The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1868-07-11

trip to the Cascade mountains. We have
plenty of material the trouble with us is to
select that which will be the most interest.
ing.
On the morning Of the 2ond ultimo our
party left Albany in a strong express wsg-
on, drawn by q span of most excellent hor.
ses-thc property of A. Hackleman. We
all supposed, before loading up that the load
would be very light but before wo got
through we were all convinced of our error.
First came two goOd-sized provision boxes,
filed with q little of almost o~verything.-
We had several loaves of raised bread, gin
ger snaps, boiled mutton, one side of bacon,
several pounds of good butter, several do.
dried plums, a big can full of sugar, lots Of
ground coffee, a paper Of tea, dishes, knives
and forks, spoons, tea cups and saucers,
-four, matches, dish.cloths, towels, soap,
candles, ammunition, old papers for kind
ling fires, coffee pot, boiler, fresh beef, cur.
rant pies, &C., &c. Indeed, time would fail
US to enumerate oil those blessed boxes con.
tanned. Our better halves had determined
that if we should fail to kill any game that
the party should not starye; hence the
bountiful supply aforesaid. Then came
eight good blankets and two good comforts /;
then a large oil.clOth painted by Wadsworth
in his best style-and il was of immense
service. by the way then a good tent then
two rifles then sundry old coats and last.
but not least, came something less than
twenty sacks of shorts, chopped oats, &c. for
the horses.
The road between Albany and Lebanon is
generally level and good at this season Of
the year. Much of il is as level and smooth
as o floor. The farms on either side, and in
fact as far as the eye can reach, are in a
state of good cultivation and most Of them
are as good lands as ever the sun shone up
on. The crops of wheat, hay, oats, pota.
toes, and even Of corn, give promise Of q
very bountiful harvest. The rain, in places,
has caused some of the grain and grass to
lodge q little, but not enough yet to do a
great deal of damage. We are Of the opin.
ion hat the hot days we have just had, to.
gether with the fine rains we had previous
ly, will produce crops such as even the Will
lamette Valley rarely yields. This is a
most wonderful country. The farmer here
does not fear the rust, the locust or the Hes
sian fy nor is he afraid that the lightning
will kill his stock or set his barns on FIRE =
nor does he ever fear q famine. The crops
in the Willamette Valley Herer fail entirely.
Our party took dinner near C~headle's, the
other side Of Lebanon. A fire was built
under some big FIR trees, coffee made, fresh
beef fried and this, together with what we
had, made a dinner good enough for His Roy
al Highness Prince Albert. The ride, or the
novelty, or something else, gave Us a vora.
ciOus appetite, and We ate until We were &C.
tuaIly surprised and ashamed. Scarcely,
however, had we finished our repast and
harnessed up again ere q heavy rain over.
took as (which continued, with but little
intermission, until we arrived at Gilliland's
in Sweet Home Valley. Here we were all
cared for in that kind, whole-souled manner
for which Mr. G.. and his lady are already
noted. Their house is q log-eabin ; but ev.
erything is clean and neat as a pin and the
weary traveller instantly feels that he is vel.
come. Between Gilliland's and Lebanon We
met fifteen or twenty wagons each loaded
with lumber Of various kinds, some oil
which was destined for farms on Oak Greek.
A good many new houses, fences and barns
will be built by our farmers this season.
Our party did not leave Gilliland's mex
morning, till near noon on account Of rain
1t seemed as if the tops Of the mountain
were brim-full of rain, and that they could
rain as easily as a coquettish and pretty wO
man can cry. Nevertheless, we started and
reached Hensley's rancho, at Lower Sodi
Spring, and pitched our tent under some tai
frs. Still it rained rained all night il
the morning a little more rain but we man
aged to cook our breakfast and eat it with
good appetite, sharpened no doubt By copi
Gus drafts Of the waters from Soda Springs
We have drank of the waters Of the famou
Saratoga Spring; and candidly we prefe
those Of Soda Springs-particularly the Up
per Soda, distant some eight or ten mile
from Hensley's rancho. They do not pos
sess such strong purgative properties, ant
are better tOnics than the waters of Saratoga
At present there is a score or more Of inva
lids stopping at Lower Soda; among then
is Mr.. Hunsacker's wife and aged father
They were building a cabin and making 9th
er preparations to stay several weeks hOpinI
that the waters, and the wild scenery, an
the mountain air will effect a cure.
We cannot forbear noticing in this plac
the owner of the Ranche-Hensley. He il
the advance-guard of civilization in tia
region. He selected that spot nearly tw
years ago. 1t was a wild, and very dens
forest, in a valley or canyon of the noun
tains. Hensley is no idler. He has, sin
~gle-handed and alone, cleared up, fence,
and put in cultivation several acres O
ground, and it produces well. He has on
of the best gardens we have seen. He live
here all alone-his only companions bein,
two hound-pups which he keeps tied up il
front of his cabin to make them fierce. H
has not been sick a day since he went there
except a little while when he laid by on &C
count of an injury from a fall. He has onl,
visited the settlements twice in the yea
past-one being a trip for provisions, an,
the other to vote the Democratic ticket. III