, 1855-10-26
For the Pioneer and Democrat.
DOllings and JOltings Of a ROamer.

Mr. EDToR-Clouds being in the ascend
ant and rain falling this afternoon, l know
Of no better way of rcpclling the JiNes
which annoy fellow upon n rainy day
than by giving your readers brief descrip
ton Of a ride which your humble CORES
pondent recently took into the suburbs
Leaving Olympia, just as Old Sol was
vainly endeavoring to find his way through
numerous tall frs to catch glimpse of the
newly erected capitol, on long cared ami
NAL, which Spaniard would style " mu.
Lar," soon found myself moving in a Gil
pin-like manner in the direction of the
C0iOleeoi." After galloping for about
three hours, across creeks, through forests
and over prairies, succeeded in reaching
the Grand Mound prairie Presently,
while musing upon the probable origin Of
the innumerable small mounds which had
presented themselves, my mule began TO
sheer of the road, and vain were my efforts
to induce the stubborn and ungoyernable
animal to bulge one inch in the direction
desired and when he had received what
little virtue there was in my broken spur,
he literally bounded hencath me like barb,
and rushed on until he reached the lofty
mound upon which the residence of Hon.
L. ID. Durgin is situated whereupon
dismounted and turned his mnleship loose
with n determination to try foot and IrdL.-
er's line the rest of the way. After having
aSccnded the aforesaid mound, aud fortified
myself against the demands OF hunger, /
took a general survey of the surrounding
country. The mound is about so feet in
height, concalshapcd, and contains sur
face of about 20 acres. 1t affords a mag
nifcent view Of those nnwasting and sub
lime snow-capped peaks, Rainier and ST.
Hclens and the tortuous course Of the
Chehalis river can be distinctly traced by
the tall trees, along its margin, to the
ocean. This mound is doubtless remnant
of what once constituted large island, (the
soil corresponding with that found upon
the adjacent hills), the remainder Of which
has, by some sudden conynlsion Of nature,
been suddenly swept awny by water The
prairie, upon which it stands, like faithful
sentinel, is about eight miles long and four
broad. Upon the north side Of the mound,
Mr. d. has fine garden, in which l OBJ
served about half an acre Of good corn and
beans, sufficient to make no smell amount
of that famous Yankee -iish-sEeoO-tash !;
and, also, gtomatocs which measured not
less than fire inches in diameter. Mr.. d.
has an excellent nursery upon the banks Of
the Chehalis, which covers an area Of about
four acres The land occupied for this
purpose was originally used as a corral by
the various Indian tribes which once inhab-
tied that region, and is, Of course, very
rich and well calculated to promote the
growth of fruit trees The nursery con-
tains upwards Of so varieties Of apple trees,
and various kinds of the pear, peach, plum.
cherry, currant, gooseberry, &c. Mr.. D.
has 10000 root grated apple trees and
some Of those which were grated last
spring, are now three-fourths Of an inch in
diameter, and from three to Eve feet in
height. Some of his plum and cherry
trees have attained upwards Of seren feet
this season. From an examination Of the
choice varieties found in his list, am con
6dent that he will never deem it expedient
to adopt the policy of the Dutch, who cut
down most of the precious trees on the
Spice Islands, in order TO raise the price
of what remained.
When commenced this communication,
Mr.. Editor, i intended to have informed
your readers of your correspondents
whereabouts when frr4 s .-.