Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-04-01
Letter fF8n Oregon.
March
OLYMPIA, PUGET SOUND, J
OREGON IerrItnrv. Dec s 81 {

OLymPIA. PuGEr SOUND,
Oregon Territory, Dec 8, 81
DEAR SIR Il viii now undertake 10
give you brief account. as [ promised
you, of the trip to Oregon. the country
&c. We found the roads very bad thr0'
the State Of Iowa-laid in all our stores
at kanesville on reasonable terms-cross-
/ ed the Missouri the lst day of Nav. reach
( ed Fort Laramie the 3rd of Juue-camp-
ed at the Pacific Springs the night of the
] Sth of June-reachcd Fort Hall the Ist
/ Of July-celebrated the 4th at School
Greek, 80 miles this side of said fort
passed Fort Boise the 18th Of Julv-reach-
ed the Cascade Mountains the 18th Of
AuguSt-arrived in the Willamette Val
+ ley the 18th Of August the first team Of
50 wagons, that at first composed our
train. lst. Indians The principal tribes
we pass through, are the Omahas. Paw
nees. Sioux, Crows. Snakes. Cayuses. and
NaIlawalIas The Omahas are the first
tribe. and harmless next the Pawnees.
who are insolent and thievish next the
Sioux, very friendly; next Crows. who
keep at a respectful distance: next Snakes,
very thievish, and do not hesitate to Kill
emIgrants if they can catch one out by
himself; next Cayuses, very friendly
Nearly all the Indians are abundantly
supplied with horses The Cayuses have
some of the most beautiful | ever saw.
I'd, Roads As far as Laramie the road
is excellent, afterwards broken, and sandy
occasionally, but as a whole an excellent
road
Sd, The country we pass through. As
general thing It has a barren and sterile
appearance along the road, and we did
not have time to explore much further,
but when We did leave the road, we found
IN some instances, q fine country, excel
lent water. &c.
4th. Rivers We travel up Platte for
700 miles, crossing the Loup and Elk
/ Horn both branches Of Platte the next
Is Green River. about so miles this side
Of the Rocky Mountains The three men
toned streams, and Shute's River, were
all the streams we had to ferry. and there
are good ferries Oh all Of them We
STRIKE Lewis River. at Fort Hall. and
travel near it until it uuites with Clarke
River to form the most beautiful river IN
the world
5th, Mountains We cross three rang
es Of mountains, the Rocky, some $50
miles across suppose. good water and
grass, mostly prairie. bat some timber
the Blue about 40 miles across, covered
with dense forests, but plenty of grass
Notwithstanding the Cascade, also COW
cred with dense forests. | saw trees on
them said to be 400 feet high, but there
is grass and browse enough together to
support stock, it is about 100 miles across
them. The highest peaks OF all these
mountains are covered with perpetual
snow. The emigration have been very
healthy this season. and have got along
fine, twelve hundred wagons have come
into Oregon alone this season. There Is
great deal Of fatigue aud perplexity at
tending the trip. but at the same time il
ls not wholly without interest. amusement
and instruction Hunting buffalo, deer,
antelope, hares. rabbits prairie dogs, bear.
elk. wolves, &c are the favorite employ
ments Of some, while others are very
much engaged in catching fish. Fishing
was a favoritc amusement Of the ladies'
After we crossed Green River we had
plenty of fine fish we so found plenty
of wild currauts. as large as tame ones
and as good other kinds of berries are
also occasionally found. Others take an
interest in noticing the geology and min
eralogy Of the country. There is Lead
Mine, supposed to be very rich, on the
Red Hills between Laramie and the
Rocky Mountains. the Indians and noun
taineers work it some | was told. There
is no wood near to smelt with There is
no doubt extensive Coal Mines near. as
we found a great many specimens Of fine
coal. and in one instance. large vein of
it right on the banks Of Platte, but | am
told that coal will not do to smclt with
The only way | can see to work the mine
would be to boat the mineral down Platte
IN high water. as the mine is near the riv-
er. and there is cotton wood enough on the
banks higher up to make fat boats of -
Others are interested in the study Of bot
any. ornithology and jchthyology. In all
these there is a large field for instruction
and amusement.
Some Of tn principal natural curiosi-
ties are. the Devils Gate. near Indepen-
dence Rock. 1t IS gorge in a spur of
the Rocky Mountains, where Sweet-watcT
River seems 10 have cut for itself chan
mel through solid rock to a depth Of four
hundred feet perpendicular on either side,
1t is now open from bottom to top, but
Indian tradition says that the top was
once brjdged over The Boiling Springs
near Fort Boise. which viii cook eggs or
fish The Soda Springs. near Fort Hall.