Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1854-01-20

Willamette, and purpase giving you very brief des
siptiea Of the country over which 1 havo Travelled
leaving you 10 decide whether my scrbbline worthy
place 10 yosr sxoellsot paper.
The morning OF the 4th inst, found myself on
board tho "Fsnx," one Of the upriver boats, and al
-. .. We we're under way. Three miles over compar
aetvsly snsoth water, with gentle current, and We
fsseh k,ck Island rapd-a serious obstruction to the
nsSisation Of the Upper Willamette. The river !,
here divided into three narrow, rocky channels
sheoagA whioi the water rushes with great velocity
and when The river 10 very much swollen, Il Is impos
sibls for boats to pas, owing to tho many counter
eunso6, sddia, and boils, which aa'h all floating
objects % 70 the rchs Above tho Island, there ID
httis y b seen that 10 interesting. The river banks
riss sbrpptiy from the waters edge--composed in
places Of The prevailing black volcanic rock Of the
sountry 10 Others Of clay and vegetable loan. Near
ths nssgin, the banks arc timbered with Balm Of
dIlsaA, Maple and Ash, beyond, and above high
wasr marx, the Fir prevails, with some Yew and &C.
Asr trees, farther then this living WALL nothing car
b sesa, except when some settler 10 "cearing up
. Farm. Here and there, along the bank can be
seen the drsary looking sghtby ten, with roof
logsabin, o. some lonely bachelor who raises lit
tie patch Of "sardsn truck, and cuts wood for the
s'samboa's.
Sixtees miles abovs th. falls We passed Butteville,
Of which could soc nothing ex .ept the tops of two
q three houses over the bank. Three miles farther,
end We Grounded to"at Chsml oes landing, the Ires-
eat terminus IL navigation. Above here the river is
oSetructed BY numerous rapids and bars-snd from
the middle VI juno to the middle of November, ats
'sdom ~ higher than this place; at most the mouth
Of Yanhill river, 6vs miles above.
CAsmE@S y situated on the right bank Of the
river, about forty feet above low water mark yet it
vss overh,wed last winter. The town indicates but
little thrift the opposite side Of tho river stretch
away" the range Of the hills, known a. the Cheha-
h. hountaiu'; their sopins sides present agreea
BE variety Of prairie and woodland altogether very
pretty sesasry.
Ito e'elssk, P. NJ, the stag, ra'tlcs up to the
lesr u the "champoy Hou,e." Passengers aboard
ssd ~ rattle away for Saem descending gentle slope
Sor short misunderstanding a INST uumaciful
j,ltssg over stretch Of "Corduroy" or O.cgon rail-
rssd for long distance, thon ascending hill and
passing through grove Of thick timber, we enter
upon sa extensive plain. The road leads along the
west eide Of this prairie plain, occasionally passing
through points and groves of Fir and Ok timber.
1ses ths road the scenery 10 beautiful, to tbs right
The river timber plains beyond, the Ysmhill Noun
tstns, and far away In the hors m tho wavs-ke uu-
duacas Of the Coast R,ugr. To tho left, the couu-
Try rises swell beyond swell, ridge above RIDGE until
The sye rests upon the bold and Jagged outlines of tie
Cascades. Tho country through which we travel, is
well settled and sx.en,ivsly improved, and as the
traveller journeys along the neat farm houscs-sub-
stsntial and well filled :arms-wcll kept farms and
thriving orchard, almost cheat him into the belief
tAat b b not in the far, far west.
AZ dusky eve was closing around as we entered the
city Of Salem, where We stopped for the night.
Salem, tho Territorial Capital and the County s.at
Of Marion county, occupies beautiful site, on the
right bank Of the Willamette. Amorg tho public
bsilding the State House rsnks 6rst, when finished
wAisA u viii be soop II will DO nna building. Tho
Nsshodist Institute is an imposing sdifce-it was
balt By the Methodist Missionary Society," aud is one
Of Ne oldest buidings in this part of the country
The Pfssbytssians, ais, have fac house of wor-
ship. Besides the above named arc three or four
churches, schocl-hcuses, "city market" which doe.
hsacr 70 the eslemitS; half d, zen hotels, and q
sosssspending numb>r Of dry-goods, grocery and
hardware stores, whisky shops, gambling saloons, &c
-. Among the private residence are some neat we'll
dashed baiidngsbut yet, they are scattered over
large ract Of land, and do not mako a. good an an
psaraacs - though the town was eonpaetly built.
Leaving Salem and crossing Mill Creek, a small
saSsan Immediately outside the towr, the road en-
ten. and winds among the Mill Creek hills for dis
tanes Of twelve miles.
These hills are % SLY timbsred with q scattering
growth Of eaks, interpreted here and there with mon
st~ Ar. their tall cones rising high above all sur
funiipg objects. The oak timber Of this country de-
serves description. 1t is called white oak, and resem
bes both the white and brown oaks of the States. bu,
Il neither the one nor the other. The wood is very
tsush and lasting The trees arc from one to tire,
fsst h diameter nsar the gr,und, but seldom attain
height Of more than from elk to twelve feet before
branching ont in all directions. 1 could not helm
noticing the contrast Of scenery here whilst
fsdsd foag, denuded boughs of the oaks, vindcated
ths approach Of winter beneath them the srase
kgemmsd with strawberry blossoms and violets, vas
spssaging fresh and green, early, early spring
Leang the bills, the road descends to Lowell country
wlsa Cawsl!y SOIL Of little depth-the oak timber
soatsas ahs s disappear and lofty scattering pines
taks tA6s HAcss.
Sixsssn miles from Salon, brings us to Santiam
CITY and syraoass-thc former on the right, and the
LAYER - ~ tet &Ank of the Santiam river mile:
shsss il moutb. Tho two present the arp.arnncs Of
thriving village.
SAntisu river Is bsld mountain sire am, abou,
sixteen rods vide and Of considerable Depth tho tsr
bvay dear and cold. From Syracuse to Albany, Q
dstasss Of nine miles, the road loads alternately
ShresgA pesites, and groves Of oak and pine.
Albany, the Coanty Seat of Lynn county, is . thri
viag village, situated on the right bank of The Viii
hanstts, and In tho western point Of large prairie
xhsCouft House, Of IN octagon form, is the mos
proninsnt bnilding in the plaoe A largo Aourip,
Mill n operation. and saw mill in process Of erection
are among the most prominsat improvements of th,
Psee. Bdts thess, there are thrss good hotels anG
seywalesnmodious and substantial store hu.es-t,
say ssshipg Of gsseasies. billiard saloons, h.
sssn Albany, ths rod lsads nils a,ross the poin
bsforc mentioned, che right tho Villa
nsts. with il ht AZ timber. % the left the grassy
pssins doeled with numerous iarn-houses and fields
stretches sway 10 the foothills cf tia Cascades Tw
nilss feom Albany. The road crosses the Caiappooi
Sives, rapid stream. four rods vide, and tvs fee
iadspsh. These mountain streams arc very much alike
- dsscripttn Of would serve FOR all they com
iaPssg r. "A the mountains. in sheets of foam
and throughout their entire course are continuou
sstss II rapids, sheets of still water and sparkln,
estAsASss.