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Las diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 12 3 4 5 6 90 THE URCOON T£HRITORY. butter, cheese, fruit, uiid all that is uucessury lor the comforts of life. There was oue thing hitherto wanting, which the authorities have recently directed their attention to: the iuhabitnnts had already h church — their children will now have a school. When we consider the difficulties which stand in the way of the establishment of new centres of population in so wild a country, we cannot help auguring well of the prospects of the Colony, especially if we observe that this village, now only twenty months old, and which was founded at an iepoch when security was far from existing, has, nevertheless, made most rapid advances, thanks to the courage, the efforts, and unceasing perseverance of its first inhabitants. What we have above said concerning Uraria may bo repeated of several localities, among others of Sabel, which only two years and a half ago was a mere wilderness covered with dwarf palms and bushes, and which indefatigable industry has embellished with numerous houses, a beautiful church, with graceful turrets and flowing fountains. It is easily conceivable what advantage the government may derive from in- dividual eflbrts, by assisting, encouraging, uud interesting them in tUc prosperous resiilt, as much by the well-being which it will insure to the colonists, as by the very labour which it will permit them to undertake. THE OREGON QUESTION. During the last session of Congress, die President of the United States aimounced that he was about to invite the British Government to enter into a negotiation for the settlement of their mutual rights, by deter- mining on such a division of the country as, after a strict and proper investigation, should appear to be just and equitable between the two countries. It is quite fair to assume that some communication or overture was made, and as it must be equally desirable to both governments that the question should be speedily settled, there can be no doubt that the pro- positions, whatever they were, would be received by the British Govern- ment in a peaceful and friendly spirit, with a hope and expectation that, like the long- vexed and agitated North- West Boundary, the jiroper line of demarcation would be agreed and determined on. The proper course would then have been, that the question should have been left to the two governments ; but, with a heat and impe- tuosity quite unjustifiable, somti member of the Senate of the United THE OREGON TERRITORY. 91 States introduced a bill into that House which was allowed to go further than it ought to have done, although ultimately withdrawn. During the present year many meetings have been held in different States of the Union, at which (speeches were made, and resolutions passed, asserting the unequivocal and undoubted rights of the States to the whole of the territory, and calling on the General Oovemment to take instant measures for enforcing them ; these proceedings are of very little importance, as we all remember that equally violent measures were taken on the settlement of the Boundary question between Maine and New Brunswick, and which, on its final arrangement between the two governments by the Ashburton Treaty, have been so easily and readily acquiesced in. So it will be on the settlement, whatever it may be, between the governments on the Oregon question, and there for the present it ought to rest, since whatever may be said or written by inter- estcd or heated partisans will, it is hoped, have but small weight with those who may ns negotiators be appointed to draw up and agree upon its iinal arrangement. The American President's Message, which has just arrived as we arc going to press, distinctly recommends to the United States the taking possession of the Oregon territory ; and this decision, if acted upon, appears likely to embroil us again with the American Government. The Oregon territory is not perhaps in a commercial point of view of any very great impor.-..ncc to England ; its products are very few, and only such as we can obtain of much better quality and on easier terms bom other countries. It serves as an outlet for the furs of the United North-West and Hudson's Bay Companies into the Pacific and thence to China ; but as it embraces the only large river in that part of the world to which we have any claim, it may, in a national sense, such as Gibraltar or Malta, be thought well worth the keeping ; and if it should be so considered, we ought not, at whatever cost, to be induced very easily to abandon it. Whether during the present year negotiations have been going on or not, does not seem to be clearly understood ; but as it is a question that cannot be, nor ought to be, much longer in abeyance, we consider that a description of the country, which at least in England is so little known and appreciated, will be generally acceptable, so that whenever the question shall come before the public for their discussion and opinions, the extent, situation, and commercial advantages of the Oregon territory, may be properly understood and duly appreciated. The Columbia is its only important river, and to whichever coxmtry it shall be allotted, must be of great and primary importance : the M THK ORXOON TERRITORY. b«ttcr course would be that it should be the settled boundary between us, as far as it conveniently could be, and certainly as far as it was nati- gable to the see The north bank of that river is now occupied by agents and settlers of the Hudson's Bay Company ; and on the south bank we have Astoria, founded by the agents of the late Mr. Astor, of New York, and which has been so fully described in Washington Irving's " Astoria." Mr. Astor was a German, settled at New York, and most extensively engaged in the fui* trade, in which he realised a very splendid fortune, and his object appears to have been a rivalry of the fur trade with the Hudson's Bay Company, by attracting a large proportion of it from Montreal to New York. He endeavoured to interest the American Government of the day in his views and objects by the settlement, but received very little encouragement \ indeed, in a reply made to him by Mr. Jefferson, who was then President, he was distinctly told that it was too far oif for a beneficial union with the other States ; but that at some future time it would form a free and independent government of itself, connected with the Atlantic States only by the inhabitants being of the same stock and kindred; and who* ever considers the immense distance between them, will, no doubt, arrive at the same conclusion. Whether the course of the Columbia and other rivers may be the best boundary or not, remains yet to be settled ; but the tacit occupation of the north bank by the British, and the south bank by the Americans, seems to indicate that for its length it would be so ; and other natural or appropriate lines caii be easily traced out to meet the final line in lat. 400, where the boundary between us has been already settled ; thus adopting the principle that prevails between Lower Canada and the States, which runs on the parallel of 45o up to a certain point, and then diverges to make the present settlement between Maine and New Brunswick. Whenever the boundary shall be settled between the governments, Groat Britain ought to begin to act upon it. The most eligible ftite upon the Columbia or the coast should be selected for the erection of A large town to be the seat of government for the whole country ; oth^r localities should be forthwith determined on, and ten thousand lettlAts at once sent out to take and hold possession. Horses and cattle maybe found in sufficient numbers in the country. Sheep of the most desirable breeds can be sent in any numbers from New South Wales or Van Die- man's Land; the Government establishments should be kept at the lowest p'- ible scale, as all the revenue that can be expected for some years to oe raised would be much better expended than by the payment of THE OREfiON TIRRITORT. M UMlvBf or superfluous officers. The irihabitanta should be enrolled «b militia ; and, for a constitutional constabulary force, no government military establishment can be at all necessary : the occasional visit from some of our ships of war, that for the future will be always found in the Pacific, will be all that can be useiul or desirable. The Oregon Territory consiHtH of a large extent of country lying between the Rocky mountains and the Pacific Ocean, and drained by the Columbia river and its tributaries. Tlie boundaries of this cotmtry ure not entirely settled. The Maturat boundaries of this territory are— on the ea»l tlie Koclcy mountains, extending about 900 nules from the 41o to tlie 54o north lat. ; on the south, the snowy mountains, extending from tlie Rocliy mountain! to Cape Mendocino, on the Pacific, in 40^ nortli latitude ; on the wetl, the Pacific Ocean about fiOO miles due nortli to Cape Flattery, ut the entrance of the Strait of Fuca, about lat, north 48o ; and on the north, by a line extending from Cape Flattery about 120 miles north-east, and thence a line along the highlands geparating the waters of the Columbia from those of Eraser's river to the Roclcy mountains. The country thus described contains about 3.50,000 square miles. The United States claim the country from the -12o to the 54<* of north latitude ; while tlie British urge their claim * to the coiuitry as far south as the Columbia river ; and both parties occupy the cowitry. The territory drained by t!!<> Columbia presents a constant succession of mountain lidges and volleys, or plains of small extent. The principal ridges are two in number, besides the Rocky mountains, nmning nearly parallel to each other and to the coast; and the country is thus divided into three great regions, which differ niuterially in climate, soil, and pruductiveneis. The first region, or low country, is that between the coast and chain of mountains nearest to the sea ; the second region is between the mountains nearest the sea and the middle ridge, called the Blue mountains; and the third region, or high country, is between the Blue mountains and the Rocky moimtains. All these divisions are crossed by the Columbia, the main stream of which is formed in the middle region, by the union of several bronrhcA flowing from the Rocky mountains, and receiving in their course supplieK fi-oin innumerable smaller tributaries, draining the intermediate countries. The distance from the coast to the nearest chain is, in some places, 100 miles ; in others, much less. The intervening country is crossed in various directions by low ridges connected with the principal chain, some of them parallel to it, and others stretching toward the ocean. From this region the Wallamette river comes more than 200 miles, in a direction nearly due north, and enters the Columbia on its south side. The valley through which it passes is said to be the most delightful and fertile hi North-western America. The climate of the region between the ocean and the first range, though not mihealthy, is not very favourable to agriculture. The summer is warm and dry. From April to October, while the westerly winds prevail, rain seldom falls in any part of Oregon ; during the other months, when the south wind blows constantly, the rains are almost incessant in the lower region, though sometimes the dry sen^on continues there longer. Further tVom the Pacific, the rains are less frequent and abundsnt ; and near the Rocky mountains they are reduced to a few 9* THR OREGON TERIIITORY. Hhower^ in tlie spring. In the valleys of the low country snow is rarely seen, and the ground is so little Trozen that ploughing may generally be done during the whole whttcr. Most of the productions of the northern states, excepting Indian com, succeed tolerably well. Horses and neat cattle will subsist with- out fodder through the winter. The second bottoms of the rivers, being above inundation, are extremely fertile, and prairies are considerably numerous and extensive. The forests on the uplands, although the soil is tolerably good, Abound with such enormous trees, as almost to defy cultivation. A fir tree, growing near Astoria, on the Columbia, eight miles from the sea, was 40 feet in circumference 10 feet from the ground, and 153 feet in length, before giving off a single branch, and not less than 300 feet in its whole height. Another tree, of the same species, on the banks of the l/mqua, was 57 feet in circumference, and 216 feet in length below its branches ; and sound pines, from 200 to 280 feet in height, and from 20 to 10 feet in circumference, are not uncommon. Tlie middle region of Oregon, between the mountains nearest the coast and the Blue mountains on the east, is more elevated and dry, and less fertile than the low country. It consists chiefly of plains, between ridges of mountoins, the soil of which is generally a yellow sandy clay, covered with grass, smnll shrubs, and prickly peors. Timber is very scarce ; the trees are of soft and useless woods, such as cotton-wood, sumac, and willow, which ore found only in the neighbourhood of streams. The climate is salubrious, the o'r is dry in summer, the days warm, ond the nights cool. The rain begins later and ends sooner than in the lower country. This country is poorly adapted to cultivation, but is well suited to grazing, thi- grass being abundant in a green or dry state through the year. Horses nrc Iiere reared in abundance by the Indians, some of whom own hundreds of them. The Blue mountains on the east of this region extend through the whole tcn-itory of the Columbia- though frequently biokeu into several ridges. These mountauis are steep, with a volcanic appearance, and their highest peaks are covered with perpetual snow. The third and last division of Oregon lies between the Blue mountains on the west, and the Rocky mountains on the east. The southern part of this region is a desert of steep rocky moimtains, deep narrow valleys, and wide plains covered with sand and gravel. There is little snow in the valleys in the winter, but nutch on the mountains. It rarely rains, and no dew falls. Tlie difference between the temperature at sunrise and nt noon in summer is often forty degrees. Tlie Columbia is the great river of this territory. The northera branch, which retains the name of the principal stream, rises in the Rocky mountains, in about 5'1<> of north latitude, and pursues a southern course to latitude .'>2o, where it is joined by two other streams, one coming from the south, along tlie base of the Rocky mountains, and the other rising in a gorge of that chain in latitude .'i3o, its head being a small lake, which is within a few feet of another, whence the waters run into the Athabasca, one of the branches of McKenzie's river, which flows to the Arctic Ocean. Two hundred miles south of the junction, the Columbia receives McGillivray's river, and a little lower down Clark's rivar, which, at the place of union, is nearly as large as the Columbia. Tlie sources of Clark' s river are near those of the Missoiiri, and the interven- TIIF. ORKOON TERRITOnY. 9S ing ridge is not very high, allowing of an eaiy pass across the mountains. In its course, Clark's river spreads out into n lake, thirty-five miles long and five or six broad, situated in a rich valley, surrounded by snow-clad mountains of gi-cat elevation. Just before the passage of the Columbia through the Blue mountains, Clark's river enters it ; and Just above its entrance are the Kettle falls in Clark's river. Thence the Cohimbin flows west 100 miles to its junc- tion with the Okannagan, a large stream fVom the north. In latitude 46" 8' the Columbia is joined by Lewis river, its great southern branch. It rises in on angle formed by the junction of Rocky and Snowy mountains, between the 12" and 14<> of north latitude, near the sources of the Colorado, the Platte, the Yellow Stone, and the Missouri rivers. It thence flows along the foot of t)ie Snowy mountains to the Blue mountains, through one ridge of which it passes near the -IS" of latitude, having there the Salmon or Fishing falls. It then nms north-west to its junction with the Columbia, having received several xmall rivers in its course, the largest of which arc Wapticacos and Salmon rivers from the east. The Columbia, just below the junction of its two great brnnches, receives the Walla-walla, Falls, and other rivers fVom the Houth, and then passes the range of mountains nearest the Pacific, in latitude 46o. Below the mouth of the Walla-walla, and before passing the mountains, the Columbia has rapids, impassable at low water, but passable at high water, both up and down. Five miles below them are the Dallet, or narrows, where the river rushes through a space not more than l.')0 feet wide, walled in by basaltic columns on both sides ; and thirty-six miles lower down arc the Cai- cadet, which are falls impassable at all times. The tide comes up to the foot of the Cascades, and the navigation is good for vessels not drawing more than fourteen feet water, to this point, which is 125 miles from the ocean. The Multnomah or Wallamette enters the Columbia from the south, about twenty miles below Fort Vancouver, and is navigable twenty-five miles to the falls. From thence the Columbia proceeds ninety miles in a north-westerly course to its entrance into the Pacific Ocean. One of the most striking features in this territory are the passes through that immense barrier, the Rocky mountains which are in -eneral a continuous chain ; and which are found, near the north sources of the Columbia, to contain peaks 15 or 16,000 feet in height ; and some north, which are thouf^lit to be much higher, and are probably the highest mountains in North Americn. " It appears that the points of deitarture, on tlio eastern side of the moun- tains, within the jurisdiction of the United States, of all the passes across, are sit\iated in tlie vicinity of the Black hills, and between the 4.'id and 45th parallels of latitude ; and that among these passes across the mountains, there is one, and probably hut one, sufticiently gradual in its ascents and descentx, and sufficiently open, to admit of the ])assagc of wheel carriages, and, conse- quently, of the ready construction of a convenient and good road. This pass goes through an opening in the Bbck hills, at about 44° 30' north latitude, and, keeping between these hills and 'Big Horn mountain,' it crosses the tributaries of the Yellow Stone from the south, and finally the Yellow Stone itself. It then crosses the Missouri, or rather the three forks of that river, a short distance above their junction ; from whence it pursues a soath-westwardly direction, witil arriving at the head waters of ' Bitter Root ' river ; thence down the valley of this river to it« junction with the 'Salmon, or Lewis's river;' TIIK OREOON TKIRITORT. ond thi'iicu duwn (hu valley uf thii Intt rivet to itit jimetioii with the ColunibU, Fi-oin tlicHe riict», then, the vicinity of the Blnrk hilJH haii to b« obtained, in order to cniis lh» Ilocky mountAin« from the cHHt ; mid the best passage of these muuntuinH, at present known, is the one just described. This vicinity is about 660 miloK in a north-wcstwardly course from the position of Council Dluftli. I)ut, from Council Blufl's, thecourMu of the Missouri, by the latest and most authentic observations, is also north-westwardiy, and for about 300 miles nearly parallel to the direction from the Blutt's to the black '..ills. The Mil- Houri, therefore, would nfi'ord water transportation for about 300 miles of this rm\tc."—Hepoit of the Secretary of War, 1842. There are many lakes in this country, some of which discharge their waters into the sources of the Columbia, and some, having no outlets, are salt. The principal harbour is formed by the Columbia river, nhich, betwesn Cape Disappointment or Hancock and Point Adams at its mouth, is seven miles wide. From each of these iwints, a sand-bar nms into the water, and the waves of the Paciflc, meeting the current of the Columbia with great ^ iolence, produce a line of breakers, which renders the navigation haatardous when the wind is at all high. The bar at its mouth is five miles across, and the channel, in one place, only half a mile wide, with a depth of from four and a half to eight fathoms. The rise and fall of the tides at the mouth of the Columbia is about eight feet, gradually diminishing imtil you come to the mouth of the Wallamette, where little or no difference in the tides is perceptible. At present, or until the channel is buoyed out, and a light-house erected on Cape Disappointment, it is unsafe for vessels of a greater draught of water than from ten to twelve feet to attempt entering the Columbia between the months of November and Aoril, on account of the prevalent westerly winds, which snake heavy breakcm on the bar. The inhabitants of this region consist of several Indian tribes, amounting in the whole to from forty to Aixty thousand ; and establishments formed by the British Hudson's Bay Company for trading with the Indians ; together with a few missionary establishments iVom the United States. " The colony from the United States is situated on the Wallamette, a branch of the Columbia, about ninety miles iVom the mouth of the river, which is undoubtedly the finest grazing and wheat country in Oregon. At present (1841) it consists of about seventy families, who raise considerable grain, and have about three thousand head of cattle. The mission] last year raised one thouHand bushels of wheat, and made butter, cheese, &c., enough for their own use. They have five hundred head of cattle, and two himdred horses ; and last year they sowed four himdred bushels of wheat, one hundred and twenty bushelK of peas^ and planted a large quantity of potatoes and vegetables of all descrip- tions. They have hogs, poultry, Lc, in abundance. Last year they raised over fifteen hundred bushels of potatoes. The extent of the country com- prising the Wallamette valley is about three hundred miles long and two himdred broad, interspersed tvith ravines of wood, generally of sufficient quantities for fuel and fencing. The laud, in its natural state, is usually read} for the plough, and is very fertile, producing from twenty live to forty bushels of wheat to the acre ; and the climate is so mild that the cattle subsist in the fields without fodder or ihelter of any kind being jirepared or provided for TIIK 0|l|-fiO\ TI lil.lTOIlV, 9f llifiii iIii-oiikIi t*iL> wiiitrr. Snlnioii can ho takrn at Wallaini'tic fall'-, with litlU* tronhlf, from May to .Si'ptciulicT, in nliiiost any quantity. " Furl yancoiirei; on thu nortii hanic of tlic Columbia, ninuly mileH iVom tin* (iconn, is tho jirincipRl Hcat of thi> UritiHJi fur tiurlt-. It Huh an enclosurt', tlilrty - M>von rndv lonir, niul 18 wide, struuKly stockaded, wit))in which arc ci^^lit huIj- Kiantifll building)), and many itmullcr oncH. Thia place has a con«idcrahli' fannintc extiihli^hmrnt. There are lar^e fertile prairicH, wliicii they occupy for tillage and pasture ; and forcHts for fencing materialH and other pur|M)seH. In the year 1835, there were nt this post l.'iO neat cattle, 100 horses, 200 sheep, 10 KoatH, and 300 hoR«. They have a garden of five acren, abounding witli escu- lent vegetables; with fruit, such as peaches, apj)les, gra|)es, strawberries; and some exotics, as tigs, oranges, ami lemons ; and various ornamental plants and (lowers. 'J'here is u Hour-mill, worked by ox-power, and a saw-mill, from which boards are sent even to the Sandwich Islands. There is a school here for the children of the establishment. There arc shops for blacksmiths, joiners, carpenters, and a tinner. Fort (Jeorge, or .Astoria, is eight miles from the month of (he Cohnnbia ; has two buildings, and a garden of two acres. Fort VValla-wallu is on the south side of the Cohnnbia, ten miles below the entrance of Lewis river. t)n the Wallamette river, fifty-live miles above its entrance into the Columbia, is McKay's settlement, and twelve miles above is Jarvis's xcttlement, which contain about twenty families, 'i'hey consist mostly of the retiring servants of the Hudson's Bay Company, with their half-bred families, and n few Americans. Fort ('olvin is on the south >M^f of Clark's river, below the Kettle falls, just before it enters the Columbia, liere is a considerable farming establishment. Fort Okannogan is at the entrance into the Cohnnbia of the river of that name, 100 miles below Clark's river. The lluds(m's IJay Company have also several other tradinrr posts in this territory. The American Board of Commisrionovs for Foreign Missions have seven stati(ms--viz. : 1st. Antoria. 2nd. Afiiltnomia, or IVallameUe. The .'5rd station is on the Columbia river, 110 miles from its mouth : the river is navigable for large vessels up to this place ; above this it becomes rapid and rocky. Ith. Piigel'ii Sound— Heu- is a tine harbour, which will one day render it an im])ortant position in a commercial |M)int of view : it is on the coast, 140 miles north of Columbia river. .5th. On the Wallamette, forty miles above \X» junction with tl.c Columbia. There is a fall in the Wallamette at this jjoiiit, supplying great water-jMJwer : small craft can ascend to this place, (ith. r7«/so/j, a new station near the month of the Columbia. 7ta. On the I'mqun river, which empties into the Pacific some 200 miles south of the Colnmbia. On the 7th of May, 17U2, Captain Robert Gray, in the ship Co1umi)ia, of Boston, discovered and entered the Columbia river; to wliich he gave the name of his vessel, lie was the first person that established the fact of the existence of this great river, and this giv^'s to the United States the right of discovery. In 1804-.J, Captains Lewis Clark, under the direction of the go- vemnient of the United States, explored the country from the mouth of the Alissouri to the- mouth of the Columbia, and spent the winter of 1805-0 at the mouth of the Colnmbia. This exploration of the Columbia, the first ever made, constitutes another ground of the claim of the United States to the country. In 1808, th<> Missouri Fur Company, at St. Louis, established n tradin;', post beyond the Kwky mountains, on the head waters of Lewis river, the first ever VOL. I. — NO. 1. II 99 Tjir, (lucaoN TEnmTORY. formed on any rinfippl trading poit, and proceeded to eHtablisli othcrn in tlio interior. A little Inter in the name year, tlie North-West Company nent n detuchment to form t stabliRhmentH on the Columbia; but when they arrived iit the mouth of the river they found the pot occupied. In conuequence of the exposure of AHtoria by the war of 181), the post was sold out to the North West Company. At the close of the war Astoria was restored, by order of the British (Jovernincnt, to its jinal founders, aftreeably to the iirst article of the Treaty of Ohent. Various at- tempts have been made since tl>e war to r"new the fur 'rade in Oregon. In 1821, the Hudson's Bay and North-West Company, who lad previously been rivals, were united, and since that time have greatly extendi d their establish- ments in the region of Oregon. The British "iid Amerioar! (Jovemnients have not yet been able to settle by negotiation their conflicting t-iaims to the country. By the treaty for the purchase of Florida, in 1819, the boimdary between the Spanish possessions and the United States vns fixed in the north-west, at the 42o of north latitude, and the United States succeeded to all the title to Oregon which Spain had by right of discovery. At present, the subjects of (ilrcBt Britain and of the United States exercise equally the right to occupy this country, ami navigate its rivers for the purposes of trade, until the subject is dis])oscd of by negotiation. In the mean time, the great capital, and the complete organisation of the Hudson's Bay Company, enable them to reap nearly all the advantages of the fur trade in the territory of Oregon. The followin;^ conmiunication from Mr. Farnham, the enterprising and well-informed traveller, appeared last month in the " American Agriculturist," a clever periodical issufd at New York : — As the interest excited last winter in the Oregon territory continues una- bated, we give place to the following letter. Wc have the pleasure of a personal acquaintance with Mr, Farnham, and have also read his travels with much interest. He is a shrewd observer, and, so far as we are capable of judging, we do not think that he has underrated the Oregon territory. But we might as wfll undertake to stay the aim and moon in their course over the peaks of the Rocky Mountains, as emigration to the west by the hardy nomadic population of our country ; and the shores of the Pacific, we have no doubt, will soon become the point of attraction for thousands upon thousands of hardy adven- turers. Irving's beautiful descriptions of the wild scenes of the Pacific plains and valleys, and the sublimities of the snowy peaks of the Rocky Mountains, have often made us wish to became a wanderer among them. Dear Sir, — A reply to your request that I would give you a statement of the agricultural capacities of Oregon territory, has been so long delayed, that I scarcely believe you will find anything which I can now write an available apology even for my remissness, and much less a satisfactory answer to the strong desire of our country, to know whether they may or may not find a golden mountain and a vegetable elysium in that territory. I despair more in regard to the latter than in the former respect, tor I believe THB ORKOON TRHIIITOKY. that one can scarcely put the finger on n date in llie history of man, wh«n ex- travagance in the pxpectatinn^ nf the race vaa more apparent ; no that if I should write the mere naked truth, fortified by the obiervution of every man who has over resided a twelvemonth in tlie temtory, the desire to proven Rarden of beauty " iutiio far west, "to which our rcstlesnund tnerstetic country- men might emigrate, wuuUI find quite as nnich rensoii and truth in the dreams of their own wishes, and in the romantic representations in Parker's Travels, and Irving's Astoria, as in any statement whicii would cool the ardour of their pursuit after the Ideal fiK-bearing, orange-bearing, grape-bearing, wine-Howing soil nf the Oregon. But as you desire to present the mere trutli to your readers, the following extract fVom my Travels in Oregon, &e., will answer your purpose. In order to obtain a correct knowledge )f il ! agricultural capabilities of the Oregon territory, it is necessary to refer the reader to the accounts already Kiven of its dlH'erent sections; t. .lie barren valleys of tlie Saptin and the Co- lumbia above its junction with the Suptin ; |p the account given of New Cale- donia ; and the description of that vast tract of deserts, dotted here and there with habitable spots, which occupies the space between the President'rt range on the west, and the I'ppcr Columbia and the Blue mountains on the east. The remainder of the territory, commonly called the " Low Country," is the only Itortion of it that bears any claim to an agricultural character. This is bounded north by the Straits de Fuca and Puget's Sound, latitude 48 degrees nortH, east by the President's Range, south by the parallel of 12 degrees north lati- tude, and west by the ocean; seven degrees of latitude, and 100 miles of longitude ; in roimd numbers, 400 by 100 miles, equal to 49,S00 .«quare miles; which is equal to about 31,000,000 of English acres. About one-third of this may be ploughed, another third pastured. The remainder consists of irreclaim- able ridges of minor mountains, cro.4Hing the country in all directions. To this should be added Vancouver's Island, 200 miles long by .')0 in average width, and Washington's or Queen Charlotte's Island, 100 miles long by an average of 15 :niles in width ; in both which may be supposed to be the same ratio of arable pasture and irreclaimable lauds— to wit, 1,550,000 of each And thus we have a rough, but, I believe, a generally correct estimate of the agricultural capacities of Lower Oregon— about 12,000,000 of arable and 12,000,000 of pos- ture land. The arable land of other parts of the territory, it will be recollected, is so inconsiderable as to be scarcely worthy of mention. There are, I presume, 10,000,000 of acres of pasture lond in oil the region east "f the President's range. Tims we have in Oregon territory 12,000,000 acres of arable country. And if we assume the tenitory lo extend from latitude 42 degrees to 54 degrees north, and fnmi the Pacific Ocean to the main ridge of the Kocky Moimtains, an average distance of 400 miles, wc shall have a total surface of 215,000,000 acres; 32,000,000, the habitable part, subtracted from this, leoves 183,000,000 acres of deserts and inuuntains. The climate of Oregon, olso, is unfavourable to great iiroduclivencss. From October to * wil the southerly winds blow, and bring upon the lower country daily on(' !:^l>^l^t incessant rain*. From April to October no rain falls; and the exeeedipjjiy Inoie soil becomes so dry, that the grpsses wither to hay. On the tract )\'iiic-, Iclvveen the Presidents range and the Blue Mountains, and the Upper C'llumli I, a few storms fall in the winter months. During the remainder h2 100 THE OREOON TERRITORY, of the year, neither dew nor rnin8 descend upon it; n hrown, cheerless waste, iiiit thnt portion of it which lies near the tttreaniR will furnish in winter and summer the fmest pasture for sheep on the continent. And as the weather is ton warm in California and the country failher south to allow beef to be bau rolled successfully, and as all the domestic gramnivorous animals cut their own food in Lower and Middle Oregon tlic year roimd, beef and wool may iii'comc protitable staples in that distant territory. I'lax, hemp, and cotton can be grown in the lower country. There is water- )iower in great abimdance to manufacture tliem into fabrics for home ouii- Humption and for foreign markets. I'ine and cedar timber promises to hr among its most valuable articles of export. Iiuleed the whole western coast oi' America, and the islands of the Pacific, New Zealand excepted, will ultimately bo supplied more or less with the lumber of this region. The inexhaustible stores of salmon and sardines which frequent the Klamet, Umqua, Columbia, and Frazer's rivers, will constitute another most valuable 8ta])le. Indeed, the agricultural resources of the mosi valuable section of Oregon are inferior to those of any of our states or territories in the valley of the Missis- sippi, and inferior to those of more than half of the territory in the Atlantii- states; and Oregon territory as a whole is, in its soil, the most cheerless and barren jjortion of the national domain. Twelve degrees of latitude, and about six degrees of longitude, 800 miles liorth and south, and 400 east and west, avast tenitory; invaluable as an easily- defended frontier ; as the home of our national and mercantile fleets in the Pacific ; and priceless as the termination of a railroad of 600 miles, uniting I'uget's Sound with the navigable waters of the Missouri, and giving an easy and speedy overland transit for our commerce with China, into the heart of the republic. Its agricultural resources are sufficient for this end ; and to this end all its value tends. Thomas J. Farniiam. A Committee was appointed at a recont meeting held at Cincinnati, to examine the probable influence of the settlement of the Oregon on the destiny and history of the Caucasian races, on general science, and on the commercial and political system of the world. The liloom'mgton (Iowa) Herald, says, we have been permitted to make the following extract from a letter written by W. T. Perey, formerly of tiiis county, to Messrs. Colier and Sherley. It is dated, Oregon City, March 30th, 184.'5. I jirrived at the settlement in Oregon on the 29th September, where I have remained ever since, at work at my trade (carpenter), as I was of course compelled to, after spending all I had got to get here ; but I have done well, being now worth more than when I left Iowa. We have not been sick a day since we left the States. Hannah Abel was married in two weeks after we aiTived here — she has done well. Now to the coimtry, which is not as I ex- pected to find it. It is rough and broken, and generally heavy-timbered, principally with fir, yellow pine, cedar, hemlock, spruce, oak, ash, and maple. It is well watered, and about one-tenth prairie, of excellent quality. The tini- Tllj: OREOilN lliRUITORY. 101 bcred laud is also excellent for Inr.ning. In the st'eunis is an nl)undance of lish, among which are the finest salmon in the world. 'J'lierr is enough to live on hi this country. The inhabitants arc generally giiod farmers, raise large quantities of grain, and have from forty to one hun- dred head of cattle, twenty to sixty head of hogs, and horses without number. Clothing is cheaper here than in Iowa. There is nothing to be found in your stores, but what we have an abundance of, and at a cheaper rate, as they arc brought here free of duty. Nothing will bear exportation from Iowa except good rifles. They art worth about />50 in this countrj'. Good cows will sell at from D'.IO to Z>5U per head. Several of our company are dissatisfied with tiie country, and contemplate going to California this spring. For my part, I am well satisfied and expect to end my days in Oregon. This place (Oregon City) is situated at the head of navigation, and at the foot of Willhammut Falls, one of the greatest water powers in the world. It contains twelve dwel'' '.g-houses, three stores, one blacksmith's shop, one cooper's shop; two saw mills and one grist mill arc in operation, and another of three nm of stones is to be erected this summer. 1 get D'>\ u day for my work, and tools furnished. Common labour is worth Dl 7o per day, without board. No ardent spirits in the country. William T. Peruv. The Missouri EApoulor of October 21st states, that Lieutenant Fremont's company passed Incependcnce llock, near the South Pass of the mountains, about the 10th of September. The Oregon emigrants were ahead of Lieut. Fremont's company, and had divided into three or four smaller parties, for the greater convenience in travelling. No accident of any kind had occured to them, and their cattle, mules, and horses, were all fat and in fine travelling condition. They were well supplied with every article of food necessary for theia trip; and have, doubtless, ere this reached their ])lace of destination. The Expositor says— It will be a somce of nuich gratification to the friends ofOregon everywhere, to learn that this company has made its t.ip with no greater losses and hardships than it has as yet met witli. The present com- pany has blazed the way, and future emigrants wil' have every thing clear before them. Next year, (1844), from all indieatijiis, there will be another great out-pouring for Oregon territory.