Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1845-02-22

owns hundreds oil them. MT. Wyetn, 1udlclouS
traveller through this section, deems it, for pro
ducing hides, tallow and beef, superior to any
part OF North America. Sheep might be raised
10 any extent, and it is one OF the healthiest
countries 10 the world.
g. The third division is the high country,
lying between the Blue Mountains on the west
and the Rocky Mountains on the east. The
southern part is desert Of steep rocky noun |
tans, deep narrow valles and wide sandy plains,
The distinguishing features OF this region are its
extreme dryness, and the great difference in the !
temperature between the day and the night. I'LL
seldom rains; there is very little snow in the
vallies in winter and no moisture is deposited
in dews. A difference OF forty degrees in the
thermometer between sunrise and noon is not
uncommon. The surface is besides so strongly
impregnaed with salts as to render cultivation
almost impossible. In this region are the sources
Of all the chief branches Of the Columbia, the
northernmost rising near the 54th and the south.
ernmost near the 42d parallels of latitude.
There are many lakes in this section, some Of
which communicate with the Columbia, and
others, having no outlet, are salt The largest
of the salt lakes is Lake Youta, of which the
situation and extent are mperfectly known. The
northern part Of this region is less barren than
that Just described. The vallies are wider, the
rains more frequent and the soil is freed from
salt by the Numerous streams which traverse it.
The country east Of the Rocky Mountains is for
more than two hundred miles dry and barren,
affording no manner Of support for population,
except in the immediate vicinity OF streams, and
offering formidable obstacle to the settlement
OF the western territory.
These three regions comprise the OREGON
territory, now in dispute between the United
States and Great Britain. 1t derives its chief
value from the Columbia river. The northern.
most branch OF this great stream is Canoe river,
which rises near the 5ith degree Of latitude.
Near the SD, in its progress south. it is joined by
two others, OF place called by the traders Boat
Encampment. or these two, one flows from
the south along the base of the Rocky Noun.
tains, the other rises in great gorge Of that
chain. near the line OF 50 degrees and in the
t immediate vicinity of the highest land on the
Western Continent. Travellers describe the
scene as one of terrific desoaton From this
point the streams run south 200 miles, where
t the Columbia river receives McGillivray's river,
and soon after Clarke's both flowing from the
, Rocky Mountains. Clarke's river, which is
nearly as large as the Columbia, rises near the
head waters of the Missouri; the intervening ridge
is not very high; and it may form one of the great
channels Of future communication. The Clarke
rushes into the Columbia over a ledge Of rocks,
and then both pass the Blue Mountains at Kettle
Falls, just below which, in latitude 4S degrees
81 is Fort Colville, one Of the principal estab.
shments Of the IIudson's Bay Company. The
country in the vicinity is very fertile and agreea
be- Thence the Columbia flows due west,
? receiving the Spokan from the southeast, about
100 miles, 10 the junction with the Okanagan,
a large stream from the north, where the Hnd.
sons Bay Company have another Fort. Thence
the Columbia runs south to the latitude Of 46
degrees s minutes, and then joins the Lewis OF
Snake river This river rises in the angle
formed by the Rocky and Snowy Mountains, be,
tween the 4lst and 41th parallels near the
J sources OF the Colorado, the Platte, the Yellow
Stone, and the Mssouri;-hows westward
, through the Snowy Mountains to the Salmon
? Falls; thence northwest to its junction with the
Columbia. The Columbia, below the junction
, receives the Walla .walla, the Umatalla, John
Days river, and the Falls river from the south
a and then passes though the range of mountains
nearest the Pacific, under the 10th parallel OIL
latitude. Below the Wallawalla, the Columbia
t forms many rapids, some of which are impassa.
d BILE at low water but passable at high water.
t both up and down. Five miles below the Falls
y are the DaLIeS, or narrows, where the river
rushes through a space not more than $50 feet
wide, walled in by basaltic columns on both
sides and SO miles lower are the Cascades,
which are impossible at al! times. This point is
l26 miles from the ocean, the tide comes up to
it, and the navigation is good for vessels drawing
not more than fourteen feet OF water. At a
distance OF about one hundred miles from the
Pacific, or the north side OF the Columbia
stands Fort Vancouver, the principal establish.
, ment OF the Hudson's Bay Company, west oil
3 the Rocky Mountains. 1t consists OF a number
e Of wooden buildings, within stockade, saw
!, mill and grst mill, and the number OF inhabi.
S tants is about S00 several hundred acres of land
S are under cultivation. The Wallamet enters
the Columbia from the south, about 20 miles
= below Vancouver; it is navigable for small YES
y sells 20 miles from its mouth. AT the head oil
its navigation is delightful valley, where two
settlements have been made, one by retiring ser.
e wants of the Hudson's Bay Company, and
+ another by American citizens, chiefly from this
] city. Astoria is on the Columbia, eight miles
r from its mouth. The Columbia enters the
c Pacific between two points Of land one on the
0 north called Cape Disappointment, or Cape
e Hancock, and the other Point Adams. From
J., each a sand.bar RUS into the water, above
which the waves OF the Pacific on the one side
5 and the torrents of the Columbia on the other
e meet with terrific violence, forming a line OIL
breakers which renders the entrance aud depar.
ture of vessels always hazardous, and often i'm.
possible. The depth of water between the bars
is 80 feet at the lowest. The river abounds in
5 fish, especially salmon, which forms the principal
. support Of 10000 savages who inhabit the FIRST
/, and middle regions Of the Oregon.
Tur Wa m II. crroys The D;ch