Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-01-20
OREGON.

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various expeditions into the interior,
had now given the Astorians some idea
of the country. The whole coast is
/ described as remarkably rugged and
mountainous: with dense forests OF
hemlock, spruce, white and red cedar,
cotton wood, white oak, white and
swamp ash, willow, and few walnut.
There is likewise an underground OF
aromatic shrubs, creepers, and clam
bering vines, that render the forest al
most impenetrable; together with ber-
ries Of various kinds, such as goose
berries, strawberries, raspberries, both
red and yellow, very large and finely
favored whortleberries, cranberries,
serviceberries, blackberries, currants,
sloes, and wild and chokeberries.
/ Among the Towering vines is one
of particular notice. Each flower is
composed of six leaves or petals, a.
bout three inches in length, Of beau
tiful crimson, the inside spotted with
white. Its leaves Of fine green, are
oval and disposed in threes. This plant
climbs upon the trees without attach
ing itself to them; when it has reach
cd the toPmost branches, it descends
perpendicularly, and as it continues to
grow, extends from tree to tree, until
its various stalks interlace the grove
like the rigging o. ship. The stems
or trunks Of this vine are together and
more flexible than the willow aud are
from fifty to one hundred fathoms in
length. from the fbres, the Indians
manufacture baskets of such close tex
ture as to hold water.
The principle quadrupeds that had
been seen by the colonists in their
various expeditions, were the stag, fall
low deer, hart, black and grizzly bear,
antelope, ahsatah or big horn, sea and
river otter, muskrat, fox, wolf, and
panther, the latter extrememely rare.
The only domestic animals among the
natives were horses and dogs.
The country abonnded with aquatic
and land birds, such as swans, wild
geese, brant, ducks of almost every
description. pelicans, herons, gulls,
snipes, curlews, eagles, vultures, crows,
ravens, magpies, woodpeckers, pleas
ants, pigeons, patridgcs, grouse, and
great vcriety Of singing birds.
There were but few reptiles; the on
ly dangerous kind was the rattlesnake,
and one striped with black, yellow and
white, about four feet long. Among
the lizard kind was one about nine or
ten inches in length, exclusive Of the
tail, and three inches in circumference.
The tail was round, and of the same
length as the body. The head was tri-
angular, covered with scales, green,
yellow, black and blue. Each foot had
five toes, furnished with strong nails,
probably to aitlit in hurrowing, as it
usually lived under ground on the
plains. -
A remarkable fact, characteristic of
the country west of the Rocky Noun
tains, is the mildness and equabiity of
the climate. The great mountain bar
rier seems TO divide the continent into
different climates, even in.the same lat
itudc. The rigorous winters and sui
try summers, and all the capricious in
CAPABILITIES of temperature prevalent on
the Atlantic side Of the mountains, are
but little felt on their western declivi-
ties. The countries between them and
the Pacific are blest with milder and
steadier temperature, resembling the
climates of parallel latitude in Europe.
In the plains and valleys but little
snow falls throughout the winter, and
usually melts while falling. 1t rarely
lies on the ground more than two days
at time, except on the SUBMITS Of the
mountains. The winters are rather
rainy than cold. The rains for five
months, from the middle Of October
to the middle of March, are almost in
cessant, and often accompanied by ire
mendous thunder and lightning. The
winds prevalent at this season of the
year are from tho south and southeast.
which usually brings rain. Those from
the north to the southwest are the har-
blngers OF fair weather and clear sky.
The residue Of the year, from the mid
die of March to the middle of Octo-
Der, an interval of seven months, is Sc
rene and delightful. There is scarcely
rain throughout this time: yet the face
Of the country is kept verdant and
fresh by nightly dews, and occasionally
by humid fogs in tho mornings. These
are not considered prejudicialto health.
since both the natives and the white.
sleep in the open air with perfect i'm
nlInitv While THE ao,.L1 80