"The past actually happened but history is only what someone wrote down." A. Whitney Brown.

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San Juan Archipelago, Washington State, United States
A society formed in 2009 for the purpose of collecting, preserving, celebrating, and disseminating the maritime history of the San Juan Islands and northern Puget Sound area. Check this log for tales from out-of-print publications as well as from members and friends. There are circa 750, often long entries, on a broad range of maritime topics; there are search aids at the bottom of the log. Please ask for permission to use any photo posted on this site. Thank you.

1906 ❖ SHEEP B--b---b--band--of FROST ISLAND

 EIGHTY-FOUR BANDS OF SHEEP


Frost Island
on the steamer route with sheep for Henry Cayou.
Frost Island was named by Charles Wilkes during
the Wilkes Expedition (1838-1942) in honor
of the boatswain of the expedition's Porpoise.
Detail from Metsker's Map
of San Juan County.
Undated. 

The recent sale of John B. Lanterman's sheep on Frost and James Islands to Henry Cayou reminds a friend of the former of a little story about him and the sheep referred to. Mr. Lanterman has a little impediment in his speech but it is no impediment to his good nature or quick wit. He is fond of a joke, even if he is the victim of it. He was passing Frost Island on the mail steamer some months ago when another passenger noticed the sheep grazing on the island and made some remark about them.
          Ascertaining that the sheep belonged to Lanterman, he asked him if he had many of them and John replied:
          "Eigh--eigh--eighty-four b--b--bands." With some expression indicating considerable surprise the inquirer said: "You must have a good many."
          "Q--q--quite a f--f--few," said John, b--b--but f--f--few," said John, b--b--but t--t--there's only o--o--one sheep in a b--b--band."
          San Juan Islander 20 Jan. 1906

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