The Divisions are separately considerd—The Climate—Rivers and
Agricultural Resources—Mineral and Geological Character.
The first or eastern division of Oregon can at present be considerd
worth little else than to hold the world together. It, however,
furnishes a tolerably good conveyance towards the ocean for some of the
waters of Oregon, that take their rise in the Rocky mountains and
elsewhere along the western declivity of the continent near to the
dividing ridge.
The surface of this division is undulating. Some of its rivers traverse
the country along their beds, from five hundred to more than one
thousand feet below the common surface. Although along the emigrant
route this division measures about seven hundred miles in width, yet its
true width may not much exceed six hundred,—and little else is seen but
a country destitute of soil and vegetation, excepting wild sage, and
except also along the rivers and some of the valleys, where detachd
portions of grass are seen. The valley along the emigrant route, through
which the Powder river waters pass, is a level plain, and it would be a
delightsome Eden, had it soil, and were it coverd with luxuriant
grasses.
I am here led to remark, that the analysis of the soil here, made by
Col. Fremont on his way through this valley, to foreign readers might
produce much misunderstanding relative to the soil of the country
generally. Although the analysis here producd may be such as indicates
good soil, yet with a little exaggeration it may be said that another
shovelful of earth would have taken nearly all the soil of the whole
valley.
* * * * * * * *
Across the middle division of Oregon by way of the emigrant route, from
Grand Round valley to Barlow’s gate, at the east side of the Cascade
range of mountains, is about 212 miles, though probably in a direct
course it would be some less than 200. The Blue mountains traversing
this division, give rise to some rivers that checker its visage, but
they are of minor importance, and nearly dried up in the summer, from
the long absence of rains in those parts. This division compares very
well with the eastern, in point of barrenness and disadvantages
generally for the promotion of settlement and improvements of any kind.
* * * * * * * *
I come now to consider the western division of Oregon—the only one on
which settlements of any considerable extent have been effected,
although Dr. Whitman succeeded in maintaining a small position on the
Walla Walla river, till the fall of 1847, at which time himself and wife
were killd by the Indians of his own fostering, growing out of a
dissatisfaction relative to his treatment with them. And although it is
thought by many that the doctor acted in all good conscience towards
them, yet through blind zeal and probably a sectarian influence from
other denominations of religionists, they were led to believe that the
doctor was taking measures to undermine their liberties, and ultimately
to overthrow and destroy them.
From the east side of the Cascade range of mountains westwardly to the
Pacific ocean the western division ranges from 150 to 200 miles in
width, and extending from north to south through the whole length of the
Oregon territory.
* * * * * * * *
In remarking upon the several distinct subjects that come to hand
relative to Oregon, I am first led to notice its climate.—The climate of
Oregon may be considerd a healthy one, though it is subject to
considerable changes from year to year. The summer seasons are generally
dry, with warm days and cool nights, from the first of July to the first
of October, though the rainy season, as it is calld, does not commence
much before November, at which time, and for three or four months after,
the land becomes so saturated with water, and the streams so swollen,
that little passing is done by the citizens from one place to another.
Soon after the rainy season commences in the valleys, the mountainous
portions begin to be coverd with snow, and it continues to accumulate
upon them at every successive storm, till in many places the snow
becomes nearly thirty feet deep, which lasts until quite the latter part
of the succeeding summer, before it entirely disappears.
The winter seasons are very variable. During some of the winters, the
grasses of the valleys remain green, garden vegetables are verdant, and
but little frost is seen. Others again, for three months, the earth is
bound up with frost, and the rivers are frozen over of sufficient
thickness to bear passages of considerable burden.
So far as the health of this country is concernd, it is true that some
sickness prevails, but it may be in a great measure owing to the
physical change in the physiology of the human system, in passing from
the States to a country so different in climate. After emigrants become
acclimated here, the blood becomes of a bright scarlet red, being much
more aerated or oxygenized than exists in the system in any of the
southern States of America, and consequently better health may be
inferd. At some seasons of the year, along some of the rivers, ague and
fever exists, but it is generally of a very mild character, and medicine
takes a speedy and salutary effect upon the human system.
The description of the climate here given of Oregon, being applicable to
the western division does not in all respects apply to the two eastern
divisions. The whole of Oregon lying east, of the Cascade range of
mountains, is much drier, having less rains at any time, than the
portion lying west of them.
It is often quite cold in winter, and being very dry in summer, renders
it truly a desert country.
The rivers of Oregon of any considerable notice, are well known to most
readers. Although Columbia river is much the largest in the territory,
and produces the greatest drainage of any one, yet it does not by a
considerable amount drain all of the waters of Oregon that find their
way to the Pacific ocean. Green river, commencing at Fremont’s peak, in
the Wind river mountains, is the principal source of the great Rio
Colerado of Calafornia. The great Sacramento of upper Calafornia, has
its principal source in Oregon. Other rivers though less in size, yet
nevertheless, rivers that are likely to become rivers of considerable,
importance, indent the western coast, and furnish their own drainage to
the Pacific ocean. Those rivers which fall most immediately under the
notice of actual settlers of the present day, are comprisd within the
western division of Oregon. They are Willamet, the Umpqua and the
Klamet, with their several tributaries. These rivers and their
tributaries form valleys of moderate extent, and furnish many tolerable
good farms to those who love a romantic life among the hills and vales
of an undulating country. Wheat, oats, neat cattle and horses, are the
principal sources of wealth which is derivd from the soil at present.
Indian corn is not much cultivated in Oregon, its summers being too dry
for corn to thrive well. The swine of the country look well fattend upon
wheat, but the ox is mostly usd here for food.
I ought here to remark that the wheat of this country is of a superior
quality. It is free from all those attending evils very common at the
east, such as smut, rust and wheat sickness.—The weevil is not known
here at present. The wheat of this country grows with a very stiff
stalk, which enables it to stand erect for a great length of time. This
furnishes the farmer during the dry season of the year an opportunity to
secure his abundant crop.
The mineral resources of Oregon hitherto, have receivd but little
attention. Gold has been discoverd only sparingly.—Copper is said to
exist on the Cowlits, a small tributary to the Columbia river, on the
north of it, having its source in the direction of Puget’s sound.
Lead has of late been seen upon the Santyam. It is thought by some
persons that it may be obtaind there in considerable quantities, but as
the minds of the Oregon people are at present directed to the gold mines
of California, little attention will be paid to mining operations at
home. Iron exists in large quantities in the Cascade mountains. Along
the emigrant route, I have seen iron probably as rich as 80 per cent.
The soil of the whole division west of the Cascade range is tingd of a
reddish color by the red oxide of iron. This oxide in some places is so
abundant as to injure the soil. In other places the soil is not
materially injurd by it. In some places along the rocky bluffs of some
of the rivers, iron ore is quite rich. I observd one of those places in
the bluffs east of the Willamet falls, at the south end of Oregon city,
where the road, leading to the top of the highest bluff is excavated.
From my own observations in traveling over the western division, I am
confident that there is no lack of iron ore in almost every part, and so
soon as the inhabitants are ready to turn their attention to it, their
necessary supplies will be furnishd from their own country.
The next subject relative to the Oregon country is its geological
character. In remarking upon the geology of this country several
departments of the science are presented to view. First, there are three
ranges of mountains running nearly parallel with each other from north
to south.
The eastern range which bounds the eastern side of Oregon, is along the
dividing ridge of the American continent. If the question be asked, why
this dividing ridge? the geologist alone attempts an answer. From the
accumulation of facts hitherto adducd of the liquidity of the earth’s
interior, and the discharge for ages of its internal liquid matter upon
the already formd crust, it is evident that its nucleus must become less
than at first, and thereby produce a rigid and furrowd appearance of the
crust, by its conforming through the power of gravitation to a lesser
surface than that on which it was at first formd. Altho’ isolated peaks
of mountain ranges may be formd by accumulation of lava, and
considerable districts may be raisd by the pressure of gasses from
beneath, yet so considerable an elevation as the dividing ridge of the
American continent can never be formd in such a way.
Oregon is truly an uneven and mountainous country. It is true that in
passing from the dividing ridge westward, there are a few situations
where the traveler views the country around him as apparently level, but
this appearance continues on advancing along, but a short distance, till
he is plunged into almost inextricable gulfs and deep ravines. The Blue
mountains or intermediate range between the dividing ridge and the
Cascade range, are of minor importance. They traverse no considerable
extent of country, nor are they very wide. They have a volcanic
appearance, and are strewd over with vescicular lava.
The Cascade range of mountains are more extensive, traversing by
different names the whole of Oregon and California, at a distance of
from 100 to 200 miles from the Pacific ocean. Some of its peaks are high
and coverd with perpetual glaciers. This range, like the dividing ridge,
seems to have been elevated by compression.
Between the Willamet valley and the ocean, is a range of high hills
calld the Coast range. These are too rugged to admit of cultivation.
The western shore of Oregon is rocky, and in many places precipitous. If
the theory that ocean beds are formd by undulations in the earth’s crust
be true, the query might arise, Why are ocean limits of precipitous
rocks of the firmest material, as is the case with many of the ocean
shores, and not a gradual slope from the land downward to the bed of the
ocean? If it be admitted that rivers are formd by the expansive force of
gasses acting beneath the earth’s crust, it may be supposd that a
fissure by similar means may be formd parallel and near to the shore of
an ocean, so that its waters by their weight may produce a subsidence of
that portion lying under them, whilst that part opposite the fissure
remaind stationary.
Oregon may be regarded as a primary country. Few fossiliferous rocks are
seen in any part of it. I noticd on the west bank of Big Sandy creek,
about thirty miles west of South pass, a few fossiliferous shale rocks.
I have not noticd any in other places, though they may exist sparingly.
From the American falls on Snake river, for several hundred miles
westward the country is overlaid with a stratum of basaltic lava. This
seems to be the true basalt, and although the rocks of the Willamet
river at Oregon city have been considerd by some as basalt, from their
extreme hardness, yet I have noticd that the surface of those rocks,
after having been exposd to the weather, become a mere sand rock, by the
loss of the iron with which they are impregnated. It is well known to
mineralogists, that iron becomes soluble by the action of the atmosphere
upon it, by which means water carries it from its parent bed to lower
levels, where it is deposited, under the name of bog ore. The rocks at
Oregon city consist of about three varieties of rock, differing not
essentially in their properties, though some of them appear to have been
subjected to so high a degree of heat as to render them somewhat
crystaline or vitreous. The rocks at Oregon city are so fully
impregnated with iron, that the magnetic needle, at some points along
these rocks, is drawn aside from its polar position.
From what information I have obtaind in addition to my own observation
respecting the rocks of Oregon, I am satisfied that few rocks except
those of a silicious formation, exist here. Along the Columbia river,
near its mouth, are a few lime rocks of inferior quality. At the Cascade
falls, are whole trees of silicious petrefaction, showing distinctly the
grains of the timber, and to what kind they belongd.
As the Willamet river has hitherto attracted the attention of actual
settlers more than any other tributary of the Columbia river, I have
concluded to give a more particular description of it than any other one
belonging to the Western division of Oregon. From its confluence with
the Columbia to the high country of its sources, the Willamet traverses
a distance of about two hundred miles in extent. Its union with the
Columbia is not much short of one hundred miles from the ocean. At the
mouth of the Willamet, is a delta fifteen or twenty miles in length,
calld Souvie’s island, running nearly parallel with the Columbia. This
island was formerly the residence of immense numbers of Indians. The
Hudson Bay Company at present occupy it for farming purposes. At the
eastern or upper mouth of the Willamet, are one or two other small
deltas, though of no importance.
About fifteen miles from the Columbia, on the west bank of the Willamet,
is a small town calld Portland. Ships of considerable burden visit this
place for their lading.
Five miles farther up, on the east side, is a town newly laid out by Mr.
Lot Whitcomb, calld Milwaukie. Vessels of considerable size can sail as
far up as this place.
Seven or eight miles farther up, on the east side, is a tributary calld
Clacamas. Its waters flow from the Cascade mountains. At the mouth of
this tributary are rapids, which prevent ships from sailing up to Oregon
city.
One mile farther up, is Oregon city on the east side, and Lynn city on
the west side of the Willamet river. Between these two places is a bay,
the waters of which are between three and four hundred feet deep. The
width of the bay is about thirty rods, near the upper end at the
crossing, and gradually widens downward to the Clackamas rapids.
Oregon city at present is built entirely upon the first terrace above
the waters of the bay, and being so narrow that there is but one street
that passes through the town lengthwise, excepting a Water street along
the shore of the bay. East of the present town and contiguous to it, is
a precipitous range of rocks, one hundred feet high from Main street,
and so near to it that there is but just room enough for the
accommodation of buildings with some very small gardens. On the top of
this bluff, which is a second terrace from the waters of the river, the
surveys for the town are extended, but no buildings have yet been
erected there. Still back of this at a short distance, is a third
terrace, elevated in hight equal to the surrounding country.
Oregon city is a new town, containing about 150 buildings, two saw
mills, one of which is a double mill, and two grist mills. At each of
these mills, water enough is wasted to carry four other mills. I think I
may justly say, that there is water power enough at Oregon city to carry
five hundred grist mills. It seems, on taking a view of the natural dam
at the upper end of Oregon city, that when the fissure now constituting
the river was formd, the paroxysmal effort from beneath causd a lateral
dismemberment of some of the rocks along the sides of the fissure, and
upon sliding down chokd up the chasm from one side to the other. Below
the falls, the terrace on which the town stands seems to have taken a
similar slide, but being filld in part with rubbish beneath, prevented
an entire union of the rocks, leaving the chasm now constituting the
bay.
The waters of the falls are precipitated over the cragged rocks at
several different places, foaming and tumbling with tremendous roar, to
the depth of thirty feet into the waters of the bay below.
About one mile and a half above the falls, on the west side of the
river, is the small tributary calld Twality, issuing from the coast
range.
Two or three miles farther up, is another slide of rocks, which chokes
up the entire stream, with the exception of a small chasm or two, too
narrow to admit boats of any considerable size to pass.
About twelve miles above Oregon city, on the east side of the river,
Molala and Pudding river waters unite with the Willamet. These two
tributaries have good supplies of water for mills. After having
collected their waters from the hilly country east, they meander about
over the land, and finally empty into the Willamet at one place.
About thirty miles above Oregon city, Yam creek unites with the
Willamet, on its west side, watering the country from the coast range in
two separate branches, till within about ten miles of the Willamet,
where they unite and form one.
Salem, a small town on the east side of the Willamet, about forty-five
miles above Oregon city, is the site of the missionary, Mr. Lee, of the
Methodist order, now no more. At this place, is a classical school of
considerable merit, the only one of importance in Oregon territory.
Rickreyall and Luckamute, on the west side of Willamet, contribute to
its waters, but little above Salem.
Still farther up, and not more than eight or ten miles above Salem or
the Institute as some call it, on the east side of the Willamet, is the
Santyam, a stream of considerable importance, the principal branch of
which flows from Mount Jefferson, one of the glacial peaks of the
Cascade range. The course of this river from Mount Jefferson to its
union with the Willamet, is not more than about forty miles.
Other tributaries of some importance still farther up, flow into the
Willamet, on both sides of it, till arriving at the high country of
their sources, where they ramify in all directions.
Leaving the subject of the Willamet river, I pass on to a description of
the forests and animals of Oregon.
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