but lately an emigrant from Missouri; he is the proprietor of Multinoma
city, which is so called from the Indian name for the Willamette river,
and a tribe of Indians of this name that once inhabited that
country.[134] This tribe is now nearly extinct. At their burial places,
near this, there are hundreds of skulls yet lying over the ground. When
I left, {88} there were but few buildings, and some few mechanics
settled in it. There are two ferries established over the river, from
the villages on the west side, to Oregon city.[135] Upon the west side,
the bank of the river is similar to that on the east, quite high,
leaving but a small semicircular level for the first bottom; and upon a
farther ascent of about twenty feet, there is a larger plain at the
lower end of this bluff. The bottom corresponds well with that above the
Clackamis on the opposite side, and is covered with a dense growth of
fir; the trees are tall and straight.
* * * * *
DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY. The journey to Oregon city accomplished, and
an examination of the immediate vicinity completed, I set about an
inquiry as to the features of the country--its fertility, its general
susceptibility of improvement, and its capability for the support of a
large and industrious population. In so doing, in addition to what I
could see for myself, I applied for information to all whose
opportunities had been favorable for obtaining a knowledge of any
particular section. In this work I was an inquirer after facts, in order
to decide the question as to the propriety of taking my family there for
a permanent home; and when I noted these facts, no attention was paid to
the classification and arrangement of the various subjects, as is
generally done by those travelers and geographers whose business is
book-making. Necessarily, therefore, my Journal presents facts, just in
the order in which they came to me, and as I received them they are
placed before the reader.
The landscape immediately adjacent to the villages of Linn city and
Multinoma present several abrupt precipices of various heights, upon
each of which is a small level, of lesser and greater widths, clothed
with fine grass and studded over with oak timber, until the highest
ascent is reached, when it spreads out into an extensive fern opening.
From these cliffs there gush out fine streams of pure spring water; and
they will afford most beautiful country seats for the erection of
residences convenient to the towns, when their improvement shall render
such sites desirable. From these heights, (which are easily ascended,)
there is a fine view of the falls of the river for several miles, and of
Mount Hood. From the heights to Quality Plains, a distance of
twenty-five miles, the country presents rolling plains, with small
groves of oak and fir, and it is well watered by springs and small
rivulets.
{89} From the description given of the towns, the reader may have
already inferred, that the Falls of the Willamette combine all that is
necessary to constitute great water privileges for propelling machinery;
but before leaving this point, we will take a more particular view of
them.
These falls are occasioned by the descent of the whole volume of the
river over a ledge of basaltic rock that crosses the entire channel. The
greatest fall at any point is twenty-eight feet, but the whole descent
here is about forty feet. The water is so divided in the channels at the
Falls, and the islands are so situated, that nearly all of the water may
be rendered available, at a very small expense, when it shall be needed.
Nature rarely at any one point concentrates so many advantages for the
erection and support of a great commercial and manufacturing city, as
are to be found here. There is an abundance of water to propel the
machinery, stone and timber convenient to erect the necessary buildings,
an extensive country of the best farming lands in the world to support
the towns by their trade, and a fine navigable river to bring the raw
material to the manufactories, and when manufactured to carry the
surplus to the Pacific, whence it can easily be taken to the best
markets the world affords. At this place, the business of the upper
Willamette will concentrate, for many years at least. Tide water reaches
to the mouth of the Clackamis, which is within two miles of the Falls.
Here there is a considerable ripple in the river, which can easily be
removed by confining the Clackamis to its original bed upon the eastern
side of the island. As it is, there are four feet of water over the bar,
and not so rapid as to prevent the ascent of steamboats to the Falls.
Vessels of two hundred and fifty tons burthen have ascended within two
miles of the rapids; but, from the crookedness of the stream and the
difficulty in tacking so frequently, they generally receive and
discharge their cargoes at Portland, twelve miles below.[136]
Traveling up the river, five miles from the Falls, brings us to Rock
Island. Here is said to be a serious obstruction to the navigation of
the river. The difficulty consists in there being several peaks of rocks
so elevated, as to be near the surface of the water in a low stage; and
as the channels between them are very narrow, and the water quite rapid,
boats are liable to run on to them. But the rock can be removed at an
inconsiderable expense. It is fifteen miles above the Falls to the {90}
first gravel bar, at which place, in low water, there is but three feet
in the channel.[137]
In traveling up the river about fifty miles, I found, in addition to the
obstructions named, four other gravel bars, over some of which there
were only thirty inches of water. In going the next seventy-five miles,
I approached the river several times, and found it to have a deep
channel and smooth current. Persons who had navigated the river
considerably further up, in their traffic with the Indians, informed me
that it continued equally favourable for navigation. From what I saw and
learned of intelligent persons, I think the smaller class of steamboats
could for most part of the year ascend two hundred miles above the
Falls.
From the Columbia to Upper California, is a mountainous belt, known as
the Coast range.[138] Spurs of this range approach nearly to the mouth
of the Willamette. Between these spurs and the river, there is but a
small portion of the soil well adapted to agriculture. The higher range
to the west of the Falls affords a scope of fifty miles, that with the
exception of a few openings, and Quality Plains, is tolerably broken,
generally well timbered, finely watered, with many excellent situations
for farms; but not so well calculated, as some other parts, for dense
settlements.
Quality Plains are distant twenty-five miles west from Oregon city;
they are about twenty-five miles in length, are alternately rolling
prairie and timber, surrounded by heavy growths of firs, many of which
rise to the height of two hundred and fifty feet. These plains are all
claimed, settled, and mostly improved.[139] They are well watered by
many small streams that constitute the two forks of Quality river, which
unite near the southeast part of the plains, and runs an easterly
course, through narrow bottoms, well supplied with timber for more than
twenty miles, where it discharges its waters into the Willamette, two
miles above Oregon city. The principal part of the water that flows in
Quality river descends from the Coast Range. This stream, like most
others in that region, has several falls and rapids, that furnish very
desirable sites for the propelling of machinery; but if ever profitable
for navigation, will have to be improved by canals and lockage around
its falls; which can easily be done, when the commerce of the country
will justify the expense.
From this stream, and between the Coast Range and Willamette, and to the
south, to the Shahalam valley, which commences {91} at the low pass of
Quality Plains, is a tract of about twenty by thirty miles in extent, of
rolling fertile lands, alternately fern openings and timber groves.
From the Coast Range to the Willamette there is a belt of five or six
miles in width, which near the river is covered thinly with yellow
pines; but nearer the mountain it is better timbered, and well watered
from mountain rivulets; mostly a rich and loose soil, composed chiefly
of yellow sand, loam and clay. But little of this tract is claimed by
the emigrants, as they usually prefer the prairie country above.
The Shahalam is a small stream, which has its origin in the Coast Range,
runs eastwardly and empties into the Willamette, twenty miles above
Oregon city. This is skirted with good prairies of five or six miles in
width, near the mountains; but towards its mouth the valley is covered
with timber and fern. The best portion is claimed.[140]
Eleven miles further up, the Willamette receives the waters of the
Yam-hill. At the mouth it is about twenty-five yards in width, quite
deep, and will bear upon its bosom crafts of large burthen for ten
miles, to the falls.
This stream has two principal branches; the one rising in the Coast
Range, runs for twenty miles in a south-easterly direction, through a
beautiful and fertile valley of twelve miles in width, handsomely
covered with groves of white oak, and other timber; which is intersected
with numerous spring branches, the banks of which are lined with timber,
leaving in some places fine bottom prairies, covered with a rich sward
of grass. Between this fork and the Shahalam is a range of hills
averaging about two miles in width, extending from a part of the Coast
Range, to within three miles of the Willamette. They are of steep
ascent, some of them rising to five or six hundred feet in height, well
covered with grass, and from their sides issue numerous spring rivulets,
which near their origin are lined with fir trees; thence passing through
groves of white oak, alder and willow, to the bottom lands, which in
crossing some of them disappear, and others after joining together,
continue their courses until they unite with the Shahalam and Yam-hill.
The grasses on these hills are a species of red clover, that grows in
the summer season about one foot high, and a fine grass, which after the
clover disappears, keep them clad in green during the winter. Thus they
furnish a perpetual supply of food for cattle the whole year. The soil
upon these hills is a mixture of clay and loam, of a reddish color, and
in the bottoms it is a rich {92} mixture of loam and muck. However,
there are some of the hills somewhat sandy, and occasionally
interspersed with stony places.
From the source of this branch of the Yam-hill, (which in the country is
called the North Fork,) passes the trace, along which the people on
Clatsop plains drive their cattle a distance of about forty miles, when
they reach the coast, fifteen miles south of Cape Lookout.
The south fork of Yam-hill has its source in the Coast Range; where it
emerges from the mountains, for the first ten miles, its banks are well
supplied with large fir trees, as are its several tributaries; its banks
are generally steep, bearing the appearance of having washed out a
channel from fifteen to twenty feet in depth. It runs an eastern course
for about ten miles, then northeast for some miles, and finally takes a
northern direction, until it connects with the North fork, near the
Falls, after having flowed a distance of about twenty-five miles.
The valley watered by this stream is about fifteen miles wide, after the
stream emerges from the heavy growth of firs already noticed; for there
are firs, more or less, its whole length. From the water courses, upon
an average of a little over one fourth of a mile, the valley is fine
prairie land, soil light and rich, occasionally interspersed with fine
groves, and well adapted to agricultural purposes. It is well covered
with grass, as is every portion of the country that has oaken groves,
and the lower bottoms yield an abundant supply of the _Camas_, a
tuberous rooted plant, shaped something like an onion, which it
resembles in appearance. It is devoured greedily by hogs, and affords
very good nutriment. The Indians make much use of it as an article of
food. Between these streams and within six miles of their junction,
commences the high lands of the Coast Range; the first plateau is about
ten miles wide, and well covered with grass. The second plateau, for a
few miles is fern openings, with an occasional grove of timber; after
this westward to the coast the country is heavily timbered with firs,
pine, and occasionally cedar, hemlock, balsam, and nearly all species
of the evergreen timber. The streams last described furnish good sites
for hydraulic purposes, near the mountains. A considerable portion of
the valley of the Yam-hill is not only claimed, but settled, and finely
improved.[141]
Leaving the Yam-hill and ascending the Willamette twenty-five miles, we
reach the mouth of the Rickerall, a stream {93} which has its source in
the same range as the Yam-hill; for the first ten miles it runs rapidly
over a pebbly bed, and from thence to the mouth has a deep channel, worn
in a rich soil, with timbered banks. It flows in an easterly course from
the mountains eighteen miles, and unites with the Willamette. The valley
through which this stream flows resembles that described as watered by
the Yam-hill; perhaps the soil is a little richer. It is nearly all
claimed, and will soon be well settled. Upon this stream there is
erected a grist mill, and there was a saw mill, but the freshets washed
it away last spring.[142] Five miles above Yam-hill commence a range of
hills that extend south to the Rickerall, similar to those between
Shahalam and Yam-hill. These hills vary from one to four miles in width,
leaving a bottom about six miles wide to skirt the Willamette, which is
of good soil, well watered and timbered. Upon the slopes of these hills
are several thousands of acres of white oak, from six to twenty feet in
height, some of them of large diameter and all with large and bushy
tops; the ground being covered with grass, at a distance they look like
old orchards. The timber of these trees is very solid, and promises
great durability.[143] The valley between the Yam-hill and Rickerall is
called the Applegate settlement; there are three brothers of the
Applegates, they have fine farms, with good herds of fat and thrifty
cattle.[144] The Yam-hill plains is called the Hemerey settlement, from
a family of this name there settled.[145]
Upon the Rickerall are the Gillams, Fords and Shaws, all doing
well.[146] The Gays and Matheneys are settled upon the bottom of the
Willamette, between Yam-hill and Rickerall.[147]
Twelve miles above the Rickerall, empties the Lucky muke into the
Willamette; it heads in the same range as the Yam-hill, and, like it,
has two principal branches, of about the same length, depth and width,
and passes through an excellent valley of land, with the same
diversities and excellent qualities for farming which are attributed to
the Yam-hill valley--the timber being more of oak and less of fir. Upon
this stream several claims are entered, and there is a fine opening for
others who may desire to settle there.
Mouse river joins the Willamette about thirty-five miles above the
Lucky-muke.[148] It has its origin in the Coast range, has two principal
branches, which unite near the mountains, passes ten miles over a pebbly
bottom, and then becomes more sluggish to its mouth. This, like the
other streams described, {94} has timber upon its borders, but less than
some; good country, fine prospects, and but few claims made.
Between the Lucky-muke and Mouse river there is a range of hills, as
between other streams; but at one place a spur of the Coast range
approaches within ten miles of the Willamette; from this issue many
small streams which run down it, and through the fine plains to the
Lucky-muke upon the one side, and into Mouse river on the other. This is
a beautiful region; from the bottom can be seen, at different points,
seven snow-covered peaks of the Cascade range.[149] The Cascade is
within view for a great distance, to the north and south; which,
together with the beautiful scenery in the valley, renders it a
picturesque place. Thrifty groves of fir and oak are to be seen in every
direction; the earth is carpeted with a covering of luxuriant grass, and
fertilized by streams of clear running rivulets, some of which sink down
and others pursue their course above ground to the river. Between the
forks of Mouse river approaches a part of the Cascade,[150] but it
leaves a valley up each branch about one mile in width, the soil of
which is rich and good prairie for several miles above the junction. The
mountain sides are covered very heavily with fir timber. Thus these
beautiful valleys offer great inducements to those who wish to have
claims of good land, with fine grounds for pasturage and timber close at
hand. There are no claims made as yet above the forks. These streams
furnish good mill sites for each of the first six miles, and are well
filled with trout.
From the forks of this stream starts a trail, (or half-made road,) which
leads to the falls of the Alsa, a stream that heads twenty miles to the
south of these forks; the trail leads a westerly course for fifteen
miles to the Falls; from thence to the coast it is twenty-one miles.
From the Falls the river runs in a westerly direction. An old Indian
told me that there was some excellent land in this valley, and that
there would be but little difficulty in constructing a good road down
it. Salmon and other fish are in great abundance in this stream, up to
the Falls.[151]
Six miles above Mouse river is the mouth of Long Tom Bath;[152] this,
like all other streams that enter the Willamette upon the western side,
heads in the coast range, and after breaking its way through the spurs
to the plains below, passes through a valley of good soil. It has deep
banks, is more sluggish in its movements than those that join it lower
down, {95} is filled with dirty water, has a miry bottom, shaded upon
its margin with timber, and in size is something larger than the
Yam-hill.
So far, I have described the valley from personal observation in that
direction; but I was informed by those who had good opportunities for
obtaining correct information, that it bore off more easterly, and that
it was for eighty miles further up as well watered, timbered, and of as
luxuriant soil, as that which I have described. It may be proper here to
remark, that the further the valley is ascended the oak timber becomes
more abundant, and the fir in a corresponding ratio decreases.
Having described the country for more than one hundred miles upon the
western side of the Willamette, we will return to the Falls and mention
a few facts respecting the eastern bank. Upon this bank, for ten miles
to the south of Oregon city, continue fern openings, to a small stream
called Pole Alley,[153] which is skirted with beautiful prairie bottoms
of from two to eight miles in length and from one to two miles wide;
these, with alternate groves of fir, constitute the principal
characteristics of Pole Alley valley. It is not more than half a mile
from the mouth of Pole Alley, farther to the south, where Pudding river
embogues into the Willamette; it is twenty-five yards in width at the
mouth. The valley up this river to the Cascade mountains, where it
rises, is alternately fine prairie and timber lands, with occasional
fern openings. Some of the prairies are claimed by the recent emigrants.
It is finely clothed in grass, and up the river some distance there are
valuable mill sites; the water is clear, and well stocked with
fish.[154] From Pudding river further south, there are fern openings,
which are succeeded by grassy prairies, which give place to fine groves
of fir, but sparsely intermingled with cedar.
Eight miles from Pudding river is a village called Butes. It was laid
out by Messrs. Abernethy and Beers.
There were but a few cabins in it when I left. The proprietors had
erected a warehouse to store the wheat they might purchase of the
settlers back, who should find it convenient to sell their crops at this
point. At this place are some conical hills, called Butes, which rise to
a considerable height; the sides and tops of them are clothed with tall
fir trees, which can be seen from the valley above for sixty miles.
Immediately at this village is a fern opening, covered with an
undergrowth of hazel, for three-fourths of a mile back, when it merges
into an extensive and fertile prairie.[155]
{96} South of Butes three miles is the village of Shampoic. It was laid
out by a mountaineer, of the name of Newell, formerly a clerk of the
Hudson's Bay Company.[156]
It contains a few old shabby buildings, and a warehouse owned by the
company, where they receive the wheat of the settlers of the country
from thence to the Cascade mountains. This is an extensive plain,
extending from Pudding river up the Willamette to the old Methodist
mission ground, which is distant thirty miles from the mouth of Pudding
river. The soil for this distance, and for two miles in width, is
similar to that described immediately at Butes. Back of this for
twenty-five or thirty miles is a very handsome country, mostly prairie,
and fine timber, well watered, with occasionally a hill--the whole
covered with a soil quite inviting to the agriculturist, with an
abundance of pasturage for cattle. This is called the French settlement,
and is one of the oldest in the valley. The Catholics have here a
mission, schools, a grist and saw mill, and several mechanics; they have
also several teachers among the Indians, and it is said that they have
done much for the improvement of these aborigines. The inhabitants are
mostly of what are called French Canadians, and were formerly engaged in
the service of the Hudson Bay Company, but have now quit it, made
claims, and gone to farming. They have very pretty orchards of apple
trees, and some peach trees. Their wives are natives of the country.
Many of them are raising families that, when educated, will be
sprightly, as they are naturally active and hardy, and appear very
friendly and hospitable. But few of them speak the English language
fluently; they mostly talk French and Chinook jargon.[157] They
cultivate but little land, but that little is well done, and the rich
soil well repays them for the labor expended upon it. I could not
satisfactorily ascertain the population of the settlement, which I much
regretted.
The old Methodist mission is nearly opposite to what is now called
Matheny's Ferry. It was reported to me to have been one of the first
missions occupied in the valley, but has been abandoned on account of
the overflowing of the river. It consists of only several dilapidated
buildings.[158] The soil is gravelly, inclined to barren, with a grove
of pines near by.
This place for a number of years was under the superintendance of the
Rev. Jason Lee. It is here that the remains of his wife are interred;
a tombstone marks her resting place, which informs the passer by
that she was the first white woman {97} that was buried in Oregon
Territory,--together with the place of her nativity, marriage, &c.[159]
The unfortunate location of the mission, and the circumstances under
which Mrs. Lee died, no doubt have had great influence in creating that
unfavorable impression of the country in the mind of Mr. Lee, which he
has expressed in some of his letters. The country surrounding the
mission is covered mostly with scrubby oak and pine trees.
From the mission the road proceeds up the valley, alternately through
groves of oak and pine, fern plains, and grassy prairies, in which are
several farms, with convenient buildings. After pursuing this route
about ten miles, we come to an improvement of several hundred acres,
surrounded with small groves of oak. Here the soil is quite gravelly,
and not very rich.
Nearly opposite the mouth of the Rickerall is the Methodist Institute,
which was located at this place when it was ascertained that the
Willamette would overflow its bank at the old mission. My opinion is,
that the location is a good one, being in a high and healthy
neighborhood, and nearly central of what will be the principal
population of the valley for long years to come.