, 1883-07-28
CuArnsrAnY pE.Cx,nEp.
A Contributor Tells What fRe Saw sefre n
Waiia Wa.ia and TIC Bales IN an
Overland 1rip--"Gsdsis 0Wa Goun-
WALL. WuL.. July % lsss.

WALLA W,LLA. July %, 1855.
Ed. SrATEsNAS:-Traveling almost due
east over the rci;ing prairies from The
Dliies. We enter Um.iills county through
is wes. m boundary a. a point on Rock
Creek, about thirty FIVE miles south Of where
that creek empti-s into the Columbia
MourtiIs to conspicuous point on the
o!uf. we look yet eastward over one OF the
richest bunch grass producirg regions OF the
word, toward where the biue Mountains
lie, IN silent, placid majesty some for;y
miles beyond. A person who has resided
On tue dry, torrid San Joaqain, plaius TN
California; FOR some years, as lie writer has,
cannot but be surprised at the fact of thi,
beautifal, fertile region remaining so long
l1tenantei. cave by iew stock-raiseTs for
4 portion Of each yesr. The average rainfall
| per annum Of that portion Of the San Joa-
quin valley We had deserted was only six
inches, and yet tie p!ain is dotted every
hall z mlie with farm houses whose occG-
pants are comparatively prosperous Here.
n the western p1rlion Of Umatila county
are hundreds Of thousands OF acres of Iich,
wheat-pIOdueing soil, wate.ei by numerous
Creeks aGd sIaios', with rain aud snowfall
amounting TO an average Il twelve inches
per .nnuu,, comparatively near the great ar
terry Of the Northwest, tChe Columbis), and
yet unnOticsd aud unknown
Driving on over this natural gIrden
for some sco,e OF milas, we strike Willow
creek. and. following its bank upward past
pretty farms and thrifty looking STOCK
ranches for Twenty-Five miles more, We en-
ter the fOuri5hiu9 and ambitions town OF
Heppser. Tbs place is the en,repot ior a
large area 0: eek country, and contains
many conspicuous business mn and cosy
dwellings.
Now we travel along the base Of the Blue
Mountains in rather rortheas.erly d,rec.
ton, tie grass.covered, un occupied prairie
on our left, me pine frizSed mountains I'M
M diat,ly or our right. Everywbere We
are struck with tie richness OF the soil ana
the excellen. condition cf the stock which
draw their sustcnznce from. the wealth OF
bunch grass On every hand. we pEss, St
Ioug intervals, & u-ishing stock ranches AID
costly located stage stl,i rs, and finally az
rive at peujleton Pe,d.etcn IS situated al
he confluence OF W,d Ho:se creek AMI the
Umatilla rivor. aud 10; &c the edge o' the
reservation Of the Umstrl!a Indians. Pen
irytou is TIE mos: lmpOrta.; town in East
III Oregon, VITA tie exceptioa OF The
d lee.
The stage road 70 WsiIa Wsiia follows u.
Wild Horse creek, along the western boun-
d.ry os this reseyvatI, 4; with ? succession
Of OH fashioned ;arrHs on our left, and The
broad, sweeping slope 10 the loot Of TIL
mountains on cur rigat. We PISS baud al
ter bend of little cayuse horses, winch, to
our unus. d VISION, ser N to he about tn z
of yaaIiing colts ani something OF the same
rol.icking. playful spirit.
Ctntervilie IS TIE next town on our rJal,
and nov We are ia the midst UI a compara-
tireiy tiickly settled farming country. The
bright little TOW is set ike gem in per
fee ocean of wheat fields. On OTeT hi! aud
hollow everywhere devoted 10 wheat 0ur
next stopping place is Weston, which, We
beiieve, IS the second ;Owa IN importance IN
the county. Nov tan milas OF lane, wheat
ii,lds stln 90 every hand, and we reach the
las. town IN Umatili county and also the
last in Oreron-Mii,ou. neat little Village
rnlv ten miles frcm oar Dissipation; is about
falr mil, s south oi where We cross the iri-
sc;narv lice which divides the Sovereign
Sac Of Or,gon from her younger, thoagh
aspiring SISTER, arlington. Gram fields
and pretty homes accompany US to the State
line ard beyond.
From I'll. southwes: corner of tmat:ila
county at Pine creek. to he northeast cor
Mr. At the junction oi the b nntlaries Of Or
sron, Wlshr g.on and IDAHO, IL is ore hun
,lr d an1 thirty miles "a IN" crow hes. The
country hes sn average vii , # Slxsy-sIN
niles ,roii east :, wes7, aud Is l'rGe enough
I fr h,;! a i zen counties. even rs ooun'l-S
are measured of IN this land oi rlig"'tieen;
dis.auc6s, the Pacific slope. }. NUAS.