The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-11-26
EDITORIAL ooRREsPoNnENnR
EAR READERS OF THE New NORTHWEST:

ike afternoon, and climbing one of the
many great bald hills that environ it
our seat in an open buggy commanding
a flne view of the fertile valley in which
the town is situated-we after while
reached the broad alluvial plateau, COM
prising forty thousand ACES of the best
and most desirable farming land we
ever saw anywhere, but which is wholly
given over to the abode of Cayuse
horses. This plateau is an Indian reser-
walton, where few hundred great, stall
wart wards of the government, who are
amply able to be seIf-sustaining-
would be much better off if compelled
to be so-claim, although they do not
cultivate, this vast area of acres, while
industrious white men, and thrifty,
thorough going white women, aredriven
to thu most undesirable tracts of gov
ernment land TO get themselves foot
hold.
! PendletOn swarms with Indians.
Great, lazy louts, who stand nearly six
feet in their moccasins, while the women
perform the drudgery alike of the camp
and field, lounge languidly around the
fires in the great stoves in the stores;
and the younger fly, clad in nondescript
undress, of which the fashion has not
changed to our certain knowledge in a
quarter of century, practice OH the
common with bows and arrows as their
shiftless fathers did of yore. We freely
confess lack of fashionable religious en-
thusiasm over the prospect of civiIizing
the native Indian according to the white
mans idea of enlightenment. The no.
bic red man is at best wild animal less
susceptible of being tanned than the
white mans horse or dog. No doubt
this declaration will startle somebody;
but no matter. The truth must be
spoken. Occasionally we find excep-
tiOns to the general rule, and would by
no means decry the efforts of philan-
thrOpists to make the most of such.
But the Indian is better off in his own
element, and more prosperous in every
way when let alone, than he can ever be
among white men.
As we rode along over the beautiful
reservation with our mind busily occu-
pied with these cogitations, we could
not help feeling that, after all, the In
dian is much like many white men.
There are leagues of unoccupied land in
the valleys of the Sacramento, San
joaquin and Willamette equally as fer
tile as these acres, which some autocrat
of the soil has spread his imaginary
wings over, driving humanity back to
the mountains, while hogs and sheep
enjoy the luxury of the grass-grown
common in undisputed serenity.
A ride of twelve miles took us to
Cayuse Station, where a sensible land
lady made us comfortable for the night.
This station is low, rambling farm
house, situated under the lee of the Blue
Mountains, where the cattle of thous-
and hills may be seen at their quiet bus
mess of feeding upon the luxuriant
grasses of both hill and plain.
The next morning, while it was vet
dark, we were aroused to hot break
fast of coffee and spare-ribs, and were
soon in the stage, slowly climbing the
great mountain in the gray, cold gloom. !
Daylight met US at the first mountain
top, and climbing to the drivers perch. |
we seated ourself beside him and rode |
for miles along the line of the old emf
grant road, ruminating upon our first |
journey over the road, when, in the hey-
day of young maidenhood, in company |
with the dear members of a now scat
tered family, we had kept weary time
to the slow march of jaded, hungry |
oxen as we wandered OH toward the set
ting sun.
The morning, which had been calm |
and tolerably clear, gave way to raw,
chilly forenoon, and brought us cold
and damp, at 10 o'clock, to the old
Meacham Hotel, on the summit of the
mountain ridge, where we stopped to
warm and rest and make the agreeable
acquaintance of Mr.. and Mrs. Foster, of
whom we had often heard.
The road, for mountain one, and in
the winter at that, is the best we ever
travelled. The scenery also is not to be
Though not heavily wooded,
except in patches, frequent groves of
timber greet the eye, composed princi-
pally of tamarack, fir, and three varie-
lies of pine.
AT the next station, twelve miles
rom the old Meacham headquarters, we
stopped for dinner, and were bountifuIly
regaled at well-kept table, presided
over by woman who does the work,
and, for once, collects the money.
The road from this station is mostly a
grade, and is in excellent re-
pair. Before noon heavy mist began
alling, and sifted through and through
our many wraps; but the mist outside
was much more easily endured than the
olting inside the coach, and we heroic
lily endured it, though it a0ds a little
,edious long before evening brought us
% the La Grande Hotel and a good fire.
The road lay for miles along the margin
'f the Grand Ronde River, a rapid
stream, once clear as crystal, but now