Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-02-20
from he Loa sri!tr journal.
THE OREGON COUNTRY

heaven. 1t IS the mere ,iddlings ,tf crea-
ton. 1t is almost as barren az the Desert
OF Africa, and squte as unheaty MS the
Campania Of Italy. To .eaye he fert lie
and salubrious lands on this side Of The
Rocky mountains, hnd 10 go beyond their
snowy sunmits a thousand miles, 10 be ex-
He'd from law society, and TO endeavor TO
extort food from the unwilling sand heaps
which are there GALE earth, is the maddest
enterprise that ever .luded foolish man.
We would moi be subjected to the inuumer-
able and Undesirable fortunes OF a Journey
to Oregon for all the soil that lis savage
hunters ever wandered o,e-. The Journey
lhtGer, ir'IIn al accounts, is horrible e.
nough bat It is paradisean when contrast
ed with the was cd miseries which besei
the WEIGHED eingrant when he has reach
ed The point where he lancied his unulera-
ble woes were 10 cease, but where he finds
they are TO be increased beyond all endu-
rance. OF the last party of emigranls
that left Missouri for Oregon, ONLY eight
died OF starvation before reaching Fort
Hall, which is bat half way to that county
that is reckoned nhabilablc by those who
nre alll cited with The Oregon mania.
We have already minated that the
Journey TO the Columbia river from this
country is attended W tn starvation and u
thousand other Eel cities. Ii the enigrant
Is so lucky rs to escape the panFa Of famine
and The bu Irts of the Cumanches on this
side of the Rocky Mountains, he may per-
hnps survive the long ard tedious ascent Of
the mountains. When he surmounts the
summit AMI b gins his downward journey,
The land of p omise, the dcccuble Canaan,
The lrnd Of flowing with milk ana honey.
spreading out lIlmtabIy before him. And
ia most raviShing prospcc! it is! There is
not a tree TO iinit the reach Of his impara-
dsed VISION. lis enchanted eve wanders
~ ecstacy over pill Of vocanc rocks and
sanyl-slonrs, iuterspe with GASES Of
Wild ~orm"ool and pricSly pears, ad Iibit
UNI. Nothing else can be seen on the
right or let, or in front. Behind him the
snowcIad peaks OF the mountains lift there
head> sabIimrly above the clouds, from
whose dizzy heights avalanchrs Of rocks
come tumhing down, giving the traveller
rare opportunities Of exhibiting his deXtcri
~ ia gel ing oat Of the line they take
amu>emcnt IA pursuing. This is the first
glimpse The happy cmigrant gets of the
bliss.uI Oregon. AS he deccnds the ever
lasting Western slopes of the mountains, |
the rocks seem to diminish, while the only
green things. NORWOOD and the prickly
pear. seem 10 Increase. Even here moth |
ing seems 10 be created in vain: for the |
wormwoud, ii man have courage to !
swallow ii. nttDids some relief TO the infrm |
md shrive!oI siOmachs which invariably |
prevailed IN that part Of the Journey, ahe |
tha prckly pear not only scratches his
shins which itch iutoerably in co nsequcnce
OF the bite of iunamerable sand ticks, but
affords him agreeable dive fson before the
camp ii { at night in pulling out the
eyre Ous thprns which are ever ready To
exchange their hold on the parent pear
for softer iocttion on the legs Of man. -
The trav' Her on his part Of his Journey
has nothing to fear from Indians or pan
Tiers or red mouihcd catamounts, as these |
animals are 81 glulonnuS in their natures
that they will no! stray where the hope of
full stomach is gross deiusion TO the
fancy.
Those sections of Oregon, that are most
ndvnntageously situated for culture and
profit, are unhealthy, and abound in reptiles
aud insects. which render life almost in
supportab'c. There are moccasns, cop
per. heads rattle snakes scorpions, Lizards, |
llrantuias Il aS, ticks, mosqu toes, gall |
nippcrs, and other pess, o. which neither |
entomology nor hrrpetology gives any ac-
count OCalt the &c Infamous pests the Orc
gon muSqurucs are said 10 be the most I'M
enduraJle from their numbers and inSatia-
BILE voracitv. Whenever enterprise, fate,
or horsc-Ae>h carries an unfortunate wretch
10 the romantic shores Of the Columbia
river, the .ru>qulloeS pty their respects Ia
HIM in cOuntie IS mull tudes. aud attach |
themselves with un emitting and uureent-
ing closenesS 10 him aa long as he, or any |
cataLlc and duakable portion OF his body, |
remains. Wherever the mud IS sufficient
~ ocaginous 10 produce mosquitoes, they
swarm from il in Il ,cks which obscure the
sun at nooadly After these rapicious in
sec,s have eaten nj the tiesh from thu bones
the autumnal agu,s commence their inter
csting experiments. Persons who reside
in the swamps Of luoiS, on the Wabash
bottom IN Indiana, or ol the lowlands Of
Red river, tilttcr themselves that their
knowle Ige Of the aSue is consulate; but
It IS reserved to hos irruaate individuals,
who reside in the smiling valley Of the
WQllaA,m II, l. be ca .reL 10 the seventh !
hcavea of delight on the wings Of immor
tal agucs. There are parts OF Arabia Felix
Of which the heart . a lover Of nature
never v>@rics the happy valley, accord