Soon after the rainy season commences in the valleys, the mountainous portions begin to be coverd with snow, and it continues to accumulate upon them at every successive storm, till in many places the snow becomes nearly thirty feet deep, which lasts until quite the latter part of the succeeding summer, before it entirely disappears.
The winter seasons are very variable. During some of the winters, the grasses of the valleys remain green, garden vegetables are verdant, and but little frost is seen. Others again, for three months, the earth is bound up with frost, and the rivers are frozen over of sufficient thickness to bear passages of considerable burden.
So far as the health of this country is concernd, it is true that some sickness prevails, but it may be in a great measure owing to the physical change in the physiology of the human system, in passing from the States to a country so different in climate. After emigrants become acclimated here, the blood becomes of a bright scarlet red, being much more aerated or oxygenized than exists in the system in any of the southern States of America, and consequently better health may be inferd. At some seasons of the year, along some of the rivers, ague and fever exists, but it is generally of a very mild character, and medicine takes a speedy and salutary effect upon the human system.
The description of the climate here given of Oregon, being applicable to the western division does not in all respects apply to the two eastern divisions. The whole of Oregon lying east, of the Cascade range of mountains, is much drier, having less rains at any time, than the portion lying west of them.
It is often quite cold in winter, and being very dry in summer, renders it truly a desert country.
The rivers of Oregon of any considerable notice, are well known to most readers. Although Columbia river is much the largest in the territory, and produces the greatest drainage of any one, yet it does not by a considerable amount drain all of the waters of Oregon that find their way to the Pacific ocean. Green river, commencing at Fremont’s peak, in the Wind river mountains, is the principal source of the great Rio Colerado of Calafornia. The great Sacramento of upper Calafornia, has its principal source in Oregon. Other rivers though less in size, yet nevertheless, rivers that are likely to become rivers of considerable, importance, indent the western coast, and furnish their own drainage to the Pacific ocean. Those rivers which fall most immediately under the notice of actual settlers of the present day, are comprisd within the western division of Oregon. They are Willamet, the Umpqua and the Klamet, with their several tributaries. These rivers and their tributaries form valleys of moderate extent, and furnish many tolerable good farms to those who love a romantic life among the hills and vales of an undulating country. Wheat, oats, neat cattle and horses, are the principal sources of wealth which is derivd from the soil at present. Indian corn is not much cultivated in Oregon, its summers being too dry for corn to thrive well. The swine of the country look well fattend upon wheat, but the ox is mostly usd here for food.
I ought here to remark that the wheat of this country is of a superior quality. It is free from all those attending evils very common at the east, such as smut, rust and wheat sickness.—The weevil is not known here at present. The wheat of this country grows with a very stiff stalk, which enables it to stand erect for a great length of time. This furnishes the farmer during the dry season of the year an opportunity to secure his abundant crop.
The mineral resources of Oregon hitherto, have receivd but little attention. Gold has been discoverd only sparingly.—Copper is said to exist on the Cowlits, a small tributary to the Columbia river, on the north of it, having its source in the direction of Puget’s sound.
Lead has of late been seen upon the Santyam. It is thought by some persons that it may be obtaind there in considerable quantities, but as the minds of the Oregon people are at present directed to the gold mines of California, little attention will be paid to mining operations at home. Iron exists in large quantities in the Cascade mountains. Along the emigrant route, I have seen iron probably as rich as 80 per cent.
The soil of the whole division west of the Cascade range is tingd of a reddish color by the red oxide of iron. This oxide in some places is so abundant as to injure the soil. In other places the soil is not materially injurd by it. In some places along the rocky bluffs of some of the rivers, iron ore is quite rich. I observd one of those places in the bluffs east of the Willamet falls, at the south end of Oregon city, where the road, leading to the top of the highest bluff is excavated. From my own observations in traveling over the western division, I am confident that there is no lack of iron ore in almost every part, and so soon as the inhabitants are ready to turn their attention to it, their necessary supplies will be furnishd from their own country.