NARRATIVE AND ITINERARY UMPQUA VALLEY UMPQUA CANON. 107 



surrounded by cultivated land, greatly resembled those of the eastern States. We encamped 

 near the end of this prairie, after a day's march of about 19 miles. 



October 29. — On starting this morning, we passed over a steep hill with a flat and nearly 

 level summit, and then travelled to Winchester, distant about 19 miles from camp. Our course 

 lay through an undulating and very fertile country, varied with an occasional growth of oak 

 and pine. Winchester is a little town situated on the southern bank of the North Umpqua river, 

 at this point, a rapid stream about 80 feet in width, flowing over a very rocky bed. We crossed 

 it in a ferry-boat, and encamped in the village during a heavy fall of rain, which continued 

 through the night. 



October 30. — We learned, upon good authority, that the reports from Rogue river had not 

 exaggerated the Indian disturbances there. None but strong parties could pass through the 

 valley, and most of the houses north of the river were burned. A large force of regular and 

 volunteer troops was already in the field, and two additional companies were about starting to 

 reinforce them. The election of field officers was to take place immediately at Roseburg, and 

 we remained in camp to-day to await the result, before applying for an escort to Fort Lane. I 

 repaired a barometer. 



October 31. — This morning the road lay through a nearly level and very fertile valley to 

 Roseburg, where I saw Major Martin, the elected commanding officer of the volunteers. He 

 informed me that the troops were now fighting with the Indians, near the Umpqua canon ; and 

 that he intended to join them on the following morning, with two more companies at present 

 in camp at Canonville. He kindly proposed to escort my party through the canon, and I accepted 

 his offer. 



We continued our course up the valley of the South Umpqua river, and encamped with the 

 volunteers near the northern entrance of the Umpqua canon, at Canonville, which consists only 

 of one house and a barn. The road followed the stream for the greater part of the way, and 

 the valley, although narrow, was settled, and much of it apparently very fertile. The hills on 

 each side were lightly timbered with oak and fir. Several specimens of a hard variety of talcose 

 slate were found during the day. The distance travelled was about twenty-six miles. In the 

 evening a despatch was received from the battle field, stating that the troops were greatly in 

 want of food and powder, and urging on the reinforcements. In the night it rained. 



November 1. — This morning we followed the volunteers through the canon, a difficult pass 

 through the Umpqua mountains. Two small creeks head near the divide, and flow, one towards 

 the north to the south fork of the South Umpqua, and the other towards the south to Cow 

 creek. The bottom of the gorge is exceedingly narrow, and the precipitous sides, covered with 

 a thick growth of trees, rise at least 1,000 feet above the water. We found in the canon a 

 species of yew-tree which we did not notice elsewhere west of the Cascade mountains. The 

 ascent from the camp to the divide was 1,450 feet, and we were compelled, after crossing the 

 creek about thirty times, to travel part of the way in its bed. A few resolute men might hold 

 this defile against an army ; and it is wonderful that the Rogue river Indians, who are intelligent, 

 brave, and well armed with rifles, have never, in their numerous wars, seized upon it, and thus 

 prevented the approach of troops from the Umpqua valley. This pass is about eleven miles in 

 length, and communication through it is sometimes interrupted by freshets. The road over which 

 we travelled was constructed in 1853, by Brevet Major B. Alvord, United States army, and it 

 is the best route known through the Umpqua mountains. 

 . We had hardly left the canon when we began to see traces of the Indian devastations. 



