The Mountaineer aay 
THE OLYMPICS IN HISTORY AND LEGEND 
EDMOND S. MEANY 
E have safely come from the mountains to the sea. Here at 
our driftwood fire it will be well to recall some of the 
wealth in story and legend associated with the beautiful 
regions through which we have journeyed. 
Most of our party had the pleasure of climbing to the summit of 
Mount Olympus. From that elevation we surveyed the mountain peaks 
and ridges, the ocean in the distance, the Straits of Juan de Fuca and 
Vancouver Island. To those who love the history of their home state 
it was a glorious thing to stand on the summit of Mount Olympus, 
for that was the first geographical feature in the State of Washington 
to receive a name from civilized man. It was a Spaniard, Juan Perez, 
who first saw the mountain from the deck of his little vessel out in the 
ocean. That was in 1774 and he called the mountain “Santa Rosalia.” 
Fourteen years later an English navigator, John Meares, sailing along 
this same shore saw the same mountain. He did not know, or, knowing, 
he did not care, that a Spaniard had discovered and named it. He 
evidently said to himself: 
“Tf that be not the home of the gods, it is beautiful enough to be 
so and I therefore name it Mount Olympus.” 
The Spaniard’s journal was not published while that of the Eng- 
lishman was, and his name of the mountain found acceptance through- 
out the world. 
Somewhere between this camp-fire and Destruction Island the first 
landing was made on our shores. It was on July 14, 1775, that Captain 
bruno Heceta and a few of his officers landed to take possession in the 
name of Spain. They planted a cross and at its foot a bottle sealed 
with wax in which was left a record of their names, the date, and the 
ceremony of taking possession. A little to the north, Bodega y Quadra 
sent a boat’s crew ashore for wood and water. The Indians, in ambush 
on the shore, killed the white men and tore the boat into pieces to get 
the iron and copper. Quadra signalled Heceta and asked the privilege 
of landing at the head of thirty men to punish the Indians. He was 
refused and as they sailed away he gave to the near-by island the 
name of “Isla de Dolores” or “Island of Sorrows.” <A few years later 
another boat’s crew was attacked by the same Indians and Captain 
Barkley called the river Destruction river. Later geographers have 
NOTE.—The following address was given by President Meany at the last camp- 
fire of the 1913 outing. He spoke from a wonderful rostrum, a huge and silvered 
log that had been lifted by some great storm high on the ocean sands near the 
mouth of the Queniult river. The audience had gathered around the driftwood 
tire under the sheltering wall of the large spruce log.—Editor. 
