Democratic banner., 1846-08-01

to a citizenOf this town, believing that it
will be OF interest to the friends and ac-
quaintarces Of the writers now residing in
the distant Oregon.
!. Willamette VALLEY, Feb. 18th, '46.
DEAE SIR:-Wc were six months in get.
ting to this place from the time We left
home. though We might have arrived soon
er, had We not unnecessarily wasted time,
laying buy ~ days OH the route. To give
you 4 full description Vi our travels would
occupy more time than we have to spare.
We will, however, give GU and our friends
IA short sketch. We left Independence on
the 9th Of Nay, and crossed the Kansas
river near the old kaw Village; thence We
proceeded up the north side IF Tie Kansas
about so miles above the Pawncc village,
where we crossed over 10 the Platte river;
thence up the Platte about 50 miles above
tie forks, where we crossed the south fork,
and struck over to the north fork, and pro
cceded up il till We came to Fort Laramie,
where we crossed L~aramie's fork Of Platte,
and kept up the north fork o. that river
till within 40 miles Of the Rocky noun
.tains, where we CROSSED it. Here we came
to Il small stream called Still Water, one
iof the streams of the northern branch of
Platte; we travelled up this till we passed
through the Rocky mountains. (The road
through the mountains we found to be IA
good as any other part OF the route.) We
now came to Green river, one Of the tribu-
tarics of the Colorado, leaving Fort B+***+
to our left. Thence VIC crossed to Bear
river, which cmpties into the great Salt
lake. We travelled some distance down
this ana crossed over to Snake, a branch
of Lewis river, and arrived at Fort Hall
on the 18th day Of August. Thence We
travelled down Snake river, crossing and
Irecrossing the same, TO Fort Boisia. Here
we took down the Umatilda river to, its
junction with the, Columbia; thence down
the Columbia to the Methodist mission, at
the foot Of the Cascade mountains, where
we arrived on the 9th Of October; passing
the Blue mountains in our route, and leay-
ing Fort Villa Walla TO our right. The
passage over these mountains was not as
bad as we expected to find it. We crossed
them i'll three days. 1t the Mission some
procured boats, others canoes Of the Indi-
ans, and others made RATS, with which -
descend the great Columbia. Some OF the
wagons were left at the mission. others Ia
ken by water. The stock was driven by
land over the Cascade mountains. The
road from Independence to Fort Hall is We
ry good; from thence To the Cascade noun
tains it is COOL in some places, in others
bad. Some Of our party attempted To cross
the Cascade mountains with their wagons,
but they had to abandon them attcr they
had got some 80 or 80 miles from the mis-
sion. They intend cutting the road through
in the spring, SO that the neat 'emisrating
party can come through with their wagons.
The mission is situated CT the south side Of
the Columbia. about 100 miles east of Or
eSon city.
We will now say something Of the couu-
try. The territory, you know, is naturally
divided into three distinct divisions-thc
Eastern, Middle, and Western. Tie eastern
division includes all that country between
the Rocky and Blue mountains ;thc middle
that between the Blue and Cascade
mountains: the western that between the
Cascade mountains and the Pacific ocean.
OF the eastern section it is supposed that
about one 2Oth part is adapted to agricul-
turc, and one 10th to pasturagc. the wes-
tern section is by far the most interesting
Of Oregon; the climate is better,
the soil richer and the valley more extern
Sive, than in either Of the other sections
The climate is mildcrhe at 80 north lati-
tude than at 40 on the Atlantic coast. The
rJuntry north of the Columbia is not so well
to agriculture, as a great portion
the soili is gravclly; and the prairies are
not so extensive. Ii is valued mostly for