OREGON "SPECTATOR." 71 



and again with a keenness that can be understood 

 only by those who have undergone similar priva- 

 tions of intelligence. We heard of an old resident 

 in Rupert's Land, who was philosophic enough to 

 extend this pleasure over the whole year, by laying 

 up his annual file of newspapers, and taking one 

 down daily for perusal according to its date, so 

 that he had just mastered the news of the pre- 

 ceding year when a new file arrived. Our im- 

 patience was too great to permit us to follow an 

 example so systematic. 



By the return of our packet men from Fort 

 Simpson in January, we received the Oregon 

 " Spectator," dated Oregon city, February 10th, 

 1848, with the motto "Westward the star of Empire 

 takes its way." It was a creditable production 

 for so young a state, remarkable for the extreme 

 dearth of " news," but a strenuous advocate of 

 temperance and morality, and curious for the 

 insight which it gave of the first movements of 

 a community destined at no distant period to 

 play a conspicuous part among the nations of the 

 world. The state is already involved in an Indian 

 war, which will not cease until the Red Men are 

 hunted from their native soil. The cause of hos- 

 tility was one of those unavoidable accidents which 

 the vicinity of white people entails on the Indian 

 race. A large body of emigrants brought small- 



F 4 



