The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-02-27

valley the French have a settlement. But
the Anglo-Saxons aIe crowding into their
possessions and establishing their claims.
i he banks oil the river on both sides are
nigh and precipitous, covered with a dense
forest, the lofty tops OF which shoot M
arrow like, three hundred feet and more
towards the heavens As you leave this
place, the general course Of the river in
cllnes little TO the south of east.
Cattle Poodle, another small tributary
and on the same side of the river, is fifteen
miles from Cowlitz. Here we find an
other settlement, IN a rich and beautiful
valley.
As you proceed eastward YOU soon ar
rive d the mouth OF the Willamette,
which enters the Columbia on the south
side. In the basin OF this river is located
the principal part of Oregon's population.
This valley. consisting of rich and beau
tliut praire, inlerspersed with patches Of
clean and magnificent timber land, is truly
delightful. Il is without doubt The best
wheat country yet known. The climate
though mild, pleasant, and remarkably
even, Is not sufficiently warm TO mature
corn except the yellow flint. The grass.
with which the pralries are richly carpet
ed, unlike that east OF the Rocky Noun
taIns, Is fine N quality and very nutritious
Cattle subsist on il aud thrive during the
whole year. Ii affords TO the husbandman
without any culture, perennial pasture
field
Proceeding up the Willamette some
fifteen or twenty miles, you arrive at
Portland. This is the second port, and
may be considered The head of snip navi-
CATION. Aa effort IS making 10 make this
the great port Of Oregon, and were it not
for The application of steam, for time
this might be. Still Portland, without
doubt, is soon TO be a place of importance,
a mart OF no iuconsiderable trade.
ilvzuLie--H-s=--tls- t-Ils af ls,<s W sl.ss-
metle, Is the next point of importance
Here steamboat IS building, and is ex-
pected TO be ready for business by Christ
mas. This beat is designed 10 ply be-
tween Pacific City and Milwaukee, ascen-
ding as high as Oregon City, when the
state OF the river viii permit.
The river at this point spreads out INTO
beautiful cove, making 4 convenient
harbor for quite number of vessels Mr..
Whitcomb, the proprietor of Milwaukee,
Is liberal, enterPrising man, and it does
appear that his place shall be the head of
ship navigation for ali the extensive valley
of the Willamette.
Six or seven miles above Milwaukee
we arrive at the falls of the Willamette,
and Oregon City, at present the capital of
the Territory IN point of population and
advancement. The perpendicular fall Of
the water is sixty feet, presenting grand
and picturesque scene. The city numbers
about 1900 inhabitants, and is most rap
idly increasing. The most thickIy settled
portion of the Territory is stin higher up
the valley. Wheat is the great staple,
forty bushels TO the acre where The ground
has been we'll prepared, an ordinary yield,
and sixty bushels no extraordinary one.
Many OF the farmers have eight hundred
or thousand bushels garnCred MP.
In water-power and timber, Oregon
stands unriyalled. Her water-power could
supply the wants Of the world. There
are in the Territory some thirty Or thirty
five saw-milis now in operation, and sew
eral more building; but not one good
Touring mill.
The mineral wealth OF Oregon is not
yet ascertaincd. Her great resources are
vet undeveloped Marble, fine and rich
as Parian, is known TO be abundant, and
il is confidently believed that IN the kla-
malh district. and other parts, are richer
mines of gold than California has yet
manifested. For the present we viii say
nothing of the fishery, her oyster beds,
her wild game, and her native prohibitions.
Oregon now contains twenty-five or
thirty thousand inhabitants; a hardy, in
telligent. aud enierprising people, fond OF
reading and determined that their children
shall be educated. Though possessing
unequaIed advantages as a grazing and
sheep growing country, it will require
time to stock her natural pastures and
supply her with manufactures. Hence
the people have numerous wants, which,
for some years, must be supplied from
abroad She already presents 4 rich and
inviting field to the capitalists oil the East.
Merchandise OF almost every description
commands high price and ready sale
Books in Oregon are estimated more val-
liable than gold.
But The most grand and imposing feature
which Oregon presents, is an Iun for
the multitude which the deusIye hopes
OF California have ruined.
Thousands aud tens OF thousands IN
California are now destitute and suffering.
Many from the States have mortgaged
their farms, and left ,hcr families IN the
expectation OF realizing rapid fortune IN