Timber of the same name with that of other countries, has a growth dissimilar. I have seen Laurel from one to two feet in diameter, and probably more than thirty feet high. Oak is generally inferior and scrubby. Hazel is sometimes from five to six inches in diameter, though it is commonly from one to two inches in diameter, being the only article of which hoops for barrels are made. Its hight is sometimes from twenty to twenty-five feet. Elder is often six inches in diameter, and from twenty to thirty feet high.
The largest tree I have seen in Oregon is a hemlock, standing near the shore of Young’s bay, a little below the confluence of Young’s with the Lewis and Clark’s river, about two miles above their entrance into the Columbia, and about one mile and a half a little west of south from Astoria. This tree is about two hundred feet in hight, and measures, six feet from the ground, thirty-four and a half feet in circumference. The tallest tree that I have been enabld to measure, is in Oregon city. Its hight is about two hundred and seventy feet. I am, however, of opinion that taller timber may be seen at the foot of Laurel hill, in the Cascade mountains.
The trees of this country in many places are coverd with moss. I have noticd that the timber of evergreen countries is more commonly burdend with moss than those where defoliation is general. Hence, I am of opinion that Oregon will not be a very good country for fruit. I have observd that apple trees soon cover with moss, and appear of an inferior growth.
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Among the native animals of this country, some of them are ferocious. The bear, tiger, panther and wolf, are of this class. The deer, the beaver and elk, are also natives of this country. The ferocious are sometimes known to attack the traveler, though it is not common. Those of the milder and gregarious classes obtain their support mostly from the bunch grass of the prairies.
It may here be remarkd, that no grass of this country, except along some of the river bottoms, grows in any other way than in the form of bunches, with intermediate spaces of several inches, and often of several feet.
CHAPTER IX.
Magnetic Poles of the Earth—Variation of the Magnetic Needle—Phenomena of the Northern Lights.
Captain Ross, an English navigator, left England about twenty years ago, in pursuit of the north magnetical pole. He followd the magnetical needle, directing its course westwardly till he arrivd at Baffin’s bay in America, where he left his ship and traveld about two hundred miles still farther west, at which place he determind to be the north magnetic pole. This point being several hundred miles south of the north geographical pole, determines its opposite or south magnetical pole to be an equal distance north of the south geographical pole, though on the opposite side of the earth.