The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-08-19
Oregon Correspondence.
Dalles, Oregon, Aug. 5 go


1t seems like an age since
! have taken the pencil in hand to
write you. My apology is that tho
wonders of this coast have 30 over
whclmcd me that l could not find
time while the day lasted, and even
the nights offer attractions to us
greeneys-by Gas Light.
left the Golden Gate on Tuesday,
9th July Up. m. and crossed the Bar
at mouth of Columbia River, the
Both at 5 p. m. on Steam Ship Pacific,
had a fine trip, viewing the scenery
on the coast-we landed at Astoria,
leaving at..7:30, and after steaming up
the river 10 miles, the smoke from
the burning forests, and fogs, were so
dense the Pilot cast anchor, and lay
until 4 a. m. Saturday, when we
weighed anchor and arrived at Port
land at 2:30 p. M; then came my dis
appointment; no means OF getting
here until Monday-only 100 miles
divided Lucy and me--but l recon-
ciled myselfby calling on my friends,
Senator Corbett and family, whom I
have known since 1882 in the EN-
pire State, and many others. l have
met in almost every town and city,
from one to scores of people with
whom / have been acquainted for
many years, and more liberal whole
souled class cannot exist on any con-
tinent-if they do | confess that l do
not want to see them.
Monday morning August I'd s a.
m. we left Portland, arriving at the
Cascades at IL: Portage r. r., 2
miles, then fine steamer up this grand
River arriving here at 3 p. m. Yon
can imagine the happy meeting of my
good wife, with Alice, Mother Will
Jams and her sons and daughters,
Such times cannot be expressed on
paper. Until yesterday the burning
timber has fillod the air with smoke
80 that we could not see the beauty
Of theCascade mountains &c.
Yesterday morning at 5 we started
with Mother Williams, Edward, Tay-
lor, Mary, Letta, her two nice boys,
Lucy, Alice, and Uncle Jerry, yes
and Martha, Taylors girl, II in all,
two wagons, provisions enough for
an army fishing tackle &c. for a
picnic up Mill Greek 6 miles, and
can only say the enjoyment was such,
as never to be forgotten. When l
came to talk with Mother Williams,
whom l had never seen before, and
tell her that she was probably the
only woman in Oregon who had a
son within four years of her own
age, she seemed to feel quite young,
and noticed she was as lively as
any at the picnic.
l think the finest climate l was ev-
er in, is here at the Dalles, in this
Valley Of the Columbia, between two
ranges Of Mountains, and Salmon,
Trout, as thick as minnows, in your
river.
am getting fat, and feel SO vigor-
GUS. Tell Mr.. Scott to make some
stout stone or ] will break them when
l come. We shall have to make stone
on this coast.
Tell the DR.. and Sister Warden to
not be jealous on account of my wri-
ting you, and l hope they and chill
dren with you all are we'll.
We shall leave here Monday morn.
ing tor San Francisco via Portland
and the Willamette Valley via Stage
to Orreyville, thence rail to Sacra-
mento; will stop at Jimmy Twogoods
old place, and see Mrs. Jones. J. N.
omitted in my note this a. m.
to say in passing tho Cascade
mountains yesterday to tho picnic,
we had fine view Of Mount Hood,
but two men it is said have ever seen
it's top.
To morrow we go Is miles above
here ty rail. jim