Year: 1863

CttSSoHeAft
an intelligent and reliable gentleman-and will
repay perusal.


BOISE RIVER MINES, w. T. JAM 4th, 1868.


After leaving Blairs Spring on the 9th Sept,
proceeded directly across the country to the
butte that stands on the margin of the Malheur
valley. From the emigrant road to Snake river,
is not far from twenty mles-the entire distance
sage plain, except a very narrow strip of over
flowed lands, along the margin of the river. fif-
teen miles to the eastward carr led US beyond the
sage plains to the banks of the beautiful Pay ette
stream about two hundred feet wide and about
eighteen inches deep, running through long,
narrow valley, bounded on either side by low hills
that are covered with an abundant growth of
herd grass. The scenery from this side of Snake
river is of the most delightful character. To the
southwark and westward in the "far off distance
groups of symmetrical hills and long ranges of
lofty mountains rise and stretch away until shut
out by the horizon from the eye Of the delight ed
beholder, while the less distant but more beauti-
full foothills rise step by step from the edge of
the monotonous plain in exquisite relief to the
more majestic mountain range. To the eastward
these grass hills continue to rise until, in many
places, they culmiaate in very fine mountains with
excellent groves Of timber near their summts.-
From these hills and mountains flow beautiful lit
tie streams of excellent water. Between each of
these hills Is low smoothe divide, so that you
may traverse this entire region on horseback,
with great ease and comfort. Loaded wagons
have already arrived in these mines in considera-
BILE numbers. these low mountains are spurs of
the great Salm range, which continue to rise
from the sage plains by gradual and easy stages,
imbosomng many beautiful valleys of ccnsidera-
bic exteEt-until the great back bone of abrupt
sliding rocks is attained from which the aston
ished beholder may continue to gaze with a sense
of mingled awe and delight upon the magnificent
scene of ghastliness that opens up through the
deep, dark, chilling gloom of the appalling chasm
cut by the Salmon river, through the entire length
of this mighty range of the Salmon noun
tains.


The Weiser, Payette, Boise, and Wood rivers
and two other streams, of which l have but very
imperfect knowledge, all take their rise in this
great Salmon range, and run at nearly right an
giles with Salmon river, and empty into Snake
river The gentle slope of these mountains to
the southwark with the abrupt ascent to the north,
gives the above named streams at least three
fourths of the drainage, while the Salmon, al
though cutting its way direct through the whole
length of the range, gets but moety of their
waters. These streames head near each other and
run in somewhat divergent lines to where they
empty their waters into Snake river-Weiser to
the northwest Payette to the west, Boise west
ward and south-eastward and southwark. In this
region, extending from the head-waters of Salmon
river, are many lakes, number of them of con-
siderable size The three Payette lakes are each
from two to eight miles wide and from six to
twelve miles in length. The grand and lovely
scenery that surrounds these lakes, with the myr-
lads OF trout and salmon that sport within their
deep blue waters and the herds of elk and deer
oh 4bat ho1 tbair
banks combine to form a picture from which the
eye of the observer may drink in new beauties
each day of the year. Besides these, there are
many other lakes equally beautilul-as mountain
lakes always are-but not SO large.


THE VALLEYS.


The valleys constitute very large proportion
of this sunny slope. There is a narrow belt, of
sage plains bordering on Sanke river, Immediately
back of which and running parallel with the river
is range Of low, basatic hills, with an occasional
eliminating of coarse, gray, granite, upon which
exists numistakable evidences of rapid decay
Lying further back at the foothills and in many
instances running far into the mountains, are val
leys, any of which of capacity sufficient TO ac-
commodate thousands of setlers-all Of them
bearing 10 the south, and sheltered from the
storms Of winter by the great Salmon range, and
of general lovelness of aspect seldom equaed
never surpassed; very fertile and well-watered.
The first of them is the


PAYETTE VALLEY,


which opens out high up in the mountains, at the
foot of this lower lake, and extends down the
stream some fifty miles, at an average width of
about twelve miles. 1t is well watered by small
brooks, flowing in from the hills and mountains
on either side. The river has many tributaries.
each of which has its beautiful valleys; none so
large, however, but any of them handsome
and productive as the above-each with its low
prairie hills and high timbered mountains.


THE BOISE RIVER,


to the eastward, has as much grazing and farm
lands as the Payette but in no single body so
large tract as the great Payette valley. The
hills and mountains in the neighborhood of the
Boise, and to the eastward as far as Fort Hall,
are less abrnpt than on the waters of the Pay
cite.


THE WOOD RIVER VALLEYS


still to the eastward of Boise, is one of the most
lovely, being from eight to twelve miles wide and
no. far from fifty miles long-lying on the south
side of noble range Of granite hills, with
range of low basaltic hills on the opposite side,
at the foot of which latter runs, coursing its way
to the eastward, the beautiful little Wood river,
whose principal tributaries head in the granite
range to the north, and run, at short intervals, the
entire distance across the valley, thus furnishing
every square mile of its surface with an abun-
dant supply of water. This great bend of Snake
river has capacity for supporting large popula-
ton, independent of its rich gold deposits which
are very extensive.


THE MINES.


Gold in "paying" quantities, was found on the
head waters of the Payette-which interlocks its
eastern tributaries with those of the Boise-by a
small party, at the same time the mines were dis
covered here but as in the case of the discover
ers of these mines, they were driven away by hos
tile Indians. To the eastward Of this, on the
waters Of Boise and Wood rivers, where | have
passed month of time since my arrival here,
have seen excellent prospects taken out. Within
the waters of Payette and Boise rivers we have a
mining region of more than one hundred miles in
| extent.


| Notwithstanding the lateness of the season
! 17th October vixen the FIRST working party ar
rived here and the fact that we were compelled
to erect fort (Hogan) considerable quantities o
gold have been taken out. The claims taken will
employ, think, at least ten thousand men, al
good pay. The yield, so far, has run from good
fair wages to two or three hundred dollars, with
an average of not far from ten dollars per day to
the hand. The mines are well supplied with water
and timber, with every facility for successful min
ing, SO that the aggregate yield Of gold taker
from them the coming season, must be great
Ine quality of the gold is good, and will coin SIC
and upwards to the ounce. The largest piece
have seen weighed little more than six ounces
and a half The gold as rule, however, is no
coarse but in many localities, on the contrary
is very fine The coarse gold is found in the
small gulches, and the fine gold in the large
| streams.


This region has not heen very thoroughly pros
pected outside of the ground now occupied, no.
will it be before the end of the present year no
without imminent risk of life and property, with