The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-10-09

fuss was going on. landed safe and sound at the
Willamette, the 10Th of November, wearied and
starved out, but there is plenty to eat and drink
AS soon as landed the people gathered around me,
qulzzing me with how do you do! how goes raw
hide? you have seen hard timesl But says |, all is
right, all is well, not days sickness have | seen
with all my hardshlps and privatlons. have rested
here about two weeks, and gained two pounds per
day This place is Oregon City; has been built up
this and last year; the greatest water power in the
word the falls are about twenty-five feet; solid rock
across the Willamette river; two saw mills, two
Touring mills erected and now in full operation; wa
ter power enough TO run thousand mills and facto-
ries; five stores two blacksmith shops, and mocha
MICS OF all kinds; all new buildings in this town.
plenty OF lumber OF the finest quality; number of
dwellings, erected; clothing and other necessaries of
life can now be procured; shoes and boots since
last tall; none until now wore moccaslns all the last
year; the rainy season sets In about the 10Th OF No
vember, and continues until the last OF January
February clear and beautiful month, warm and
pleasant, strawberry blossoms out, grass green
green all the year round; very little frost now lit
lie snow, which mets as it falls.
There has been but very little sickness here this
winter after the exposures OF the party the mecca
sins we wore were made by the natives in fine styles
are pleasant in summer, but unpleasant in winter ;
we wear buckskln pantaloons and leather hunting
shirts / have travelled more in Oregon than any
other of our company the Willamette Valley is
rich and extensive, with large praires, with borders
Of the finest timber will say in the world fur, ASH
oak, memel, lynn, cotton wood, well wood, white,
yeIOW anu req rom ZCU 10 4UU IeeL nigh; nine
saw logs OF Is feet and IL or II rail cuts, off
one tree; great quantities cedars; climate neither
hot nor cold very even temperature berries in
abundance OF many klnds--straw, black, rasp, whor
fruit will soon be plenty game of all kinds, from
bears down to mice elks and wild horses in album
dance, running over the praries like buffaloes you
can buy them tor five or SIX dollars a head; take
them as they run they are caught with a rope as
the Spanards catch wild cattle; tame cattle are
very dear COW $40, yoke of oxen 800, pair of
tame horses SIS to $40 The rivers abound with
salmon; the Indians fish constantly and sell to whites
oysters, CLAIMS, and other shell fish the coast in
abundance. Wheat yields from twenty-five to thirty
bushels per acre; potatoes from three five hundred
oats and peas thirty; corn has not yet been tried TO
mems wages from $50 to $4 per day; wheat, 81 per
bushel; potatoes, 62l cents; peas, ST. OATS 10 CENTS
corn, 81; clothing and goods Of all kinds cheap
being imported by the Hudson Bay Company free Of
duty Ships sail up the Columbia river to Vanc9u-
YER and discharge their cargoes, and take in beef,
pork, potatoes, &c, for the Sandwich Islands and
Russian possessions. Great quantities of fur Ia ship
ped TO England. From fourteen to eighteen days
sail to the Sandwihc Islands these Islands afford
moasses, sugar, spices and fruits of various kinds
Sixty to seventy days sail to China; six days to
California; five hundred miles they tell it is set
tleable; all the way have come down the coast on
Cape Disappointment, got oysters clans; and cross
ed the Bay In an Indian canoe, six miles across; ii
is called Bakers Bay; five OF us and one Indian
went across, we saw three whales between us and
the shore The Columbia is a large and beautiful
river; tide GIBBS and flows at Voncnuver, thirty
miles from this; there two large ships laying at
VoncRuver now, and one in the Willamette river,
six miles from this town; she Is a Yankee vessel
from Newburyport, Mass. Astoria is twelve miles
up from the mouth OF Columbia river; this is where
John Jacob Astor erected a trading house; 1t will
become place of great business.
The shore of Columbia river is broken and heavily
| timbered. Lumber at the Sandwich Islands is very
high and in great demand; we supply the whole
continent We have large French settlement in
| the Territory, and the Frenchmen have squaws for
breeds, both men and women. They have plenty OF
hogs and cattle, &c. There are also lack o! In
dlans, male or femae-housands OF them, all through
this region, mostly very poor, some naked, some
clothed As for the Missionaries, | would advise
their recall; we do not think they of any use OF
benefit to the lndians-hey great at Specializing
out OF the Indians, buying what they get at very
/ low prices. Where you see Missionaries, you see
bad Indians, no Missionaries, good Indians. These
men are naughty, proud set, and care for nothing
but themselves. Had ii been for the Hudson Bay
Company we must have suffered. although the Mis-.
sionares had plenty. DR.. Mclaughlin, the chief
factor of the Hudson Bay Company, has been a
father to this emigration like the good Samaritan
ne has fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and min
lsered to all our wants; he is very rich man; his
kindness will be long remembered
One thing is lacking in this country, and that is
girls-not over dozen in this country. Oh, how
| old maids would glory here; ! do not see white
woman once IN a month. All the young men keep
bachelors hail. have got me a fine claim, one mile
square, two mill sites on it, best OF timber all around
it, | wish brother James was here: his business
| (wagon-making) would be good. wish you were
all out here. Come, and come by water; and
| bring me somehingifor wife. This Is bound to be
| as fine country any part of the Union. AS for
me, have now settled down. ] can 60 no further
West-I have actually stepped one foot beyond, into
and expect to get half dozen more. They are low
| now. | can talk some Indian and some French
There is party of men going the mountains
which will carry my letter to Missouri want you
qurlng friends. l am as happy as coon in corn
ied-am not home sick, have plenty of friends, see
good times, and enjoy myself we'll
SAINT. CHASE.