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The Skamania County Pioneer, Stevenson, WA., January 29, 1937, page 5

INCIDENTS IN SAILING COLUMBIA RIVER ARE RELATED BY PIONEER

Of the many thrilling incidents that occurred in the life of Lou Iman, while freighting cordwood on the Columbia river in the late '1800's, he tells, of his scow "The Mayflower," being blown ashore in the night, and of the terrific winds that surged up the Gorge with force enough to rip the main sail riggings from the vessel and fling them far out into the raging flood, to be carried away and lost.
It was in the summer of 1890 when the cord-wood scow "The Mayflower" was beating around 13-Mile Point under a raging tail wind. She was heading for Cullin's Wharf, when the roaring wind proved too much for the old vessel, and the main-stay parted. This weakened the fore-mail sail and it was swept from its moorings and cast out into mountainous waves, a total loss. Being thus out of control, the scow was driven madly toward the Oregon shore, where she struck with a jolt that made the whole frame shudder and creak. As night drew near, the tempest died down and the vessel was "kedged" off of the sand, inch by inch, until she again was in deep water. A temporary top-sail was made, and with this aid, they limped back to Nelson creek and from there to Cascade Locks, where a complete new set of rigging was installed.
At another time, in the spring of 1891, the "Mayflower" was drifting back, downstream, from Hood River, the custom then was to sail up-stream and drift back at night, as the wind usually died down in the evening. It was Lou Iman's watch at about 1 o'clock A.M., when the scow was just west of Memaloose Island. Mr. Iman dozed off and went to sleep. He awoke with a start, to find the vessel swinging around and around. He couldn't tell whether he was headed up river or down. Just then he heard a train whistle off the starboard side, and he knew the boat was headed up-stream, as there were no railroads on the Washington shore. He immediately awakened the rest of the crew, and tried to swing the vessel back on its course, but they were unsuccessful, and agreed that she was stuck fast in the sand. It was only after hours of hard labor that they find they walked her off into deep water. He resolved then never to sleep on his watch again.