New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-11-04
From TIE Springfield, dil) Journal, Oct
r,rer from Oregon.

log- and arT!TeG
Ee ha. been an explorer of Oregon tor /. months
and seems 10 have thorough knowledge OF .Ae
Willamette Vauev. and indeed OF al tue cOu1L.
IN Oregon South OF the Columbia nvst. h e -. -
made ais claim and has come 10 ne a. 80 =;
ru-nose of returning with his parents M. ~ -.
LA. resk and on Tuesday light al ihe Ie?le'
M seTsrzf Of our citizens, delivered !ec'.Ie " - 49,,
Church in rhch he care general 60 fo-
Oregon Territory, ia productions, go he south
settlement and the route OF eir1gVs1-s - 49,
Pass 10 the Willamette ,sLey; ..-.,ce NJ the
VALLEY Of the wallsaeEs ove. go one .,5S ,,s,
&c. 80 ysil.r was ,-Yo hundred miles long and aver
sgsd one hundred and ffty miles IN width fe CON:
rsepced MS description OF TINS ys.eJ AZ tne -
.s Wsiisroet:e with the Columbia passing up the est
~ s;de noticing the settlements the soil the timber
the general appearance OF he country the creeks &C
nn- he reached the three FORKS OF the "a!!aInete-
h 100 niles above the falls, and where is navigation
.errnaes The whole extent OF the West bank OF that
rrer he represented happily diversified with prairie
and creeks. The creeks ran With pure sott and
clear water and furnished 5eats as often rs could be
dn.-4i He stated that on lam Hill river there
fourishing set,leTnen;a-good Improvements and excel
The us.al crop of wheat there was 30 bushels 70
acre INT ~ b shells had been raised the acre. weigh
ing s. pounds 10 the bushel Re mad himself down
tr Tree in the Yam Hill country. which measured 300
feet in length Trees had been cut which made twenty
lengths of rails of eleven feet each The country was
agreesbly rolling and the best roads could be made
The uplends fertile vel. as the valleys OF the
creeks The scenery these creeks was beautiful
and with the pure atmosphere, and glowing heen mere
exhibited impaired an energy and cneeriuneSs 70 the
people which ne mad out OF Oregon. This was
manifest in their improvements which we're more as
vanced in and years than could nave been SC
conpshed in the Western States within three times
This description Of tue Yam Hill country, with l;te
variation will apply all that extensive country from
Yam Hill river the West side OF the great valley 10
the forks of the Willamette But few claims have been
,nade south of the lam Hill country. Tina; beautiful
region invites it, possession the energetic anglo sax
on
Nj Davidson then took ne audience to the East side
Of the Waiamet;e and commenced with the Cieckanlus
crock few miles beT Oregon City, he proceeded up
the East side OF that river the great iorks describing
the Intervening country. il Is land OF hills ana vaes
plains and creeks, generally resein9in2 Tue COUNT Gn
the Western side It was. however. selected by me
French for their early settlement and the Nethocisio tor
their mission establishment The French settlement
commences some distance ahoTe oregon CITY ne seq
No. ,y-a orignally servants of the Hudson Bay Com
many After leaving its service they married native wo
men and they have now large families OF nail oree4.-
These people very lnofenslve DO not possess Tue
keennes OF the Yankee intellect but the young ne! are
f,e lacking and many OF the girls quite beautiful
They are OF the Catholic religion; and II Is mere the
Catholics have their mission establishment It's now
I,og,hor respectable in buildings. and they are tins
summer greatly enlargng y the erection OF an extern
The French have farms cattle horses hogs orchards
cr The apples peaches, pears and p!ums, were seed
iin. bu, were generally interpreting, ncontestiby,
that the Willamette valley Is vel! adapted 10 'he cult
walton OF fruit
some distance above il the Methodist Mission estab
Esbr,ent One OF the buildings IS OF four stories and
rrcsents quite ar imposing appearance This mission
was designed TO cvilize and Christanze the indian. IN
the neichborhood. From the lack OF physical ana m
teliertsl ability me natives the object could not De
Accommodated and the project was relinqulshed ne
buildiug Is now used college, and the institution
promises much good 10 Oregon.
There nre but few settlements above. The country
inucp %
the river-beautul mill streams hne praires and e%
ceent timber. When the Forks OF the " h!ainete are
reached the audience was brought 10 country which
for the beauty OF It's streams lis gorgeous !ert!e ana
comfy unGulntug prariesits excellent timber on the
streams in groves the praiTlcs and on the mounds
which rise out of them could not be surpassed and was
entirely beyond HE powers OF description. Dr. White
in his enthusiasm called this portion OF the valley Per
adise-aud the name not inappropriate This VIII
be the center OF an immense settlement, and large
town will be likely 10 grow UP al the mead oil Navigation
on the Willamette.
From the point here spoken OF to the Southern ermi
nation Of the valley there large prares and this Is
especially designed By nature for stock-gro"ing coun
try Here the stock grower will nnd good water an
rrass for stock the whole year round. Here fortunes
can be made in rearing cattle horses and sheep and all
the cost will be IN herdins them
The lecturer then led the way 10 the hlarneth and
Umoua rivers These rivers into the Pacific Ocean
The first near the southern boundary line OF Oregon
and the second degree or two north There IS some
good country in the hlameth valley. The Jmqua valley
superior. presents
to fifty miles wide connecting with the Willamette val
lev and possessed OF all the advantages Tor sustaining
prosperous settlements
MI Davidson described the country adjacent Pu
gets Sound valuable Forty rivers fell into the
sound These rivers allied with salmon the valleys
were fertile and the timber OF the country not
passed in any portion OF the world The county abound
ed in the most desirable and valuable urs. Pugets
Sound possessed hRrbors OF uurvaed excellence. The
nayes of the world might ilost in them with an
couvers leland had many commercial advantages, was
IL LONG cd NpT
fisheries and fertile land 10! cultivation. Tha, island
would have made excellent state.
The lecturer described the second division OF Oregon
that portion which lies between the Cascades md the
Blue Mountains. He said that there was good land IN
this section but required irrigation 10 produce crops
especially this the III regard 10 garden vegeta
blcs The country good for grazing, and subject TO
greater extremes OF and cold than the valley below
II was psssable but not desirable country. he had
heard men who mad visited this section and had never
gone below. denounce Oregon. They knew nothing
about the best portions OF the countrihey knew moth
ing OF Willamette valley.
The third division still poorer than the cond
both land and timber There were some habitable spots
in il 1t was not insptly termed desert of Wild sage
sand and rock
Mr. Davidson, al the request of the audience des
crbed the OF the engrants from the South Pass
of the Rocky Mountains 10 the Willamette Valley We
cannot undertake follow him this route. he re
presented the pass apparently of no unusual elevation
or each side, al considerable distance were noun
tains As he proceeded the route he described the
''''~
and subilnc-he curiosites pleasures ami difficulties
OF the way. Among the curiosres he mentioned the
soda lake the soda springs beer springs hot springs
and elubbering springs and others. The difficult
hes We're that on occasions they had travel
twenty-five miles without the blstering OF the
face from exposGre the aka with which the
iIuyregua,ed proceeding from the wild sage and the
shscking condition OF TIE wagons. caused by the dry
atmosphere.
All these ard some other difficulties could be remedied
By industry and the exercise OF good sense. When
great days Journey necessary, and there was no
be had by the way i'll your keg with water eat
go salt provisions the day and early An appcs
ton OF any oicagnous substance 20 the face VIII prevent
any unpleasant effects from aikal To make the wagon
wheels snt and strong 1t only necessary 10 soak
them the night. AL the difficulties OF the
journey could in Ike way be by the exercise
of energy. good common sense, snd q determination
under all circumstances TO be comfortable and happy
as possible. To who could ENJOY the scenery OF
Nature there always much 70 interest and
There were some however. that neither the works Of
God nor man would interest. The lecturer had seen
such on this route They would lie in their wagons
sleeping hslt the dayneglec 70 keep their wagons in
repsr-indulse their saw mil appeti.es AndgrUIn
bic
Tae lecturer length reaches the Columbia river
Until the present year the emgrants hare taken boats