Charles Wilkes

“ The soil in such places is rich and capable of producing most anything. The missionaries have succeeded in getting good crops. Stock succeeds here even better than in the lower country, and, not- withstanding the severe cold, their cattle are not housed, nor is provender laid in for them, the country being sufficiently supplied with fodder in the natural hay that is abundant every- where on the prairie, and is preferred by the cattle to the fresh grass of the bottoms. No attempts at agriculture have been made in this section ex- cept at Fort Hall. ”

“ In summer it is cooled by the strong westerly breezes to re- place the vacuum produced by the heated prairie grounds. No dew falls in this section. The climate of the third or easterly section is extremely variable ; the temperature during the day, ranging from 50 to 60, renders it unfit for agriculture, and there are but few places in its northern part where the climate would not effect- ually put a stop to its ever becoming settled. In each day, from the best account, one has all the changes incident to spring, summer, autumn, and winter. ”

“ The ease with which the wants of man are obtained, the little labor required, and consequent opportunities of idleness will render it so. The settlers of the Willamette Valley have with a praiseworthy spirit engaged to prevent the establishment of distilleries, and there are yet no places where spirits can be bought, to my knowledge, in the territory. ”

“ Wolves are troublesome to the settlers, but they are not so numerous as formerly. From the advantages this country possesses it bids fair to have an extensive commerce on advantageous terms with most parts of the Pacific. It is well calculated to produce the following, which certainly in a few years after its settlement would become its staples, viz, furs, salted beef and pork, fish, grain, flour, wool, hides, tallow, lumber and perhaps coal. ”

“ The land is equally cut up by spurs from the Cascade Range, which here intersects the country in all directions, and pre- vents its adaptation to agriculture. Its value is principally in its timber, and it is believed that few, if any, countries can compare with it in this respect. There is no point on the coast where a settlement could be formed between Erasers River or 49 north and the northern boundary of 54 40' north that would be able to supply its own wants. ”

“ They are in and around this section of country. The facilities for maintaining a post and at a moderate ex- pense are great; the river abounds with salmon during a greater part of the year and the herds thrive exceedingly well. Cattle are numerous, particularly horses, which are the best that the country affords. Grains of all kind flourish, and at about 25 miles distant the missionaries have an establishment from which I have but little doubt the troops could be supplied. The climate is remarkably fine and healthy. ”

“ The only Indians of the country south of 49 who are dis- posed to make war upon the whites are the Klamets, residing REPORT ON OREGON TERRITORY 297 on the southern borders of the territory along Rogue and Klamet Rivers and in the passes of the Shasty Mountains. The show of a small force would, I am sure, have a good tendency in preventing their depredations on the whites who pass through the country, their hostility to whom, in a great measure, is to be ascribed to the conduct of the whites them- selves, who leave no opportunity unimproved of molesting them. ”

“ The Indians are rapidly decreasing in all parts of the country. The causes are supposed to be their rude treatment of diseases and the dissipated lives they lead.
The white American population, as far as I have been able to judge of them, are orderly, and some industrious, although they are, with the exception of the missionaries, men who have led for the most part dissolute lives. ”

“ Owing to the dense fogs the coast is extremely dangerous, and they render it at all times difficult to approach and navigate upon. The interior of this portion of the territory is traversed by these ranges of mountains, with the several rivers which take their rise in them, and is probably unequaled for its rugged- ness, and from all accounts incapable of anything like cultiva- tion. The Columbia in its trend to the westward under the parallel of 48 cuts off the central or Blue Mountain Range, which is not again met with until on the parallel of 45. ”

“ The mountain chains on the parallel of 48 are cut off by the Columbia, as before stated, leaving an extensive rolling country in the center of the territory, which is well adapted for grazing. The southern part of this section is destitute of timber or wood, unless the worm wood, Artimesia, may be so called. To the north of the paralled of 49 it is covered with forests. Wheat and other grains grow well in the bottoms where they can be irrigated. ”

“ It is bounded in all its course by a range of high mountains, well wooded, and in places expands into a line of lakes before it reaches Colville, where it is 2,200 feet above the level of the sea, having a fall of a little over 100 feet in 220 miles. To the south of this it trends to the west, receiving the Spokane River from the east, which is not navigable, and takes its rise in the Lake of Coeur d'Alene. ”

“ All the care of stock which occupies so much time with us requires no atten- tion here, and on their rapid increase he would alone support himself. The wheat of this valley yields 35 to 40 bushels for one sown, or 20 to 30 bushels to the acre, its quality is superior to that grown in the United States, and its weight near 4 pounds to the bushel heavier. ”

“ HARBORS. All the harbors formed by the rivers on the seacoast are ob- structed with extensive sand bars, which make them difficult to enter, and they are continually changing. The rivers bring down large quantities of sand, which on meeting with the ocean is deposited, causing a gradual increase of the impediment which already exists at their mouths. None of them can be deemed safe ports to enter. The entrance to the Columbia is impracticable two-thirds of the year, and the difficulty of leaving equally great. The north sands are rapidly increasing and extending farther to the south. ”

“ Cases have frequently occurred of white men shooting a poor, defenseless Indian without any provocation whatever. A friendly disposition, with sufficient force to prevent any attack, could not fail to bring about the desired disposition on their parts. The country they inhabit is a very rich one and would afford all the necessaries as well as the comforts of life. ”

“ The richest and best soil is found on the. second, or middle, prairie, and is best adapted for agriculture, the high and low being excellent for pasture land. 282 CHARLES WILKES The line of woods runs on the east side and near the foot of the Cascade Range. The climate and soil are admirably adapted for all kinds of grain wheat, rye, oats, barley, peas, and so forth. Corn does not thrive in any part of this territory where it has been tried. Many fruits appear to succeed well, particularly the apple and pear. Vegetables thrive exceedingly well and yield most abund- antly. ”

“ We should also give up what may be considered a store- house of wealth in its forests, furs, and fisheries, containing an inexhaustible supply of the first and last of the best quality. Endless difficulties would be created in settling the boun- dary, for Great Britain must or does know that the outlet REPORT ON OREGON TERRITORY 295 from Frasers River by way of Johnstons Strait, between Van- couvers Island and the mainland, is not only difficult but dan- gerous to navigate from the rapidity of the currents and can not be made use of. ”

“ After passing into the middle section the climate undergoes a decided change ; in place of the cool and moist atmosphere, one that is dry and arid is entered, and the crops suffer from drought. The only wood or bush seen is the wormwood (Arti- mesia) , and this only in the neighborhood of the streams. All cultivation has to be more or less carried on by irrigation. 286 CHARLES WILKES The country bordering the Columbia above the hills to the north and south, is the poorest in the Territory, and has no doubt lead many to look upon the middle section as perfectly useless to man. ”

“ The rivers of this territory afford no fertilizing properties to the soil, but, on the contrary, are destitute of all substances, being perfectly clear and cold. The temperature of the Colum- bia in the latter part of May was 42 and in September 68. The rise of the streams from the Cascade Mountains usually takes place twice a year in February and November from the rains ; that of the Columbia in May and June from the melting of the snows. ”

“ They are principally engaged in the cultivation of the mission farms and in the care of their own stock, in order to obtain flocks and herds for themselves, most of them having selected lands. As far as my personal observation went, in the part of the country where the missionaries reside there are very few Indians, and they seem more occupied with the settlement of the country and in agricultural pursuits than missionary labors. ”

“ A mountain or easterly wind invariably causes a great fall in the temperature. These winds are not frequent. During the summer of our operations I find but three days noted of easerly winds having occurred. The nights are cold and affect the vegetation so far that corn will not ripen. ”

“ They have many good harbors, and have long been the resort of those engaged in the fur trade. They enjoy a mild and salu- brious climate, and have an abundance of fine fish frequenting their waters, which are taken in large quantities by the natives. Coal of good quantity is found here, specimens of which I obtained. The Hudson Bay Co. have made a trial of it, but owing to its having been taken from near the surface it was not very highly spoken of. Mines of mineral are also said to exist by those acquainted. They both appear to be more densely inhabited than other portions of the territory. ”

“ In Fraser River they are said to be very numerous, but not so large ; they are unable to get above the falls, some 80 miles from the sea. In the rivers and sounds are found several kinds of salmon, salmon trout, sturgeon, cod, carp, sole, flounders, ray, perch, herring, lamprey eels, and a kind of smelt called sprow in great abundance ”

“ The Cowlitz farm is also in the western section; the pro- duction of wheat is good, about 20 bushels to the acre; the ground, however, has just been brought under cultivation. They have here 600 acres, which are situated on the Cowlitz River, about 30 miles from the Columbia. The company is about to erect a saw and grist mill. This farm is finely situ- ated, and the harvest of 1841 produced 7,000 bushels of wheat. Several Canadians are also established here, who told me that they succeeded well with but little work. ”

“ It is true that the servants of the company are bound to bear arms during their term of servitude, but they are without any sort of discipline, few in number, generally of the class of farm- ers, worn-out Canadians, some few Iroquois Indians, and other tribes from the Canadas, and illy adapted to bear arms ”

“ The missionary station on the Kooscooske, near the western line of this section, is thought by the missionaries to be a wet climate. The soil along the river bottoms is generally alluvial, and would yield good crops were it not for the overflowings of the river, which check and kill the grain. Some of the finest por- tions of the land are thus unfitted for cultivation ”

“ All of them appear to be in good condition, but I was, on the whole, disappointed from the reports that had been made to me, not to find it in a state of greater forwardness, consid- ering the advantages the missionaries have had. In comparison with our own country, I should say that the labor required in this Territory for subsistence and to acquire wealth is%i the proportion of one to three, or, in other words, a man must work through the year three times as long in the United States to gain the like compensation. ”

“ Besides the moral code it is their duty to inculcate, the Catholic portion of the settlement, who form a large majority of the inhabitants, are kept under con- trol by their priest, who is supposed to act in unison with the others in the proper punishment of all bad conduct. The boundary will next claim my attention. ”

“ The third, or eastern, section is a rocky, broken, and barren country, stupendous mountain spurs in all directions, and ar- fording little level ground, with snow lying on the mountains nearly, if not quite, the whole year through. ”

“ Here also the changes of tem- perature are great during the 24 hours, but are not injurious to the small grain. The cultivation of fruits has not been suc- cessful. T'f'^ FISHERIES. It will be almost impossible to give an idea of the extensive fisheries in the rivers and on the coast; they all abound in salmon of the finest flavor, which run twice a year, from May until October, and appear inexhaustible; the whole population live upon them. ”

“ Cape Flattery, Quiniault, to Point Grenville 1,250 Blackfeet tribes that make excursions west of the Rocky Mountains 1,000 Birch Bay 300 Frazers River 500 Chenooks 209 Clatsops , 220 At the Cascades 150 At The Dalles 250 Yakima River 100 Shutes River 125 Umpquas 400 Rogue River 500 Klamets . 300 Shastys 500 Kalapuyas 600 Nisqually 200 Chikeeles and Puget Sound 700 Cowlitz Klackatacs 350 Port Orchard Suquamish 150 Total 19,204
The whole Oregon territory may be estimated as containing 20,000. Of whites, Canadians, and half-breeds there are between 700 and 800, of whom about 150 are Americans ”