The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-08-16

There sfe gencl4liy about 5000 In
tlians on the Reservation, but lately
most Of flem k.ve been of to the
,Camas" grounds gathering their vim
/ ter's supply of that artielsahut at pres
cnt they are beginning to return to the
! observation for tllepa.pase of harvest
ing their grlin, Sc. These Iialians
are the most enlightened and best dis
posed Of any tribe wet Of the Aiissis-
sippi--most of them having Regular
houses, and having their farms fenced
OH In good style and to ride around
among the farlns,a person would think,
to see the improvements and appear
ance Of tlliiigs generally, that lie was
riding through an Old settled and sew.
ilizedN country.
The country around here Is very
broken indeed, and most OF the land
barren and dgood for nothing for agri-
cultural purpoes, ON account of the
great scarcity OF water though along
the bottoms Of the .Clearwater' and
'I.apwai'f--two streams that course
down past the Ageney-the land i.
splendid, aud big crops can he raised
on it.
The Clearwater iyery appropriate
| ly named, is about the size of the
Willamette at Albany. and the lap
wal about the size of the Calipooia,
though perhaps not quite so much
water ut thi line OF the year. There
I is not a well Oh the Reservation, water
for dH purposes being obtained from
springs and the ri,efS-water il cold
like ice nearly the whole year.
Before came up here. | thought
there were some mountains in Oregon,
hut since have been over this part OF
the country | find they would only be
good sized ''hillsn here. F#
About 3 miles south of this Reserva-
tion Is Il government fort, known as
Fort Lapwai, " where there are sta
toned two companies Of soldiers, one
Of infantry and one OF cavalry. Tie
garrison Is under command of Col.
Sanford, Il splendid solder and u per-
feet gentleman.
| have just returned from 4 two days
trip to ''the lakes,n situated about
twenty miles from here, and same dis
tance from Lewiston. The road we
Travelled over going to and returning
from tie lakes, is Il motlel mountain
wagon road which WIS built BY few
farmers living near the lakes, for the
purpose of hauling ont tirewoot, tence
rails, and ice !!
The lakes, after you get to them, are
both wonders. Tie largest, or upper
lake, L. about a mile and a half long
by half a mile wide. TIe lower on
smaller lake, being about half a mile
in diameter, forms nearly per
| feet circle. But what is most singular
about both lakes h The fitct that there
is neither taiet nor outlet though the
general impression Is land | think cor
rect, that there il an under groand
connection between the two, aud a
short distance below The lower hike u
splendid spring bursts forth. anil forms
a large sized creek or ,,hranch''--ics
cohl-and | think the spring comes
from the lakes. The water IN both Of
the lakes is very deep. Dr. Glecnleaf
Surgeon at Fort I.apwai( OH q pre-
vious visit, let down a lEtleonl of usual
length, and could not begin to ''tetch
bottom" even then.
Both lakes are full Of splendid sized
mountain trout, and OH the upper or
larger lake are two skifis Tor the ae-
comm0tlation of visitors and almost
forgot to mention, there Is also % large
two-story ice-li0Hse, fall Of splendid
ice, that tourists" have a stree ticket"
to help themselves to at any and all
times, when so disposed.
For irrigation purposes q ditch or
canal Is taken from the large springs
near the 1.lakes, and carried down
the country some ten miles, passing
amlsbeing used at several firms, and
wherever the water il used, never
saw better crops raised anywhere.
Om party named the lakes '..KfnT
LADIES'"
About ten miles north of I.apwai,
and some distance from Lewiston,
commences the new valley that il now
being settled, known as the "Palolse
valley" through which the Northern
Pacific r. r. willnm, grade stakes"
being nowset. This valley Is highly
spoken Of, and praised as being a long
and extensive valley of rich agri-
cultural land. The climate Is a great
deal colder than Webfoot, however.
Hamilton Evans aud Frank NJ.
Redfield, formerly of Albany, have
botl purchased ranches" or farms
in this valley. abont Il miles north of
I.apwai and same distance from Lew
iston--and are now making the neces-
sary improvements on their places be-
fore moving their families OH to them.
Their families are now and have been
stopping in Lewiston. start for
Webfoot again on Thursday, Aug.
Sth, highly pleased, take it altogether,
with my trip, and Wonld sly to those
who cared, to go and do likewise.
Yours truly,