Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-07-23
From the Jefferson City Inquirer ETfra, July 10
Lafe from Oregon.

=
We have conversed with Mr.. Palmer, formerly oil
Indiana, and MIR. Smith, formerly OF Ohio, who passed.
our city on the steamer Balloon yesterday evening"
on their route from Oregon City, which place they
left on the 9th of March last. They travelled through
without much difficulty The Indians on their way
were friendly and made no hostile demonstrations
against their party which consisted of eighteen men,
They met the first party of emgants at Fort Larlme,
on the 10th of Jure, under the command OF captain
Martin, of Platte county, and continued Tor TWO
hundred miles other parties, having from SIX
TO forty wagons band of emigrants with III wa
CONS were bound for California. The number Of
wagons accompanying the several parties which they
met amounted to 54l, and an estimate OF i've persons
to each wagon not considered too large The
emigrants were generally in good health and fine
spirits The party under the command of COL w.
II. Russell was met 100 miles this side of Fort La
rmie. There truth in the report OF the death
of Gov Boggs.
company under the command of Capt Smith of
Iowa. lost $50 head Of cattle, supposed to have been
frightened off by the Pawnee Indians, with the design
of theft. A gentleman by the name of Trimble, OF
Iowa. accompanied by young man from the same
Territory named Harrison started IN search OF them
They returned about 40 miles and found FIVE head OF
cattle which they drove back for about ten miles,
when they were suddenly attacked by twelve or fifteen
Pawnees who were lying in ambush. In the struggle
which ensued Mr. Trimble was killed, pierced by
three A gun was fred at him by the Indians,
and he was seen fall from his horse. The Indians
in the act of stripping Mr.. Harrison, when two
of the emigrants appeared and they Immediately dis
persed, taking with them the horses of Messrs. Trim
bic and Harrison. Early in the morning of the next
day, nine of the party of Messrs. Palmer and Smith
went in search of the body Of Mr.. Trmble. They
did not find it, but discovered pools Of blood, two
bloody arrows, his pocket knife hat and whip; all of
which circumstances confirmed the fact of his death
About twenty of this party, with four wagons, re-
turned to the frontier, guarded by company of
Messrs. Palmer g. Smith.
Messrs Palmer g. Smith estimate the population
of the Territory at about 6,000 and rapidly ncreas
ing There is abundance of provisions and
surplus of agricultural products. brisk commerce
is carried on with the Sandwich Islands. The barque
Touon, Crosby master, (of New York; left tho
mouth of the Columbia river, bound TO the Sandwich
Islands, about the 1st of March, and feighted with
full cargo of fish, lumber, flour, &c.
George Alternately, formerly Of New York, is Gov
ernor; John E. Long, of Kentucky, Secretary, and
Peter H. Burnett of Missouri, Circuit Judge of the
Territory. The Iowa laws have been adopted as the
provisional code of the Territory.
A party, among which one of our informants,
had explored the country north of the Columbia river
as far Puget's sound The silly tales about its
sterty grossly false, and have with many others
of similar character been manufactured by the Hud
son Bay Company. 1t is fertile country, admirably
well suited to the production of wheat and other small
grain. Its general features rolling and mountain
Gus, but interspersed with the most fertile valleys,
/
sional plains and prairies, well watered and the
streams Astounding in fish. belt of country from
40 to 60 miles in width extending around the south
ern portion of the sound, is of level character il
is believed that there will be large settlement of
Americans on the north side Of the Columbia the
present season.
The Hudson Bay Company at their fort at Puget's
sound, have extensive and well cultivated farms. In
December last they slaughtered about 500 head Of the
finest cattle, fattened entirely a. the range
The British brig Modesto, Is guns and l6O men,
has been lying all the winter in the Columbia, at
Fort Vancouver. 1t was supposed she would remain
there until relieved. The armed British snip Aneri-
ca was Puget's sound in September last. Several
American whalers laid in the straits of St. Juan de
Fuca the last winter So far, they had met with but
little success.
Mills at present are scarce in the country. There
are six grist, and eight mills in operation. DIR.
McLaughn's merchant mill, with three pair of burrs
situated the Willamette, will compare both IN the
quantity and quality of the flour manufactured by It,
with any mill of the size in the United States
Messrs. Palmer g. Smith brought with them be-
tween 600 and 700 letters.
! We have seen the two first numbers of the Oregon
Spectator dated the 9th and 18th of February, and
published in Oregon City. 1t is a neat sheet, and is
edited with spirit and ability by w. G. TVault, Esq