The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-09-12

distant. All the passengers, ircluji1g
several ladies' visiting relatives in the
valley, had to stop over nigh. at the
large Indian town at the mouth Of the
river. In the morning the Pullen bro
theirs drove their band of sheep back
towards the prairie. while canoes took
the freigh: as well as the psssen gers t.
the lower prairie
Something over q week was occul. cd
in going over the valley, three days OF
Which time was away from the settle
ments, camping ou. at night alone IN
the woods. and going by the trails about
thirty miles back from the coast. The
results acquired by this trip can be
best presented in the following dcscvip-
tion Of the
aUiLLEUrE COUNTRY.
Judge Swan, Of Neeah Bay, is sup
posed TO be the first explorer Of this
valley. Many years ago trail was
cut over the mountains from the mouth
of Pisht river into the valley, and land
claims taken, which were afterwards
abandoned. The Balch family and the
Pullen brothers were the first perma-
nent settlers. They have fine farms and
large bands Of stock.
There are now near twenty claims
taken and some three thousand acres OF
land held by settlers. There are no
settlers living with Indian women. The
white families are those Of Messrs.
Balch, Smith, Maxfield and Wood.
The Quilleute river carries more wa
ter in a season than the SnOhomish, il
it does not nearly equal the Skagit in
volume. Within short distance Of its
mouth it divides into several branches.
An imperfect harbor exists at its mouth,
which could be easily improved. There
are hundreds of millions Of the finest
possible logging timber. with as much
fertile bottom land as is to be found on
White river. Besides this, there are
about ten thousand acres of very fertile
prairie. nearly all upland, with deep
rich black loan. dry and free from
timber. only covered with tall fern or
with grass. The lower prairie is about
four miles from salt water, it is four
and half miles long by from one-third
to three-fourths Of mile wide, and
contains about fifteen hundred acres of
land. This is nearly all occupied.
Some eight or ten miles back Of this
prairie is the upper or Forks prairie,
which is about the same shape and size
as the first one. Most Of the settlers
reside on these two prairies. The other
prairies range in size from these down
to mere openings in the timber. Most
oil of them are free from gravel.
The usual outlet to this country is by
the mouth Of the river, or by the cattle
trail over the mountains to the mouth
Of Pisht river, i'll the Straits of Fuca.
1t is supposed a good wagon road can
be constructed from the river valley to
Clallam Bay, which will afford its best
outlet.
Since leaving there. Il p Shoecraft,
the surveyor. has run survey line from
the Government surveys on Pisht river
over the mountains and down the valley
through the lower prairie. This will
be base line for tho survey of some
three townships Of land. He estimates
that, when the land is surveyed, there
will be found some fifteen thousand
acres Of prairie there.
Much of the country west of the
Olympic Mountains is UNEMPLOYED.
When fully known, it is reasonable to
suppose that between the Chehalis
river and Neeah Bay there are some
forty thousand acres Of fertile prairie,
and that the whole extent Of lands
there suitable for cultivation will equal
oil the fertile lands on the east side OF
the Sound north Of the Puyallup
valley.
From the mouth of tho Quilieute
river l walked to Neeah Bay. stopping
at the Indian villages of Hoseth. Suez.
etc, the reservation farm at Habuck.
aud crossed the celebrated Wyaatch
tide marsh. Some of the scenery along
the coast is weird. wild and beautiful
After visiting the Tatooch light house,
and enjoying for several days the hos
FATALITIES Of Capt. Willoughby. the eff
cient Indian Agent at The Reservation
and other friends there, | started for
Port Townsend. Not going in a
straight line. but stopping to examine
whatever interested me. ] was nearly
two weeks making the trip. going afoot
all the way. except from Sequim Bay
! to Port Townsend, which l travelled in
a canoe.
The Dispatch took me via the Islands
to Point Roberts and Semiahmoo. from
which last place walked to the Moot
sack, thence to Whatcom, and from
there to the Samish. After spending
several days studying up the Samish
country, walked from there to Lacon
ncr, and proceeded thence by steamer
via Seattle to the Snohomish. This
trip occupied nearly six weeks.
After remaining at home only few
days. started OF another long trip
DOWN AMONG THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS,
ETC, ETC.
Leaving Snohomish City about the
LIST of July. l walked to Packwood's
Landing. on Ebey's Slough. thence to
Marysvil.e. and from there to Priest
Point and over the telegraph trail "a
the S,illagusmish river. In . boat
went down the river to Stsnwood, and
with Iverson and others, proceeded in
tho same manner 10 the Skagit river
From there l walked most of the way
10 Lsconncr. 4 party OF US preceded
from the last named place to visit the
noted Olympic marsh back of Padill =;
returning from which. l crossed over
/ IN Fidalco Island and thenes IN Gnemas