The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-24
From notes accompanying Mitehsls map Of Oregon. &c
OREGON TERRITORY.


the Rocky mountains to the Pacific ocean. anc
from 400 TO $40 40. north latitude. On the norti
and on the east, as far south as 49o IT is bounded
| by British America; and southwark Of the ago on
the east by Missouri territory, south by Mexico
and west by the Pacific IL is in length about
about 45O, 600 square miles, exceeding the whole oi
the southern Sates in extent by about $4,000 square
miles.
| Oregon forms part of the region usually called
the northwest coast. The latter Ia considered 10
include all the western shores Of America, north.
ward of latitude 40o north, from the Pacific inland
to the great dividing ridge Of the Rocky mountains
lc the contiguous Islands. The coast from Cape
Fatiery, in about s7o north latitude southw TO
latitude 4xo north well indeed the entire range
Of coast both Of Upper and Lower California, ia Of
the character that call iron bound. II il
high and abrupt, being skirted short distance in
land by ranges Of mountains, standing AZ ramparts
between the and the Interior country. The har-
bors few and inefficient, and mostly difficult OF
access except in the ofthe bay ofSan Francisco
IN Upper Caiifo-.s. frs@ C~ps tlsllsry norihYaEd.
however the coast assumes a different asfeci; the
continent az well az the larger islands Is ndsnted
with innumerable CULTS, bays, sounds hnrbors, &c.
Various narrow passages, canals as they are
chiefly called run up into the interior Of the
try, forming numerous islands, and containing ma.
ny hne haTbors, that destined, doubtless at no
distant period, to be the OF an active and busy
commerce.
Much Of the country Is broken and mountain
Gus; on its eastern boundary IL IL trayersed by
the Rocky mountains, many Of the peaks OF
which are estimated at from II 900 to l6 900 feet
IN height Westward OF these mountains the
country IL divided into three belts or sections
separated from each other by ranges OF mountains
running very nearly parallel with the shores Of the
Pacific ocean. The first range, which is about $50
miles westward Of the Rocky mountains is the Blue
mountain range. The second, which is 200 miles
farther west, and from 80 to 10 miles from the
coast il the Cascade or President range or the Far
West mountains; its highest peak. are Mount JET.
ferson, Mount Hood, Mount ST. Helen's, Mount
Rainier, and Mount Baker; some Of these are from
$4,000 to $4,000 feet in height above the sea.
The region lying between the Rocky and the Blue
mountains is rocky, broken, and barren; stupendous
mountainous spurs II In all directions, af
fording but little level ground and in its most eeya-
ted parts snow lies nearly all the year. IL rarely
rains here, and no dew falls. The second or middle
section consists, for the most part, Of light sandy
SOIL the valleys rich alluvIon and barren the
hills. The third section, whit lies along the coast,
is well adapted for agriculture; paris Of II are
well tmbered with FIR, pine, spruce, oak, poplar,
maple, &c. Near the coast, the hr grows to an anna
ring size; trees from 200 to $50 feet in height and
from ~ to 40 feet in circumference are not uncom-
mon; and tree 800 feet high, 2l6 feet from the
ground to its lowest limbs and 81 feet in circumfer
ence, grew some years since Astoria This sec
ton OF the territory is also well adapted for raising
Of cattle; they subsst in good condition on the green
and dried grass, which Is abundant throughout the
year.
The climate on the coast Of the Pacific is believed
to be milder Than on the same parallels Of latitude on
the Atlantic. When Lewis and Clark lefl this coun-
try in March, the prairies were in blossom, and the
forwardness OF the season seems to have corre-
sponded with that of North Carolina at the same
period.
The chief rivers of Oregon are the Columbia and
Il l.zl
tiers those Of the Missouri and collects its rib
ute for extent Of ten degrees Of latitude along the
western dividing ridges Of the Rocky mountains its
course from the head of The north main branch to
the ocean, is about 200 miles, and by the Saptin
or Lewis river, not less than 100 miles. The prin-
eipal tributaries are Saptin or Lewis, Clarle's or
Flathead, M'Gillivray s, Kootanie Flatbow, Oko-
nagan, John Days Chutes or Falls, and Villa
mette rivers the valley Of the last contains perhaps
the best land in Oregon, and produces wheat Of the
FIRST quality it has, for some time past attracted the
notice Of emigrnnts The Columbia is nsvigabIe
from the falls where il breaks through the Cascade
range Of mountains TO the ocean, for vessels drawing
IL feet wafer at its lowest stage, though 1t il OBJ
structed by numerous ssnd-bars The river increas-
in width, in the last twenty miles of its course,
and, where it enters the ocean, is seven miles broad.
A sand-bar extends from Point Adams TO Cape Dis
appointment which renders its entrance often dan
gerous In the year l64l, the United States sioop-
Of war Peacock, belonging to the exploring exped-
ton, was wrecked here The salmon of the Colum-
ba and its tributaries, of which there several
rieues, very fine; they constitute large portion
Of the food of the natives.
The only river Of any note is Frazers, or Ia
coutchee Jesse, which flows from the Rocky noun
tans into the Gulf of Georgia. Ii has a course of
about 700 miles. Its chief tributaries are Thomp-
sons and Stuarts rivers; these streams the Hud-
son Bay Company has several trading houses or
forts. South OF the Columbia the Umpqua and
Klamet rivers, which flow into the Pacific ocean.
OF the lakes in Oregon, those connected with the
Columbia river and its branches are the Flathead,
Kulluspelm, Flatbow, and Okonagan. The princi-
pal of those which unite with Frazer's river STU
arts, Quaw, ST. francois, Quesnell's, Kamloops,
| and Soushwap.
The principal islands Vancouver's (called also
Quadra and Vancouver's.) and Washington, or
Queen Charotte's. The former 10 large island,
being near 800 miles in length, and from 40 to rs
miles wide; is separated the south, by the strait
of Juan de Fuca; and the east, by the Gulf of
Georgia. From the straits aforementioned TO the
northern extremity Of the territory, the coast is in
denied with innumerable bays and inlets, which
form multitude Of small islands.
Many parts of Oregon are well adapted for agri-
cultural purposes, At some Of the trading estab-
lishments of the Hudson Bay Company extensive
farms are in successful operation. At forts Van.
couver, Colvile, and Nisqualy, wheat, barley, and
potatoes of excellent quality are raised in album
dance. The farm at Vancouver is miles square;
there are here 0UO head OF CATTLE SOU sheep, and
| 400 brood mares; 100 cows are MIXED daily.
| The coast Of Oregon was first explored by the
Spaniards, who, however, did not penetrate into the
interior. In 1872, Captain Gray, Of Boston, dis
covered and entered the Columbia, and named il
after his ship. He the first who established the
fact Of the existence Of this great river; and this
gives to the United States the title to the regions
drained by ita waters, from right of discovery In
| 1903, a, IS, Messrs. Lewis and Clarke were sent
out by the United States government for the pur.
pose Of exploring this country. They navgated
the Missouri river to its source, and, crossing the
Rocky Mountains, descended the Columbia to the
Pacific ocean, They spent the winter on its shores
In the following spring, they returned by the same
river to the mountains, and thence down the Mis-.
souri,, home. This exploration Of the chief river
| the first ever made, constitutes another ground Of
| claim Of the American people to Oregon. They
have also Just claims by the Louisiana treaty o.
1903 with France, and by the treaty of 1919, by
which Spain relinquished all her rights on the Pa
cifc north Of latitude 400 and which is considered
to have extended as far north as latitude 6Oo. lr
the year 1924, by convention with Russia, 1t wa
agreed that the United States should make no estab
Iishmens on the coasts north of latitude $40 40'
! and that the Russians should make none south o