Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-06-07
OREGON AS TT IS.

i TRIBUNE.
We propose shed such further light the character
settlement Of Oregon is afforded by "a Journal Of tn
Events Of the celebrated Emgang Expedition Of ls43 ap
pended to Mr. George Wikess 6 History"
The emgrants left Independence on the western borders
the Missouri settlements, on the nth Of May, ls4l The
writer arrived Vancouver nnety miles up the Columbia
and nearly opposite the mouth Of the Wanette on the 10Th
of November but the of the emgrants with their cattle
were some days behind, and did probably reach The set
Element on the Willamette before the LIST Of December. Al
all events, it good six months work with cat
tie and wagons the two thousand miles intervening between
Independence and the Willamette. It might be done ia
somewhat less time with horses ony but the hardshps Of this
mode, from hunger, exposure TO storms &c., infinitely
greater Stout may endure hem though the parties
Fanham and Fremont respectively suffered every thing short
OF death but ignorance and want of due forecast in the one
case and unreasonable exposure in the other greatly
waited their ssrngs The present is shorter easier
than that travesed by Mr. Fanham grass found over
good part Of it and where there grass those who drive
mich and bulocs in adequate numbers need not fear
starvation But the sery and desttuon Of ninsteen- TWEEN
eths of Oregon utterly uncomfortable by men who have
been accustomed only 10 the fertility and verdue Of the At
anlc slope and the valley Of the Mississippi Even the coun-
try for five hundred miles This side Of the Rocky Noun
barely saved from being cherries uniform desert
by the streams thrown off by the springs and the everlasting
of the Great Chain Of the Great Platte or Nebras
ka which about six hundred miles due east nearly u-
der the 43d degree Of latitude before untes with its south
branch, is said in the "Journap before us that like
the Nile it runs hundreds Of miles through ser wilderness
and like the Nile it pnros strip green across the vast
ness Of the desert, and is The her Of aH The yegetaon
near IT,"
Leaving the fountains Of the Platte at the South Pass in
Haiti, ,lo 8 Qnf 4
passing through the Rocky Mountains and though this was
in midsummer lAugns) their suferngs rife. Says
the Journal
"Ths the arjuous and difficult part of the Jour
ney In many parts of this region had to sharply
water and range for CATTLE and the scarcity game
forced Us to rely for food on the RESOURCES Of private lar
des The greater portion at this country il stel nty
waste and except in occasional dots and in the green bans
that bind the edges of the streams sworhes for agricultural
purposes.
Such is according settler Oregon another five hun
dred mies Of the route thher But the next stretch Of five
or six hundred miles, from the Rocky the Blue Mountains
to the junction of the apn with the larger branch Of the
Columbia, is stl forbidding. The Journal says
of t.;
the third region Is called The high country and is mere
DESERT consisting of ridges of rocks of volcanic and al
ternate sandy plains II has its occasional fertile spots il
true but they few and far between It's distinguishing
features are IFS excessive dyness and the extraordinary differ
nifty appointing sometimes variation Of 40 even so de-
gees, is modified soasshai ii the approach toward the mid
die region, but this outside doubtless incapable Of be-
ing reclaimed any great by the hand Of man. We
emerged from the patch Of vegetation around Fort Hall in
few hours upon wide barren plains Of yellow sandy clay
which, among its short and dry grass, bore nothing but the
wild womwood and he Erckly pear with here and there
some stunted cottonwood or wilow.N
The country thus described comprises the larger part Of
Oregon, and makes up about fifteen hundred miles utter ster
ity tihe bali Of The Platte excepted) Of the two thou
sand miles stretching from Missouri the Raciac IL al, this
distance there is but rarely forest goody grove to he
seen, and even the Platte the emgans must watch for
snd seize little branches and sheds Of willows floating ON the
stream, (dnweoS there is none, have fuel and no
cookery Except in the desert Of Central ca aud around
the Poles there is such restitution Of timber Of YER
dure, and of capacity for cultivation the face of the earth
he Creator appears have vsby marked the region Of the
Rocky Moani4ihs as thc boundary Of natiops,
But the next region Of Oregon, stretching from the Blue
to the Cascade Mountains, say hundred and fifty miles,
little better The "Jouna says Of much Of it as is not
covered by mountains that Of plains noun
ains 'he soil Of which poor the timber also is pery
seqse upon it. and what there is is so and poor lie says
howevSf that We cate dgng summer is agreeable and
ubous, though the winter brings frequent and that,
though unfit for tage, many Of its plains covered with
short grass which will render it good stock country But
consider that the stock be proably driven fifteen
bgndrgl tales 70 he States while they will be distance
from The Pacific, near which u better stock county,, be,
having fertile soil and mlder climate and we
must be permitted doubt whether such lands will be
in demand for stockaising, least while California and
Northern Mexico have hardly nhabant to ten miles square
Of surface.
The lest and lowest division Of Oregon the best II has
mild climate, though no desirable one, The winter being
exclusively rainy and the summer excessively dry Indian
corn be raised by reason Of drought and frosfs but
most grains and Vegetables do well cattle excellenB SNOW
seldom lies three days in the most favored Valleys though
spow-capped lRounlains in sight almost every where
throughout the year. The multiplicity Of mountains de-
sucve to navigation, and almost 10 all rational hopes IL
future improvements by railroads. &c. The valley 6f tie
Willamette contains perhaps, as much good land that
the Muskngum Mohawk, and there perhaps three times
that quantity Of arabic land In lower Oregon south al Tho
Great river There is little good land In the valley Of tho
Cowcli, nconsderable tributary Of the Columbia, which
enters about fifty miles from its mouth but besides this
rays the Journal most Of the soil the north bank of the
Cornoa 10 poor and Is unfit for the production Of wheaton
the escpc sain exeep sPtrpey and in spots This fca
turc increases yop proceed nothwprd and Abe land In
the vicinity Of Nsquay, Pugefs Sound, Is incapable
as am told, OF ordinary production" This is the most
desirable portion Of the region the brink Of fight
ing for
Mr. Wyeth the thermometer the banks Of Snake
river in August 1892 mark eighteen degrees Of Fahrenheit
at sunrise, and netytwo degrees Of the day
III I ~