by Win Blevins
The settlements of this Territory appear to be in a good and prosperous condition. Even the last years’ emigrants, some of whom have not been more than 9 or 10 months on their new farms, have plenty for themselves, and some to spare for their countrymen now on the way. Of bread, beef, fish, and potatoes of a superior kind, we have plenty. The three first mentioned articles are exported. The Brig Columbia is now freighted with wheat and flour, and will sail in a few days for the Sandwich Islands. A probable trade with the Islands is already commenced. From us they receive wheat, flour, beef, pork and lumber. In return we receive from the British, Chinese & American manufactured articles; and molasses, sugar, coffee, and rice, the growth of the Islands.
Standing in the door of my present lodgings I can count sixty-two buildings. They form the present village of the city of Oregon. Timber and lumber lay scattered about for more buildings, say 8 or 10. Several other villages, (one or two of them I have seen) have some pretensions to future greatness, but are quite small as yet.
The Hudson Bay Company transact nearly all the foreign and domestic trade. The Company derive great profit from the business, and at the same time accomodate the inhabitants of the Territory, who are all agriculturists and mechanics without capital sufficient for commercial pursuits. On our arrival we found the country dry and parched. We have recently had a week of warm rainy weather. The grass has commenced springing up and looks much like our Wisconsin prairies in May. The leaves of such trees as shed their foliage are yellow and beginning to fall. The kinds shedding the leaf are oak, a species of maple, alow [willow?], box wood, hazel, elder, &c, all small and scrubby, compared to those in the states except elder and alder, which here grow quite large. Notwithstanding the ease with which the necessaries of life are acquired, I never saw a more discontented community, owing principally to natural disposition. Nearly all, like myself, having been of a roving discontented character before leaving their eastern homes. The long tiresome trip from the States, has taught them what they are capable of performing and enduring. They talk of removing to the Islands, California, Chili, and other parts of South America with as much composure as you in Wisconsin talk of removing to Indiana or Michigan.
Almost the first man I met on my arrival, was J. M. Weir formerly of Indiana, who served with me in the Rangers. I also hear of Lancaster Clyman, who is married and settled some 40 or 50 miles up the Willamet. I expect to see him this week. It is said that he is doing well.
You recollect the large stories we used to hear respecting the immense size and height of timber in this country. The largest timber I have seen is an evergreen of the fir kind. One tree that I measured a few days since, is six feet four inches in diameter and 268 feet long. The tree was felled with an axe last summer. The firr is of two kinds, white and red; both good for timber and lumber, and generally splits easy, making the neatest rail fences I have ever seen; it has the appearance of being durable. This is the season for sowing wheat; all the farmers are busily employed, it having been heretofore too dry to sprout the grain. The farmer can sow wheat from August until June, with a certainty of reaping a fair compensation for his labor. The straw of that sown in May grows very short which renders it difficult to harvest. That sown early and in good order grows large and long, measuring 5 and 6 feet, and in some extraordinary cases, it has been known to measure 7 feet in length, with a proportionable length of head. The grain or berry of all that I have seen is remarkable for its round plump form.
The small Canada corn comes to perfection; oats likewise grow well; Irish potatoes are of a fine quality and yield abundantly. The streams I am told never freeze over, nor does the snow cover the ground more than 3 or 4 days at any one time during the winter. The open or prairie valleys are small, almost all the uplands are covered thickly with the loftiest firr. The earth is thickly covered with bogs, underbrush, and the male fern called by some brake. It grows in many places up to my shoulders, and so thick that I found it impossible in some instances to break through it.
I have crowded all I could on one sheet which I send by Mr. Perkins of the brig Columbia, bound to Oahoo on the Sandwich Islands, whence I hope it will find its way by the whalers to Boston or some other port in the States. You may not hear from me again until I reach California.
JAS. CLYMAN.
28 The morning Foggy day Fair
29 Slight Showers through the night and in fact continued all day
30 Rained all night slight showers through the day
31 Riany and windy most of the night the winds so far from the S. W. morning still and foggy But cleared off in the Forenoon & continued clear & warm all day
“Eternal Sunshine to give
Beauty to its glaziers”
1844
Friday the 1st November fair and warm the Hazel & willow begining to shed their Leaves
2 Left the falls & rode out westwardly 20 miles to the Twalitine Plains over an undulating Firr Plain in many Places Quite open soil a dark red clay the planes themselves are fine open Prarie of good deep clay Loam solil Staid with a Mr Pomroy [Walter Pomeroy] who has a farm of 180 acres in cultivation this day was fair
3d it rained several Showers through the night But cleared away in the morning Passed nearly through the Twalitine settlements containing about Sixty families all appearing in a thrifty condition thiere farms on rich smoothe clay Prairie Had a Beautiful view of Mount Hood clothed in his white mantle of snow & Looking out far above a girdle of clouds that wrapd. his icy sides.
4 Pased through several Beautifull small Praries most of which are claimed & on [which] some fair sized Farms have commenced which shew that the occupants have been handsomely Rewarded for their labour crossed the three Branches of the Twalitine River all narrow streams but deep as our horses had to swim and we passed over on some (of) long Firr trees which had been felled across them Pased through the Chehalem vally a high open vally about a mile wide extending from the South Branch of Twaletine to the Yam Hill river which is likewise a Tributory of the wilhamet this vally is bounded on the east with high rounded rang of hills well set with fine green grass and covered thinly with short Junts of shrubby white oaks on the west it rises up into a much higher range of hills thickly cowered with tall Firr timber
5 Crossed a range of high rounded hills covered with excelent grass and whare it had been burned 16 or 18 days it was now green and fair pasturage that which had not been burned of was likewise green & good grazing crossed the Yam Hill Rivir about Twelve Rods wide deep & navegable for smal Boats haveing a range of new farms both up and down on the Prairies near the stream came up in the evening at Mr. Mannings who came out with the last years emigration but who has a fair start for farming haveing raised about 300 bush of wheat sown in May last on new Broke Prarie In crossing the Hills spoken of we passed immediately through several clouds or banks of thick misty fog so thick that we could not see scarcely two rods around us and nearly dark as night & when all at once we passed out into open Sunshine immediately around us the Fog being above below and all around us in thick dark fleecy clouds arising into the upper atmosphere and passing off to the N. E. and reathing around the lower parts of Mount Hood while the top appears to enjoy almost an Eeternal sunshine to give Beauty to its glaziers
6 spent the day with Mr Manning it rained all the afternoon walked around with our guns But had no success in hunting the deer appear to be plenty But confined themselves to the thickets which are allmost impassable through this whole region of country
7 Showers of Rain fell during the Day
8 Cloudy without rain a white frost last night
9 some rain last night with slight showers through the day—visited several Neighbours all buisy and appear to be doing well though several are dissatisfied and talk of California
Sunday the 10 A Dense Fog covered the whole vally of the Yam Hill & Willhamet rivers and fell almost like a rain about noon the fog arose & we had a Bright sunny after noon walked out over a fine rounded ridge covered with green grass now springin
g up Beautifully & haveing the appearance of wheat fields in the states at this season of the year from the top of this ridge I had a Beautifull extensive view of the yam Hill Streching away to the N. W. untill it mingled with the Brown roling oak hills rising into the dark green Firr mountains beyond the vally itself covered in a young growth of green grass the old haveing been burned off not exceeding Thirty days [ago.]
Turning to the East N. E. . & S & S. W. lay the wally of the wilhamet skirted with irregular Stripes of green Prarie lately burned off white not burned Brown oak timber yallow cotton wood the leaf not yet shed & deep grien the Firr an evergreen all handsomely Blended and extending Beyond vision near the cascade mountains whare a Blue Streak of Fog lay impenetrable to the sight
“greate Quantities of wild geese seen”
11 Morning thick with light Shower of rain greate Quantities of wild geese seen flying & feeding on the young grass of the lately Burned Praries which are Quite tame & easily approached on horse back Light showers of rain fell during the day
12 Still continues showery The restless waves of the Pacciffic ware distinctly heard at early daylight distan[ce] I could not assertain In the afternoon Several rapid Showers of rain fell
13 Continued Showers
14 A strong south wind blew all night with rapid shower of rain continued to rain but slaked off in the Evening
15 The fog hung aroud the Hills until about noon when it arose and the sun broke through the mist I again walked over the green hills which ware here and their dotted with cattle and horses feeding on the young grass now about three inches high and thick and as thrifty as the summer groth of the western Praries Likewise greate Quantites of water fowl seen on the low ground such as geese duck Brants and Cranes makeing fine amusement for the Sportsman
The grass does not coat as thick no[r] as deep on the earth as in the western Praries but on the contrary turns up fine and loose after the Plow it is Likewise loose and soft to walk over and greately worked up by moles and mice and in many place by Burrowing squirrels which are now laid up being an animal that lies torped through the winter none are now seen although their has scarcely been frost enough to kill the tenderest vegitable The alder begining to shed the leaf
16 It rained moderately all night and continued throughout the day
17 Sunday Lowry in the morning greate numbers of Snipe seen on the marshes Continued Showers of Rain all day
18 A strong south wind blew all night with rapid showers of rain which continued at interavails all through the day the water Fowle continue to come in in great abundanc Scarcely a day has passed since the rainy season commenced that the Rain Bow has not been seen & some days have given us a shew of Ten or Twelve in the course of a day and at times Three or Four in one hours time large and Beautifully curved and coulored
19 As usual it continued to Rain at intervals through the night the wind however veered to the west
20 The night Passed off without rain the morning a thick [mist] covered the vally with Fog about noon It commenced raining moderately and continued to rain the rest of the day
21 The Bats seen flitting about seeking their food every evening The wind from the South it rained all the latter part of the night Scattering portions of our Emigration comeing in through the rain mud and water completely prostrated and tired out
22 It still continues to Rain
23 Still continues to Rain but more moderately than the two preceding days in the evening the wind veered to the west and it ceasd raining
24 Sunday Thick and cloudy without rain the cranes leaving for the South rode out five of six miles throug the vally of the yam Hill river in many places the young grass was waveing in the wind thew hole country clothed in young green grass
25 A strong south wind with thick mist desending at intervals from the souhern mountains
“as usual a strong south wind with rain”
26 As usual a strong south wind with rain
27 The south wind with its regular attendant rain still continues the waters much swollen and all the Lowlands overflown and covered with water Fowl fine for the sportsman I had been led to believe from previous information that the winter rains had not yet commenced on the 21 of October But all the old residents ware mistaken for once
28 A Bostirous stormy night the wind shifting to westward Blew a perfect Hericane nearly all night with rapid showas of rain This morning however the sun shewed his countanance mild and pleasant after his long absence a few light showers of rain fell during the day
29 The sun shone nearly all day and the green hills shewed to greate advantage A light white frost this morning all the streams swollen out of their banks Lots of Cranes seen to day moveing southward This country has to me a strange but not unpleasant appearance for the season the grass nearly as forward as June in Illinois and waveing in the wind dotted with cattle and horses feeding on the young grass the mountains to the E however in many places are white with recently fallen snow the alders and other timber that shed the leaf are now nearly bare
30 Cloudy but not foggy as usual Mount Hood and some other snowy peaks shewed themselves at early Light but ware soon Shrouded again in fleecy clouds the wind from the south with its constant attendant rain in the afternoon
1844 Sunday Dec. the 1 It continued to rain in showers through the night a thick rainy morning wind S. it continued to rain through out the day in Showers the hills slipery and the vallies muddy our Emigration getting in nearly drownd and suffecated in mud this season said to be the most rainy of any yet seen by the present inhabitants
2 Several showers of rain fell during the night and the morning thick and cloudy the sun broke through the clouds in the forenoon slight Showers with numerous rain Bows during the day full and Beautifully couloued this is certainly Extraordinary weather for Latitude Forty six and seven
3 Continued showers of rain
4 Same I noticed that Horses and cattle do not appear as gentle as in the states owning no dout to the want of being handled sufficiantly but animals have the inclination to go wild in a climate whare there is no winter and are not dependant on their owners for forage but seek their own living at all times & all seasons
5 It did not rain last night and the morning was clear the Cascade mountains shewed off Handsomely in their white and green drapery it remained clear all day but so moist is the Earth and atmosphere that the dew did not dry off of the green grass even on the Hills The water in the river falling and the low grounds begin to shew themselves greate Quantities of water Fowl still seen on the praries
6 a rainy Morning Caught what is here called a gopher or Camace rat [Thomomys] a Burrowing animal living underground much like a mole. This animal measures 14 Iinches in length exclusive of the tail which is 5 inches long round and without hair coulour a pale purple or mouse colour except the feet which are white and delicately made The Body heavy strong built mouse eared eye small and black hair fine like a mole head large and strong 2 Large strong teeth projecting far forward from both the upper and under Jaws the skin of the head loose and capable of moving forward and forming an extensive pouch around the front teeth the hole to the mouth small and the mouth itself small and far back into the throat whare are a set of fine teeth five to each side 20 in all
This animal makes its living on roots and is rarely seen above ground excpt when driven out by high wates
7 Light showers of Rain wind South as usual when wee are sure of rain More or less numerous rain Bows seen to day
Sunday
8 Morning fair with as light white frost and extremely heavy dew which hangs in large drops even on dry shrubery
9 Several Showers of rain fell during the night and a thick foggy morning fleecy clouds of fog asending and Decending all through the day
10 Bosterous windy rainy night But a fair day
11 A Rainy night which continued thouout the day Considirable injury was done by the late Freshet heard of 1000 or Twelv Hundred bushel of wheat being lost in the graneries on the low grounds
of the Wilhamet Likewise large lots of fencing & in some instances hogs and other stock being drowned or carried away by the water
12 A light white frost this morning and a pleasant fair day verry still the waves of the paciffic heard distinctly most of our emigration arived at Fort Vancouvre
13 A thick Fog rests on the Earth this morning which continued all day But no rain fell The high water is still abating slowly in the river
14 Foggy and a thick mist rests on the face of the waters which are under the Firmament of Heaven continued thick and fogy all day But did not rain still without a breeze to tell the course of the wind
“Rainy night succeded our Christmas”
15 The Sun again Broke through the thick mist and removed a slight white frost which shewed itself this morning the fog however soon returned and continued floating around the remainder of the day
16 Thick and Foggy with a strong appearance of rain
17 It rained some through the night But most of the day was pleasant several light shower fell in the afternoon and shewed several Beautifull rain Bows
18 Rained nearly all days moderately untill evening when it slaked up for the present
19 A Rainy night and a Rainy day likewise windS.
20 The wind blew a gale from the S. W. all night and there is a slight appearance of clear weather this morning about 11 oclock the fog disperced and the sun broke out fine and clear Noticed young thistles strawberries and a thick groth of other vegitables beginning to start the grass dose not rise up but spread[s] itself over the survace of the ground much like winter grains in the states
21 A fine clear morning Black birds Snipes and other marsh Birds in greate numbers on the low lands this day was clear and fine throughout and remarkably pleasant
