have changed the world— the timber industry, the Grand Coulee Dam, the Hanford plutonium production site, Boeing, the music industry and more.

 

Book TV FEATURES

• Learn about the Marbled Murrelet and the litigation surrounding its habitat from author Maria Mudd Ruth, author of “Rare Bird: Pursuing the Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet.”
• Hear author S.R. Martin, Jr. recount his families migration during the 1940’s from East Texas to San Francisco by way of Wyoming and Montana.  In his book, “On the Move: A Black Family’s Western Saga,” Martin compares his childhood growing up in Wyoming and Montana to those of his relatives who remained in the Jim Crow south.
• Learn about the maritime history of the Puget Sound from author and historian, Chuck Fowler author of “Tall Ships on Puget Sound.”  From the first 18th century explorers to the barges that populate the Puget Sound today, Fowler explores its role in the development of the Pacific Northwest region.
• Tour the Special Collections of the Washington State Library with Special Collections Librarian Sean Lanksbury.  Housed within the collection are 900 rare books purchased by Washington’s first governor, Isaac Stevens.  Governor Stevens purchased the books to create a makeshift library for the people of the newly formed state.
• Learn about Washington State’s 2004 gubernatorial race between Dino Rossi and Christine Gregoire from Trova Heffernan, author of “An Election for the Ages.”  At the conclusion of election night, out of 2.8 million votes, only 261 separated the candidates.  After two recounts and multiple lawsuits, Gregoire was declared the winner by 133 votes.  In “An Election for the Ages,” Heffernan talks about the media frenzy surrounding the case and its impact on Washington politics.  We also hear from Sam Reed, who was Washington’s Secretary of State during this election.
• Hear about naturalist and explorer David Douglas, the namesake for the Douglas Fir Tree.  Douglas, a Scottish botanist, explored North America and Hawaii in search of plants that could be grown in his native land. Jack Nisbet, author of “The Collector” talks about Douglas’ adventures, and showcases Douglas’ findings which were part of the first systematic collection of flora and fauna in the Northwest

For more information on the C-SPAN Cities Tour of U.S. cities, go to www.c-span.org/localcontent.”

From the desk of Judy Pitchford

Digital Collections has added 3 more titles to our Classics in Washington History.

Under Native Americans –

Indian myths of the Northwest by William Lyman.

This book attempts to cite original sources for Indian Myths. It also identifies the scholars and investigators of the myths that Mr. Lyman felt were reliable.

Under Natural History –

Some hydroids from Puget Sound by Gary Calkins

A paper from the Proceedings of the Boston society of natural history that examines approximately 30 species of hydroids found in Puget Sound around Port Townsend and Bremerton.

Under Exploration and Early travel / Pioneer Life –

Two studies in the history of the Pacific Northwest by Edmond Meany

A reprint originally published in the Annual report of the American Historical Association of 1909 containing :

1. The towns of the Pacific Northwest were not founded on the fur trade — 2. Morton Matthew McCarver, frontier city builder

Classics in Washington History is a digital collection of full-text books, bringing together rare, out of print titles for easy access by students, teachers, genealogists and historians. Visit Washington’s early years through the lives of the men and women who lived and worked in Washington Territory and State. All items are available in DjVu (Plugin required) and Pdf formats.

From the desk of Judy Pitchford

Digital Collections has been busy adding more titles to our Classics in Washington History. Here’s what we have added this week:

Under Native Americans –

The Indian captive : a narrative of the adventures and sufferings of Matthew Brayton, in his thirty-four years of captivity among the Indians of north-western America by J.H.A. Bone

Brayton’s narrative was recounted to J.H.A. Bone, editor of the Cleveland Daily Herald, who is presumed to have composed the published version

Depredations and massacre by the Snake river Indians : letter of the acting Secretary of the Interior transmitting a report of the Commissioner of Indian affairs relative to the Indian depredations committed in the state of Oregon and Territory of Washington, and the massacre of emigrants by the Snake river Indians by United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs

This volume contains several miscellaneous claims for damages against Indians, plus correspondence concerning an Indian attack against a company of emigrants.

On the Indian tribes inhabiting the northwest coast of America by John Scouler

An early work that describes the major Indian groups. It includes a word list for some basic vocabulary in Shahaptan, Wallawalla and Kleketat.

Report … relative to the Indian disturbances in the Territories of Washington and Oregon by United States. War Dept.

Correspondence between Gov. Isaac Stevens and, various military officers, and the Secretary of War documenting disagreements on how to handle the military campaigns against the Indians in 1855-56.

Under Military History –

Report of an expedition from Fort Colville to Puget Sound by United States. Army. Dept. of the Columbia

This is a narrative by 1st Lieut. Henry Pierce who in 1882 led a small exploring expedition across North Central Washington from Old Fort Colville, in what is now Stevens County, to Puget Sound via Lake Chelan and the Skagit River.

Under 20th Century Events –

Trends in the relocation centers III  by War Relocation Authority, Community Analysis Section

This document addresses the concerns of evacuees about the closing of the relocation centers and how their needs were to be met re-entering society.

Classics in Washington History is a digital collection of full-text books, bringing together rare, out of print titles for easy access by students, teachers, genealogists and historians. Visit Washington’s early years through the lives of the men and women who lived and worked in Washington Territory and State. All items are available in DjVu (Plugin required) and Pdf formats.

Where the Salmon Run: The Life and Legacy of Billy Frank, Jr.  By Trova Heffernan. (Olympia, Wash.: The Washington State Heritage Center Legacy Project; Seattle: in association with University of Washington Press, ©2012.)

With his father, Nisqually elder Billy Frank Jr. reaches back 10 years before statehood. The long history of Indian people in the Northwest inspired Frank to help unite the state and Indian tribes in the battle for fishing rights. Roughed up and thrown in jail for decades, Frank emerged as a visionary and a bridge builder.  At 81, Frank continues a global crusade to protect indigenous people and salmon.

Drawing from oral history interviews with Billy and those best acquainted with him, Legacy Project Director Trova Heffernan traces Billy’s development from angry young man on the banks of the Nisqually to passionate elder statesman and chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. The book is filled with photographs and contains an extensive family tree.

ISBN: 978 0295991788

Available at the Washington State Library, NW 979.7004 HEFFERN 2012
Available as a free eReader edition.
Not available in Braille or Audiobook editions.

Read more at the Legacy Project’s Oral History site.

From the desk of Sean Lanksbury. PNW & Special Collections Librarian

When you visit the local history museums, do you find yourself wishing you knew more about those mysterious chipped points under the glass? Perhaps you are a collector, but are not entirely sure where or who certain parts of your collection came from. If so, then the State Library has added a new reference that will pique your interest.

Stone Projectile Points Of The Pacific Northwest: An Arrowhead Collector’s Guide To Type Identification. By E. Scott Crawford (Carrollton, Tex.: Black Rock Publishing, ©2010. 130 p.)

This work is the lifelong achievement of the author, an expert collector who began his journey in 1962.  It identifies 62 different arrowhead, dart, and lance points, with full descriptions and illustrations to help you learn more about these historic indigenous hunting tools.  It covers the geographic regions now occupied by the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, with northern portions of California and Nevada, and western portions of Montana and Wyoming.

This book contains an introduction to identifying points and a glossary of terms.  It then proceeds to a discussion of the geographic features and the lithic (stone or rock) resources for each of the four Pacific Northwest regions named in the book.  The chronological and temporal location of the point types are wonderfully illustrated in the following section, and then an entire section is dedicated to describing the manufacture of projectile points. The index of projectile points are organized by general shape, then by primary characteristics.  This is an essential guide to both the hobbyist and the casual collector, and a fascinating read for those curious.

ISBN-10: 1453798471

Available at the Washington State Library, NW 979 CRAWFOR 2010
Available as an eReader edition.
Not available in Braille or Audiobook editions

Wisdom of Elders: Traditional Food Ways of Five Tribes in Western Washington.  Recipes collected and cookbook edited by Melissa E. Christy.  (Phoenix, AZ : National Society for American Indian Elderly (NSAIE) ; Shelton, WA : South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency (SPIPA), 2008. 64 p.

Recommendation by:
Rand Simmons, Acting Washington State Librarian, Tumwater, WA.

The delight of this small book is that it provides glimpses into the history, culture, and daily living of the people of five Western Washington tribes. Reflecting the wisdom of elders from the Skokomish Tribal Nation, Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, Squaxin Island Tribe, Confederate Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation and Nisqually Indian Tribe, this small book is chocked full of recipes, ancient and modern, photographs, and remembrances provided by tribal elders.

Readers can learn how people preserved and cooked food when there were no refrigerators, freezers, microwaves or electricity. Basic information on Lushootseed, the Puget Sound Salish language, at the back of the book includes examples of pronunciation and phrases. Sound advice can be gleaned: “Cook while you are in a good mood and love who you cook for” – Tschudub Indian Shaker Church belief. Many of the recipes can made using common pantry items: flour, sugar, baking powder eggs and oil. For other recipes, you may need assistance gathering kinnikinnick berries and salmon eggs or making tuddee from fern roots. But if you have a penchant for geoduck patties, this book will provide you with the recipe.

Colorful photographs help identify what ingredients and finish foods look like. Yes, this is a cookbook but it is so much more. This book is ideal for the cook who is collecting Pacific Northwest cookbooks, for librarians who are selecting materials on the Pacific Northwest, for school librarians who need basic information on Indians of the Pacific Northwest for their students’ curricular needs and for the generally curious reader. A joint project of the National Society for American Indian Elderly (NSAIE) and the South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency (SPIPA) Wisdom of the Elders was produced with funds granted by the Administration for Native Americans as part of its Knowledge Preservation Project. Melissa E. Christy collected the recipes, edited the cookbook, and contributed photographs.

For more information on this project and the NSAIE , visit http://nsaie.org/projects/the-wisdom-of-elders-cookbook/

Available at the Washington State Library,  NW 641.5929 WISDOM 2008
Not available as an eBook, talking book, or as a Braille edition.

As National Poetry Month draws to a close, we stumbled upon a quaint obituary poem in our Digital Collections. Annals of old Angeline : “Mika Yahoos delate klosch!,” was written by Bertha Piper Venen in 1903 to honor a beloved icon of early Seattle.

Princess Angeline, originally named Kikisoblu, was the eldest daughter of Chief Seattle.  She was also one of the few natives who stayed in Seattle after most relocated to the Port Madison Reservation in the mid-1800s.  Angeline worked as a laundress and basket weaver, and she was a dear friend to many early pioneers, including Henry Yesler and Doc and Catherine Maynard.

Venen’s poem recounts Angeline’s days living on the Seattle waterfront, peddling her wares to passers-by. The rambling narrative contains anecdotes about several of her prominent friends, and describes her grand, well-attended funeral. The poem itself might be a bit sentimental and simplistic for modern sensibilities, but be sure to flip through the pages to view some stellar photographs of  Seattle and its mid-19th century inhabitants.

If you’d like to see more evidence of Angeline’s celebrity (she was photographed by many of the city’s prominent photographers), take a look at the University of Washington’s Princess Angeline Photograph and Postcard Collection.

A brief, factual biography of Angeline and Chief Seattle can also be found here in our Digital Collections.

Volume 6, December 23, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) NAVIGATING THE RIVER OF CHANGE WITH PNLA

2) GRANTS FOR NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES

3) EARLY LEARNING GRANTS AND SPONSORSHIPS

4) CONNECTING TO COLLECTIONS – ARCHIVED WEBINAR SERIES

5) PROQUEST PLATFORM MIGRATION MATERIALS

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Volume 6, November 24, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT FACT SHEETS RELEASED

2) MISSING NEWSPAPER ISSUES

3) STEPHEN ABRAMS – LIBRARIES AT THE TIPPING POINT

4) LAURA BUSH GRANT PROVIDES BOOKS FOR K-12 LIBRARIES

5) GETTING READY IN INDIAN COUNTRY

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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