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CHAPTER XXVL 



Vbmato of Oregon ; its rariablenen ; its raiiu ; a aonthem eliaate ia » wxAani 

 Istitade. — Prodactiveness ; grain, frnltfl, and flowers, wild and cnltivated. — Geo- 

 logical characteristics. — Soils and prevailing rock. — Minerab, &c. — Variety of 

 gzune. — ^Wolves. — Horses, and other domestic animab. — Population, white and na- 

 tives ; Indian tribes, their character and condition. — Missionary stations, and their 

 improvements. — Present trade of Oregon. — Posts of the Hudson Bay Gompaiy. — 

 Settlements. — Oregon City, its situation and advantages ; about Linnton ; about 

 Wallammette valley, Fualitine Plains, and Umpqua river ; Vancouvre, and ita ni- 

 perior advantages. — Kindness of Hudson Bay Company to settlers. 



The next which seems to demand our notice, in due order, is the climate 

 of this interesting country. ! 



We need only bear in mind the geographical position and diversified 

 character of Oregon, to satisfy ourselves of the true merits of the subject 

 now before us. A mountainous country like this must necessarily em- 

 brace every variety of climate, from that of the ice-bound coasts and ever- 

 scathing frosts of the polar regions, to the burning heat of the equator, — 

 from the mild atmosphere of Italian skies, to the genial temperature which 

 paints the wild-flowers in their primeval beauty, while month succeeding 

 month doles out the year, nor feels nor knows the chill-breath of winter. 



A short jaunt at any time translates the traveller, at his own option, 

 to regions of winter, spring, euomier, or fall, and spreads before him all the 

 vari^ beauties and deformities of either. 



As a general thing, however, the winters of Oregon are much more tem- 

 perate man those of countries in the same latitude bordering upon thi 

 Atlantic — a fact which may be attributed to the usual prevalence of we*- 

 terly winds at that season. 



These vnnds, on passing the mountains and traversing the vast extent 

 of snowy prairie and open land in their course, become vested with a chill- 

 ing severity unknown to its incipiency, when, from the warm bosom of the 

 broad Pacific, they first waft themselves o'er the blooming valleys, smiling 

 plains, grass-clad hills, and mountains garbed in stately forests, commingled 

 with stem desolation, to lavish upon all tl)ese varied scenes the soft blan- 

 dishments of the Indies, and engender tlie interesting phenomenon of a aonth- 

 em cUmate in a high northern latitude. 



The ountry contiguous to Frasier's river, and even below it for 

 some dl ':ance, ia usually visited with long and severe winters, and 

 enjoys comparatively but a short interval of genial weather during 

 the spring and summer months. 



The valleys, however, not unfrequently afford exceptions to this 

 remark, when favorably located in regard to the wind and sun. In 

 this section it seldom rains, a circumstance causing an uuproductiTe 

 and arid soil. 



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