Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1843-03-01
Oregon--The New Eel Dorado.

tractive sketch Of The territory beyond the
Rocky Mountains, which is now the theme OF
debate in the U. S. Senate -
Within a few years several Americans, oI
whom The writer Of This notice is one, have
crossed the Rocky Mountains 10 the mouth ol
The Columbia, with objects entirely unconnecl-
ed with trade or commerce. Mine was The
desire TO see a new country, love of adven-
lure for It's own sake, and an enthusiastic fond
ness for natural history.
The parry with which | travelled left Inde-
rendence, Missouri, about the latter part OF
April, 1884, and arrived at the British for,
Vancouver in September, having performed the
whole journey on horseback. From this time
until October. 1886, with the exception of the
first winter, which | passed at The Sandwich
Islands, my residence was in the Territory Of
Oregon. DR.. Mclaughlin, the chief factor
treated me with uniform and singular kindness,
supplying all my wants, and furnishing me
with every facility in the prosecution of my
plans. This is, believe, the uniform charac-
ter Of the superintendent of British forts in
that country. Travellers, naturalisis, and all
who are mol traders, are kindly and most hos
pitably treated, but the moment The visiter is
known 10 trade beaver skin from an Indian,
iha, moment he is elected from the community
The Company has sum of money, amounting
TO several hundred thousand pounds sterling,
for the sole purpose of opposing all who may
come 10 interfere with lis monopoly, by purch-
asng a, exorbiiant prices all the furs in posses.
sion of the Indians, and thus forcing tie settler
to come 10 Terms, or driving him from The coun-
try. liz il be an individual who is thus starved
into submission, be then usually clears piece
OF land on the Wallamme, river, fakes an Indian
wife, and purchases furs OF the natives, which,
by previous contract, he is bound 10 sell TO the
Company, al an advance which is fixed BY the
Governor.
Fort Vancouver, the principal trading pos; of
The Oregon, stands on The north bank Of The
river, about ninety miles from lis mouth. The
fort consists of several dwellings, Store houses,
work shops, &c; all of frame, arranged in a
quadranguisr form, and surrounded By a stock
ade Of pine logs, about twenty feet III height
The fort has 40 bas,ions, and contains no arm
ament. There are, 10 be sure, four great guns
lrowning in front of the Governors mansion,
Two long eigh,eens, and two nne-pounders, but
two Of these have long been spiked, and the
others unfit for service.
The rainy season commences here abou, the
middle of October, and continues until the
FIRST of April During this period, the weather
is almost uniformly dull, foggy, or rainy. Some
times rain falls necessarily for The space of
two or three weeks. Occasionally, during the
winter months there will be slight fall of
snow, and in the winter pf 1885 and g, the
river was frozen over This intensity OF cold,
however, continued but few days, and was
said 10 be very unusual. The general range of
The thermometer ( Fahrenhelt's) during that
season was from 36 deg. TO As deg, but for
three or four days The mercury was as low as
% deg.
In the vicinity of Fori Vancouver the cattle
Craze during tie whole winter no siablIng or
sall-leeding is ever requisite, as the extensive
plains produce the Gnesi and most abundant
crops oil excellent prairie grass.
La choosing site for settlement on ibe main
river, II is always necessary 10 bear III mind
The periodical lnundatious. Fot, Vancouver
liseli, though built upon high piece of land,
al The distance OF SIX hundred yards from the
common rise of The iides, is sometimes almost
reached by The lreshe,s IN early spring. The
>oiI here ON both sides of the river is rich
black loan, The base being basaltic rock.
The face Of The country from Fort George
(Asiona) To Vancourer--a distance of eighty
mles--ls very much of uniform character,
consisting Of aIluvlal meadows along the river
banks, alternating with forests of pine, oak, &c.
while behind are extensive plains, some Of
which receive esiuaries of The river, while
others are watsred by lakes or ponds. The
pine forests are very extensive, the trees being
Il H.,
beautiful. All The timber of the genus pinus,
of which there are a great number Of species,
is gigantic. | measured, with DR.. GaIrdnar,
surgeon Of the fort, pine of the species
Douglass, which had been prostraied by the
wind. It's height was above two hundred feet,
and its circumference fory-6ye feet Large
as was this specimen, its dimensions are much
exceeded by ono measured by the late David
Douglas. The height Of The Tree was nearly
three hundred feet, and US circumference thirty