Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-10-02

The soil is generally fertile, though per
haps not equal to some on the Mississippi
and Ohio. Its quality, however, SHOULD
think, through the whole of 1t, will aver
age with respect to fertility and the as
pect of its surface, the lands of New Eng
land.
Wherein then, do you ask, consists it
advantages answer IN climale. Fo
here the farmer has not to labor half thu
summer and all the winter to provide fo
his animals--he is not compelled to fence
and plough, and sow his seed in one or t7ot
short months--he ploughs, and his cattle
craze the whole year. The settlers il
this valley have already raised one crop
which succeeded well. They have a few
cattle, horses and hogs, all which are il
good order, without any feeding through
the winter. Although we are in the lat
tude of Montreal, the farmers have beer
ploug Ching since January, the vegetable:
in the garden have remained nninured
through the winter. In favorable situa
lions The grass is already springing up
On the Wallameth saw two weeks ago
alders and willows in bloom and leaiing
out. Strawberries and brier bushes had
continued green through the winter.
Crops that are put in the ground as late
as July, yield plentiful harvest. There
is vast diffe, ace in the temperature on
the two sides of the Continent. Here
the summers are long and fine, and every
thing can be raised, that can be raised
with you or even in Virginia. have al
ready spoken of the vine and the peach,
tobacco has also been tried and with sue.
cess.
During November, Fahrenheit ranged
at noon from 49 degs. to Sc dogs. One
half of that month was as bright weather
as any | ever saw during that time there
was usually white frost every night.
am informed there fell during that month
4 l-2 inches rain. In December 9 inches;
frost but two or three times; thermome-
ter in the morning at 40 dogs. at noon
from 40 to SO degs.--rain from the S. and
5. E. East and North winds always bring
fair weather. Half of the mouth of JAN
nary the weather was as cold as has been
known in the region; there being con-
slant frost. AT one time the thermome-
ter ranged as low as II degs.-at noon
from 80 degs. to 40 degs. The Columbia
liver froze over; but the Willamette did
not. During the rest of January, the
weather was as usual; there fell but one
inch of rain. This month February has
been cloudy part Of the time. There
have been what you would call April
showers, but the amount Of rain that has
fallen is not great. We have had frost a
few times, though in the morning the
thermometer has usually stood at 40 degs
and at noon at so degs.--nigh the ocean
it is said it never freezes.
Upon the condition Of the country, gen,
orally so favorable, there is one draw
back the fever and ague. though never
known before, has prevailed here Tor
three years past--the whites applied the
usual remedies with effect; but with the
natives it proved fatal-sweePing oil
whole villages. The habit was, when the
fever came on, TO plunge themselves into
the water, which proved fatal TO them
People, however, have generally had il
but one season, and some not at all.
. As to society there is little that would
be deemed such by you in the civilized
world. The gentlemen of the Hudson
Bay Company, have said, generally arc
intelligent. Some Of them, as also the
farmers, have Indian women and half
breeds as they are called, for wives. They
are well pleased with their situation, ano
make, it is said, very good ones-leaining
to perform their domestic duties-to sew
cook, wash, &c. as good house wives, very
well. They appear very fond of then
children, take good care of them, ant
provide for their education. When ar
rived here, as you may well suppose,
was nigh destitute of clothing, bat ! was
soon furnished with good suit, made BY
the ladies Of the post.
The natives of this part Of the country
are very peaoeable, seldom making wal
on each other OF on the whites. They
manifest very different charac er from
the Indians on the east of the mountains
The native females as well as males veal
but little clothing, generally a kind Of
apron and a robe of dressed skin, or blank
ct thrown loosely about them They
wear nothing on their feet any part of the
year; but those who live with whites
adopt the European dress. So also man,
others do in part.
Your friend,
JOHN BAIL.
The Commissioners of the New York Ca