My Dear Cousin Emily Visits the Fort… Part 2

My dear Cousin Emily, spent much of the evening after our tea party catching up on her writing while I prepared the household for bed. The next day was going to be rather busy with the delights of equestrian pursuits.

We started the next morning with feeding the horses. I have always enjoyed feeding them and grooming them and prefer to do so on a daily basis.

The we took to the saddle and rode through our estate. It was wonderful to show my dear cousin the lay of the land and introduce her to friends and neighbors. Unfortunately, my cousin took a fall from my mare, Aspen, and her injury ended our ride rather abruptly. Fortunately nothing was broken, however, my cousin was ordered to keep the injured shoulder in a sling.

My dear sweet Aspen felt terrible that her rider fell and she was very affectionate to Emily.

My Bob was his usual happy and sweet self.

Later that afternoon, my cousin and I decided to explore one of the nearby islands that had recently been discovered by Cpt Vancouver during his voyage on the HMS Discovery. We planed to meet another dear friend, a bookbinder Mr. McClintock, who resides on the island.

The ferry ride to the island proved very cold and windy. My dear cousin, being from the county of Tennessee, was not used to our cold Oregon Territory weather. We arrived at the island safely and proceeded to explore the villages in the area, slowly making our way to our friend’s village.

Exploring the small village of Coupeville

At sunset, we ventured to Deception Pass to see the place where Cpt Vancouver sailed only a few years earlier.

That evening we met our friend, Mr. McClintock at a local Tavern for some fine food and the best drink on the island.

To my surprise, there were a group of musicians performing that evening. A little birdy told them about my signing, and they asked me to perform on the spot.

That evening we made our way back to the fort, happy and exhausted. My cousin’s visit was truly a wonderful time for all.