The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-12-06
The Daily Bulletin.
Local News.
WESTERN RAMBLINGS.

special Correspondence to The Bulletin:
SALEM, ORE, Nov. 2Sth, lSS3.-Leaving
Vernon, Washington Territory, we con-
tiuued our rsmblings by private conveyance
Pataka Flat is beautiful section of coun-
try. 1t ia an elevated plateau lying in
close proximity to the timber lands border
ing on the foot hills Of the Blue Noun
tains. Old-isshioned worm fences enclose
beautiful farms, and there seems to be gen.
eral thrift about the farmers, who are en-
gagged principally n wheat and barley rails
ing in connection with that of togs and
cattle, owing to the fact that level land is
rather scarce IN Eastern Washington those
lands sell at high prices for new country.
Leaving the Flat our road leads US down a
deep gulch to the thriving town of Pome-
roy, the county seat of Garfield county. In
anticipation of a railroad the town and sur
rounding country has general boom.
Lumber and carpenters are in demand
throughout that section of country, and the
demand is greater than the supply. Car
penters' wages are from three to four dol
lars per day; day laborers get two dollars
per day. A goodly number of cinnamon
are to be seen, especially in the towns and
on public works. Many Indians, also, are
employed in certain sections gathering
crops and such work as they can do. Hav-
ing travelled several miles from Pomeroy,
We came to the top of the bluffs that loom
up on each side of small stream called
Two Canon. Deep guches are common in
this country, and the descent and ascent of
the bluffs is quite laborious. Following
the grade down the steep decivity for two
miles, We came to a small place that lays
claim to the right OF being called town,
and Of the name of Marengo. The name
Of the stream and gulch originated as fol-
lows: At the time of Lewis and Clark's
exploring expedition, many years ago,
through this section, he was closely pur-
sued by hostile Indians, and in order to
make more rapid retreat he buried two
csnnons in this gucb, hence the name.
Having eaten our lunch sitting on the steps
Of, q deserted and dilapidated saloon, what
blessing if all saloons were so) we pulled
out from this town O. where we saw only
two persons during our stay. We had an
uphill Of about two miles and then on and
across the country, through the rain in the
evening, to the head OF another gulch,
where we were most Hospitality entertained
by one VI the thrifty farmers of the locality.
In the morning our generous host, Mr..
Isaac Hapkins, gave US, wife and y seats
In his hack and drove US down fertile and
thickly settled gulch some fourteen miles
to Dayton. BY the way, this gulch is the
one traversed by Lewis and Cisrk's expeds-
ton, and o number of the parties names
are yet to be seen on rocks near Dayton,
where they inscribed them seventy-seven
years ago. This expedition for exploring
the then unknown west, set out from the
Missouri river 10 the year 1905, and con-
sisted of the leaders and thirty.fve soldiers
and hunters to cross the Rocky Mountains
and explore the northwest country to the
confines Of the Pacific Ocean. Two years
we're spent by the daring band exploring
those vast domains, wandering among un.
heard OF tribes of wild Indians, encounter
ing ferocious beasts of the forests, escaping
dangers from forests and floods, diseases
aud the rigors of winter, they at last re-
turned, (all but one) to repeat the wonders
of the west to the world and now after
three-quarters Of a century have past, we
travel the same path; the savage barbara
ans have lost their power; the grizzly bears
no longer roam at will, only in the depths
Of the mountain forests; the wide plains
TEEN with hardy population; yes, human
sea has sent its waves from the great rivers
to the ocean border; the desert, through
the interchangeable energy OF Yankee rest
lessness has been made to blossom as the
rose,n and yet it is only the beginning of a
great future in store for this northwest
country,
This same gulch we travelled down was
also the path of many hundreds of miners
and traders on their way from California to
Idaho and Montana, in quest of new gold
and silver fields. Little did those hardy
gold seekers think that in those hills,
bluffs and level plains there was hidden
untold treasures of agricultural wealth,
that in twenty years would begin to pour
its treasures into the lap of the nation
Along either side of the old pathway, i'm,
menea fielda of grain had been but recentlv