422 CLIMATE. [1841 



breakers is formed, which, in a few moments, will rend the 

 stoutest craft ia pieces, when it has once grounded upon the 

 bar.* 



From fifty to sixty miles south of the Columbia is Kila- 

 muke B;ty, which is spacious in extent, but presents the same 

 difficulties as Gray's Harbor, and can be entered with safety 

 only by vessels of light draft. South of the Kilamuke are 

 Celeste and Yaoquina bays, both of which are small, but the 

 latter has no dangerous bar at its entrance, which is three 

 quarters of a mile wide, and is perfectly sheltered from the 

 ocean winds. At the mouth of the Umpqua river, also, there 

 is a wide bay, but it is difficult for vessels of very heavy bur- 

 den to cross the bar. 



(4.) Oregon boasts of a fine climate, not more favorable to 

 the health of the inhabitants than to the growth of agricul- 

 tural products. In the elevated sections of the interior, east 

 of the Blue Mountains, snow lies nearly through the year ; 

 there is very little rain, and no dew. Here the thermometer 

 has a wide range during the day ; the temperature at noon 

 often being forty degrees higher than at sunrise. But this 

 portion of Oregon is regarded by the inhabitants as an ' out- 

 sider' ; and when they refer, as they can do with justice, to 

 the evenness and salubrity of their climate, they have in view 

 the western and middle sections of the country, where the 

 brown-colored hills, the dark evergreen forests, the rolling 

 prairies, and the richly-carpeted valleys, are bathed in the clear 

 blue haze, mingled with bright tints of purple, of an almost 

 perpetual spring. 



The range of the thermometer in the valley of the Wil- 

 lamette, is from U(P to 96°, up to the 45th parallel, and above 

 this it is not often much colder. The winter is short, com- 

 mencing the last of December, and continuing only until 

 February. During this time snow falls but rarely, never to 

 the depth of more than three or four inches, and soon disap- 

 pears. The nights are cold, and frosts occur early, sometimes 



* In the opinion of Captain Wilkes (Narrative, vol. iv. p. 491.) the safest tiinn 

 to cross the bar is ' when both the ti-ie and wind are adverse.'.' 



