The Placer herald., 1862-01-11
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
Fort WAILA WALLA, WASHINGTON TER.
DECEMBER "a, 1861.

DECEMBER "a, 1861.
Editors Herald:-I promised TO write you af-
ter l reached here, and had time to LOOK around
and form some kind Of an opinion OF the actual
condition, capacities. and prospective history Oh
the country surrounding and contiguous to this
Post. | am here, and have been since the lZth
inst when arrived after numerous ''perils by
land, and perils by sea- and may add ''perils
by false brethren" for one of BIS men-he, known
at Camp Sgel by the euphonlous sobrlquet OF
Gold Tea" stole two bottles OF choice Old Bour-
bon from me on the Pacific.
left the three men of Company with Capt
Fitch at Fort Vancouver. That Company is hnc-
ly located glorious quarters everything OF lruit,
flesh, and fish, very abundant and very cheap. IN
fact, Vancouver is the only city location on the
Columbia The scenery from there to the rivers
mouth is indeed beautiful. On either side line
of fir pinacled hills, bold, city simulated bluffs,
castelhted rocks, and unduatng banks form fit
ting embellishments to the glorious, majestic
stream. 1t resembles very much the Kentucky,
only It's infinitely more magnificent and grand
And this continues up rs high as the Dalles,
about 22O miles. From there up to old Fort Wal
la Wala, about l65 miles, | was continually re-
minded of those lines in Bryant's Thanatopsis:
or lose yss % IN the cOninSSs and Sssry woods 90 le0Da
Save his dashing."
WHY, bless you there's not stick on the route
to swear by and It's the same, am told, for some
400 miles. not even II shrub is to be seen large
enough for humming bird to roost upon-savc
perhaps a few dwarish sage bushes But enough
of the semi-descriptive.
A word for the emigrant. Portland is the
ocean steamers landing place-from Portland,
about | Is miles to the Dalles by steamer; thence,
Is miles to Des Chuttes, land travel; thence, $50
miles to old Fort Walla. by steamer; thence, 80
miles to the Fort or the town of Walla Wala.
This is a large, amphitheatricul valley, intercut
with numerous small creeks. whose banks willow
lined. relieve the sight in the vast wOOdless eX-
panse. True, in the way-of distance along the
circular crest of the Blue Mountains, looms for
est. This lack of timber is the great drawback
to the speedy development of the rich agriculu-
raj resources Of this valley. The soil is richness
itself A thousand farmers could locate hemsel
selves beautifully within sight of this post,
and have a ready and home market with remuner-
ative prces-but then the timbcrl We have to
haul our firewood distance of from IL to 10
miles. The town of Walla Wala, a short mile
from the post. is growing rapidly. 1t now num-
bers about 1900 resident and transient, and in
nv humble opinion is bound to become the town
of the head waters Of the Columbia.
The gold diggings, about which you have no
doubt heard much speculation already. will more
than rival those of California's palmiest days.
[ have taken much pains to gather reliable infor-
nation concerning them, and am satisfied that,
wild as the stories told, the next summers pros
pectings will pale their visionary hue to the sober
color Of a stronger certainty. DIR. Hawthorne
spent the last tall months IN the OrO Emo dg-
gings, and he tells me that he hnOtos they are
far superior to those of 40 in California. He
says that he has known S400 taken out by one
man with rocker in a single day; but, from rep
resentations of friends and acquantances of his,
men of character and veracity. he is firmly con-
vinced that the Salmon river diggings are supe-
rior to anything ever known beforehand my in,
formation from various and well authenticated
sources corroborate and strengthen the idea-
Gold in many cases. is taken out, not by dollars
but by pounds Howbeit, as tits not time for any
of the Placer men WHO intend visiting those dig
gings to start, will say no more about them now,
but keep you posted from time to time. April is
soon enough to start-sIye with plenty of money.
Prices in the mines are now cnOrmous-almost
everything from one to three dollars per pound.
Flour at Walla Walla is worth Sl9 per barrel,
&c | anticipate in The Spring second edition
of the Frazier river excitement. without its Ca
tlstrophes Send your paper to me at Walla
Walla. W. 7. see that the friends there write to
the friends here, and write often. We are almost
out of the mail world--see that you help us.
will write regularly. Gooi bye.
Yours Very Truly.
I w SCORE|