The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-11-06

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the emigrant from the South Pass Of
the Rocky Mountains to the Walla-
mctte Valley. We cannot undertake
to follow him over this route. He
represented the Pass as apparently
of no unusual elevation. On each
side, at considerable distance,
were mountains. As he proceeded
on the route he described the scene
ry-which in many places was most
magnificent and sublime-the curl
ositics, pleasures and difficulties Of
the way. Among the curiositics he
mentioned the soda lake, the soda
springs, beer springs, hot springs,
and blubbering springs and some
others. The difficulties were, That
on two occasions, they had to travel
some twenty i've miles without wa
ter; the blistcring Of the face from
exposure to the alkali with which
the air was impregnatcd, proceeding
from the wild sage and the shack
ling condition Of the wagons, caused
by the dry atmosphere. All these
and. some other difficulties could be
remcdied by industry and the eXcr-
else Of good sense. When great
days journey was necessary, and
when there was no water TO be had
by the way, FIJI your kcg with water,
eat no salt provisions for the day,
and start early. An application Of
any oleagcnous substance to the
face, will prevent any unpleasant eff
fects from alkali. To make lie wag-
gon wheels stiff mad strong, it was
only necessary to soak them in wa
ter over the night. All the Difficult
ties Of the journey could in like way
be overcome by the exercise of en-
crgy, good common sense. and a de-
termination, unCcr all circumstan-
ccs, to be as comfortable and happy
as possible. TO one WHO could en-
Joy the scenery Of nature, there was
always much to interest and amuSc.
There were some, however, that
neither that neither the works of
God or man would interest. The
lecturer had seen such on this route.
They would lie in their wagons sleep
ing half the day-neglect to keep
their wagons in rcpair-indulgc their
"saw mill appetites," and-grum-
bic.
The lecturer at length reaches tic
Columbia river. Until the present
year, the cmigrants have taken boats
and gone by the river to the Walla
mcttc, After this, however, they
will procec~ by land. BY the time
emigrants reach there the present
fall wagon road will be opened
through the Cascade mountains.-
This work is to be done under con.
tract, by $. X Barlow. late of Full
ton county, Illinois. The Lcgisla-
ture Of Oregon have allowed Mr..
Barlow, for the completion of this
work, the privilege for two years oil
eXacting for each Wagon which
passes over the route, five dollars.
and for each person and each ami
NAL, twelve and a half cents. This
road will enable the emigrant to a.
void the most tedious and expensive
portion of the journey.
Mr.. ID. said that all the small grain
grew in great perfection in the Wal
lamette Valley. Corn, did not, how
ever, succeed so we'll on account o.
the GOODNESS Of the nights but there
were some instances of handsome
crops being raised. Every dcscrip.
ton of garden vegetables succeeded
well. lie had himself seen cabbage
heads so large that the beat of then
could not be put into half bushcl
and fom hundred bushels of excel.
lent potatoes grown upon an acre o
land. He insisted that the soil O
the Willamette valley was equal il
fertility TO any portion Of Illinois,
He knew this to be the truth, ant
every well informed citizen of Ore.
gon would attest to it.
/ He had heard much said here o
the rains in winter and the drought,
in summer in Oregon. They hac
rains in winter. They were ncccs.
sary for the development of the re.
sources Of the soil-to cover the
earth with green heritage for the
beast, and to facilitate the hbors
and secure the success of the hus-
bandman'S tolls. But the rains Of
winter were not as continual and
heavy as had been represented. The
farmer loses but little time for ont.
door labor in winter. If lac choose.
he can plow and SOW wheat all the
winter season, make rails, put NJ
fences, build cabins, or perform any
other outdoor labor which may b,
necessary. There are times in win
ter when the weather is most beau
tlIu!. In sumner the rains are no
too often, but seasonablc. Angus
was the dricst month. He had heart
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