The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-11
t,e r,uortaton Of goods has been very heavy during
the lat month, there are no transactions whatever


the country are few, and your readers would wish to
know what sort Of . country this Puget Sound is
Having returned but yesterday from q months
cruise upon its waters it is with much pleasure that
/ speak in great praise OF its advantages. As .
body Of water, Puget Sound and Admiralty Inlet,
and adjoining waters, are exceeded by none in the
world for the beauty Of scenery and with which
they can be navigated. To those who wish correct
maps of the country and charts Of the waters, l
would refer them to Wilkes, as being reliably &C.
curate in every particular. In speaking Of the diff
ferent portions Of the Sound, shall use the names
given by him to the various points.
The most thriving and thickly settled portion Of
this part Of Washington Territory is Olympia, and
the praries back of it, towards the east and SOUTH
Olympia is promising village, at the head of Budds
inlet, which is rapidly rising in importance, and
promises to be the mart of the Puget Sound country
A settlement is also springing up on Hendersons
inlet, called South Bay by its inhabitants These are
in Thurston county, in which much of the Land is
already taken up under the donation law. This place
and Fort Nesqually, belonging to the Hudson Bay
Company, are In Pierce county, and around us o
thriving settlement has sprung up, many Of the
settlers being discharged soldiers from Company M,
county-one ut Fort Nesqually, one at the mouth of
the Sseilawam creek, and one at the mouth OF the
Pualup river. Pierce county is tue poorest land
in the country, composed mostly of dry, gra.
yelly prairies, capable only Of sustaining, q
miles square claimed by the Puget Sound Agricultu-
raj Company is made up mostly Of these dry, gra-
velly prairies. The claims selected here are usually
marshes and low praries, formed by the receding Of
lakes Thurston county is much better land, and
most of the coed prairies in it already taken up
The Nesqualy river valley, lying between Thurston
and Pierce counties, is very rich but SO heavily tim
bered that but few claims have been takeu on it.
a n
which the attention OF settlers is turning now. The
next thriving settlement is the Duwamish country,
on Elliott Bay. The Duwamish river forms large
and rich valley, which is rapidly settling up. at
the mouth Of the river and head Of Elliott Bay, is
Sea Attic, rising village; at the South Point, bor
deIng on the bay, is the place now known as New
York, which is also thriving place There is
saw mill in Elliott Bay now in operation, and seve-
raj others in contemplation, and one in Port Madi-
son, and one in Port Orchard, and ore in Apple
Tree Cove opposite, across tue Inlet
The next thriving settlement is on Whidby.s
Island containing the most valuable farming lands
on the Sound. The scarcity Of water on the island
for stock is its only objection for it's numerous ex
tes've and rich praries are otherwise highly favor
able To tn -ir cultivation PENIS Cove, where Lieut..
Slaughter Is az present laying out the
It occupies yery central Dos on on the island and
the harbor is one OF the finest in ."e W?lid, con-
pletely sheltered from all the winds that prevail
here. Whidby's Island is fifty miles long, and from
two to ten miles wide 1t is noted for its deer and
is the hunting ground of the Indians of this country
1t has more than necessary supply Of timber most
OF which is very fine There are no streams on the
island, and but few springs, which is greatly to be
regretted, though water can be had by digging any
where.
Port Townsend is also an important settlement,
and from it's position must be theport of entry, to
which place the new Collector Mr.. Ely, has recon-
mended to have it removed. Port Discovery extends
down within two or three miles of the head OF port
'TOwnsend n Of inn ant
and valuable land, and will be made by its posi-
ton at the entrance of Admiralty Inlet Port Dis
covery is too deep, however. to afford good ancho-
rage for vessels. Budd's harbor few miles farther
west, between it and New Dungeness is much
better harbor in that respect 1t is called Squine
Bay, to prevent confounding it with Budds Inlet;
is the Indian name and certainly preferable. At
New Dungeness there are some settlers who have
taken land claims but the majority are coopers, and
men engaged in the salmon fishing.
Beingham Bay is another highly important settle
ment. 1t Is fine harbor, and has two streams emp
tying into it. The Tulummy river, which is quite
stream forms rich and extensive valley, on which
but two men only have taken claims as yet. 1t en-
tiers salt water by three mopths-one into Birch bay
and the other two into Bellipgham bay. Whatcom
is q little stream with considerable waterpower, on
which Messls. Peabody j. Brown aIe erecting some
fine mills. The importance OF this bay, however, is
derived from its coal veins, which extend down to
low water mark. Should they prove extensive. as
there is every reason to suppose, the Oregon Coal
bay 1t is the genuine coal it is found interlaying
with the genuine new red sandstone, which has not
been found any where else in Oregon or Washington
territories, aid which alone is OF great value from its
Importance building material There is but little
parry bordering the bay, but the Indians report
large lake and extensive prairies eight ten miles
back.
These are the principal settlements in the country
No idea can be formed of the merits of this country
without actually seeing it. However, much is still un
known about it. The tract of land between Hoods ca
nal and the waters ofthe Sound is an unknown wilder
ness as is also the country beyond Hoods canal The
large tract OF country lying between Belngham Bay
and Elliott Bay is also but mperfecty known. 1t Is
evidently mostly heavily timbered; the Indians report
large praries between the forest and Arcade range
OF mountains. There are numerous little rivers,
emptylDg INTO the salt water, that form continuous
fat making the contiguous shore difficult toapproach
with any but small craft, and only at high water
then. The land, however is very rich, as it is most
~ alluvial deposit During the discussion of the
boundary question, those in favor of 49, argued the
country north Of that parallel useless because Of
its high latitude and barrenness and the settlers at
BelliDgham Bay find the contrary that the climate
is asmild as that Of Maryandthat the olincreases
in agricultural wealth as they go NORTH rendered SO
by the improvement of the soil, and the greater
amount OF rain in the summer and less in the winter
The Indians on the Tulummy river raise ship loads
OF potatoes on little patches of land from ten to
twenty yards square, which they work with their
hands only.
There is nothing of importance Transporting here
The Indians are quiet, generally, though some
trouble arises from the llegtimate sale of liquor to
the Indians, by sailors and small trading vessels.
An old Mr.. Church, an emigrant from Michigan,
who disappeared about six weeks ago, has been
found, and circumstances go to show that he was
killed by a Kkualis Indian, named Sahhah. The
settlers of Whiddys Island have offered reward of
twenty blankets for his apprehension by the Indians.
Extensive salmon fisheries are to be carried on this
season. The commerce Of the Sound is rapidly in.
creasiIg. The inhabitants are deeply interested in
he contempates cutting out the road between this
and Walla Walla, for which Congress appropriated
twenty thousand dollars, in time for the emigration
this fall, and will also be here to organize the terri
gates to the next Congress. This. with the survey
ing of a railroad route the Rocky Mountains
is an amount Of work impossible to accomplish in so
short time, and should he accomplish it, he will
asfu ,ltSha obi