1841.] towns. 419 



breeds of every line and stamp. For several years after the 

 tide of immigration was turned in this direction, the inhabi- 

 tants bad no regularly constituted government, but for a por- 

 tion of the time the affairs of the territory were manage I by 

 a legislative committee, consisting of nine members, and an 

 executive council composed of three members. In August, 

 1848, however, a territorial organization was provided for 

 them by a law of Congress, under which the government is 

 now administered. 



Astoria, on the southern bank of the Columbia, eight miles 

 from its mouth, was first. established as a trading port, by John 

 Jacob Astor, the great New York millionaire, recently 

 deceased, and is now the principal commercial town. Oregon 

 City is the seat of government, and is situated on the Willa- 

 mette, about one hundred miles from its mouth. The water 

 power at this place is unusually great. The river is a fine, 

 ample stream, and pours down at this place through three 

 natural channels worn in the solid rock, with a descent 

 of from thirty to forty feet. Just in rear of these channels 

 there are a number of islands, upon which buildings for ma- 

 chinery, to almost any extent, can be erected. Portland, at 

 the head of ship navigation on the same stream, also possesses 

 a fine water power, and is a thriving town. Fort Vancouver, 

 on the north part of the Columbia, opposite the embouchure 

 of the Willamette, has been the chief station of the Hudson's 

 Bay Company, and is surrounded by a wide extent of richly 

 cultivated country, exceedingly well adapted for grazing. 

 Fort Walla- Walla, at the junction of iie Walla-Walla with 

 the Columbia, and Fort Nisqually on Puget's Sound, are the 

 only other important posts in the territory: the former is sur- 

 rounded by some excellent farming land, and the latter is well 

 situated for trading with the Indians, and for shipping the 

 valuable timber of northern Oregon. 



(3.) The noble Columbia is the great river of the territory, 

 and is over one thousand miles in length. It has two principal 

 affluents — the northern branch, and Saptin or Lewis river. 

 The first rises among the Rocky Mountains, not far from the 



