The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1841-05-28
"ANLLEY or JgE w NLuNNErl, I
"Syptcabcr II, lSi0.

| "liy dur Bolir:--
..Thc 18th June, w left Fort Nmcou-
yer for the Walhanttt Station. After
rowing hard all DAP and part of the
Inight. we eucampd seven miles below
the Falls of the Wahamett riycr,-cXpos-
ed (, many dangers. We reached the
. Mission next day, about two hours after
dirk, much faligud. We were warmly
received and hcaliIy welcomed to Ore
gon. | commelccd labor the l7lh, put
ting up a small grist mill and gramcry :;
and have since pvt up thrcShmg MILL
and many other Jobs of small notice. |
have Just commenced work on saw mill,
eight miles above the mission. Whilst
ON my way up the other morning killed
a prairie wolf, the second one of those
very annoying beasts of he forest, which
| have killed since | have been here.
They are very numerous in these wilds.
IL will give you 4 very short account
of the country, &c. This country, in the
first place, is not worthy Of being compa,
red with the western States, in point OF
beauty OF goodness. There is but little
farming land in this country. The Wal
hamctt Valley is the largest portion o
farming land in the Territory. The Val
ley is about eighty miles in length, anc
from hoy q"oricr to ten miles in width
This Valley IS cut up in pieces by tho
mountains which rise up Immediately
from the river, About ouc-halr of tho
prairie is 4 solid mass Of washed gravel
As for the other portions of farming land
IN the country, now and then, you may
find a piece Of ground which is large
enough to make a small farm on. Blu
they are few and far between. In my
Judgment this is poor farming country
at best. Wheat yields from ten to twenty
bushels, sometimes thirty, but seldom
Oats are poor; Corn does no good here
Potatoes are very poor,-gardcn ycgeta
bIcs are ordinary, This is the extent
Any thing else. but the salvation Of poo
heather souls, is not worthy of comm!
here after.
"Thcrc are many here at present VIII,
would get away if they could. But it il
SO iar from any settlement, that they ar,
not able to get away.-Thcrc are only
about two or three rains in the summc
and fall season. The climate is very
changcabIe; Thermometer ranges from
30 to 100 degrees. 1t is with much dill
iculty that persons can travel through
! the heat of the sun unshadcd. 1t is ais
an extremely unhealthy climate, and i
very relaxing. There have not been we
persons enough to attend on the sick i
the Observation-Disclosures Lees wife is ;
this time laying at the point Of dealt
All persons who come TO this counr
subject themselves TO numerous ills, an
hardohips and priyations Of every charaC
ter. Many deep grounded sigh wi
Involuntary escape from their bosom>
from Il fond recollection Of what the
have left behind thcm---a civilized coul
try-a beloved family circle--a well o
fganizcd community code of wholsom
laws to be governed by-aud a social an
religious community to enjoy. All ,
these are out of the question hcre--thc
arc not 10 be enjoyed hcre.-Thcre
scarcely any human beings to be see
but the tawny faces of the aborlgincs ,
the country. | am making all the pr,
grcss possible TO acquire the Indian Ian!
uage, that | may be able TO communical
good to their souls. | very much lc,
for the salvation of the poor degrade
heather OF Oregon; yes, dcgradcd---ctc
nally lost without salvation.
"ThcSe poor miserable creatures wi
wander, from the time they arc able
walk, till they die with old age. Whcr
ever they make a stop for short tim,
they will sick up few forks with son
poles acIoss--covcrng with sticks, ban