The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-09-23

the country. 1t has never been our lot to travel
over more beautiful and to all appearance,
better agricultural country than can be foard
between here and Lafayette. The crops every
where appear remarkably gcod-wheat and
oats are now ripe for the sickle" and the
farmers busIy engaged IN harvesting. Pota-
toes. onions. cabbagos, &s. &c, present to the
eve conclusive evidence Of tie richness OF the
soil. We were glad TO see 30 many new and
substantial frame houses ereciing-exlensVe
fields newly fenced--roads aud bridges i'm
proved, all of which show that the country Ia
settled with an Industrious and enterprslng
people many OF whom are now EN- 'ying all
the comforts they enjoy | in the States.
Lafayette is beautifully located on the am
Hill river; a stream supplying extensive water
power, and passing through the most fertile
country we have seen on the Pacinc coast
This town is new, but il has the elements within
itself of becoming large and fourlshing one
at no distant day We found the people with
whom we became acquainted intelligent niiable
and friendly, possessing large share OF hos.
pitality, which makes journey pleasant and
agreeable TO the wayfarer and traveller. We
regretted that we could not visit Salem and
some other towns at the time, which were hig y
spoken of by these who have seen them
Osegonian,
INDIAN AFFAIRs.--The Portland Times OF
July "a, contains the following:
DIR. Dart, the superintendent of Indian Affairs,
who had gone 10 visit the distant Indian tribes
East Of the Cascades, has returned from his
tour. and informs us that delegations from the
Walla Wallas, Wescopans. Mes Perces, Yoco-
maws, Spokans and Pooses met him at the
Dalles--and after satisfying them it was not his
intention TO send the Willamette Valley Indians
into their country, they were perfectly contented
! He made treaties with the Cayuses and Nos
| Perces. and got permission from the Cayuses to
establish an Indian agency in their nation and
buildings for that purpose are now in course Of
construction. He succeeded also, in settling
the difficulties, for time, that existed between
the Snake and the Mes Perez tribes, who wish
to fight each other-by treating for peace one
year, at the end of which time, if government
cannot satisfactorily arrange affairs, the Mes
Perces have leave to go to war with them
He is of opinion that there were upward of
500 Indians gathered in council. He informs
us that the Mes Pcrces number 1900 souls,
the Wescopons over 700, and that the Cayuses
number only l24, and are fast disappearing. The
| Cayuses, he says, were much pleased when he
informed them that the whites wished to be
friendly, for they had the idea that the whites
were still hostile-and were going to further
avenge the murder Of Mr.. Whitman and family.
The country which he visited, he speaks Of in
the highest terms, and gives it as his opinion
that it contains moro land adapted to cultivation
than the whole of New England.
The editor of the Oregon Spectator, writing
from "West Tualatin, July III" gives the fol-
lowing description Of that portion of the terri
tory.
As farming country probably no part of
n x.,;f ieh
farms are made on the plains, gives the claims
taken here decided preference There are
some drawbacks to be sure---running water is
scarce, and, instead of springs, wells have to be
dug in most places, though god wster can be
obtained almost anywhere by digging-and the
inconvenie' Of getting to market, at this time,
is seriously felt; but the Improvement of the
Tualatin river will greatly lessen the cost of
! transportation; say to one third of what it now
costs. tir
The plains are beautifully situated and inter
| spersod with numerous groves, sufficiently large
| to afford timber for ordinary purposes in farm
| ing, such as building, fencing and fuel. The
distance over which have travelled since | first
struck the plains is about l8 niles In that
distance have seen much good wheat and oats,
(the principal kinds of grain produced in Ore
gon) and some good rye.
| lnOuHn nave admired Tie plains very mucn
| from the time first struck them, there is no
portion of them that has impressed me so favor
ably that denominated West Tualatin
| Plains" on the West side of hich is located
the Tuaatin academy. The location, for an
institution of this kind is one of the best that
could have been selected.
The Coat IN OREGoN.-The rich veins of
coal discovered some time since on tributary
of the Cowitz river, which is being partially
worked, and the late discoveries that have been
made at Port Oxford, on the Pacific coast, warrant
the confusion that there is an abundance of coal
10 Oregon 1t has not been discovered upto this
time in beds, as respects depth, that will at all
favorably compare with the immense coal beds
found about Pittsburgh and the other great
coal districts of Pennsylvania; but although it
is found here ofmuch less depth, it will compare
we are told, very favorably with the Pennsyva-
MIA coal, of the same kind, as to quality. The
country about Puget's Sound 100 contains large
quantities Of coal. None of the mines have, rs
yet been worked to any very great extent,
owing, no doubt, to the high price of labor
Oregon Spectator.
| WoRDs OF TRUTH.-Judge JOHNSON, of Geor-