I 



tains. 



of Oregon and Upper California. 385 



miles in its new direction, finds its source within a few miles of 

 the head of Flat or Kootanie river. Viewing the rivet in its gen- 

 eral course, we have the following lines, parallel nearly in direc- 

 tion with the Rocky Mountain range. 



1. The headwaters of the Columbia and Kootanie, along the 

 crest of the mountains; the two together about 350 miles. 



2. The continuation of these rivers (after their reversed course) 

 to their junction ; — another 350 miles. 



3. The great bend from Fort Okonagan to Fort Wallawalla ; 

 about 150 miles, — not counting (he irregularities. 



4. The general range of Lewis river, east of the Blue moun- 



5. A north and south portion, just west of Vancouver, 40 miles 

 in length. 



At the same time, the intermediate parts of the river have a 



transverse course. 



We thus see how the long parallel mountain ranges, by 

 acting as barriers to the waters that flow from the mountains to 

 the sea, have compelled the river to bend north raid south, 

 with many turns and long reaches — like the track of a vessel 

 beating against a head wind — before it terminated its course in 

 the ocean. The whole interior for a length of 800 miles, north 

 and south, (latitude 42° to 50°,) finds an outlet for its waters 

 through the Cascade range, by this single channel. 



The fact stated of the Columbia is a general truth for the 

 whole western territory. A north and south course is marked in 

 nearly all the features of the country. Between the Blue moun- 

 tains and the Cascade Range* the Fall or Chutes river flows 

 from a point 180 miles south. John Day ? s creek is another 

 smaller stream a little to the east of Fail river. At the north- 

 ern extremity of the great bend in the Columbia, near Okan- 

 agan, the Okanagan river empties, having flowed from the north, 

 over 150 miles, parallel with the north branch of the Columbia, 

 so that this river and the Columbia below its mouth together, 

 make a continuous north and south line 300 miles long. Fraser's 

 river farther north, has a north and south course, of 300 miles, 

 independent of its windings. 



Passing to the Westrrn Section, the same peculiarity is ob- 

 served. The intervals between the Cascade and Coast Ranges 

 is a vast trough extending north and south, containing the HiJ- 

 lammet river on the north and the Sacramento (with the Joaquin) 

 on the south. The Willammet valley, south of the Columbia, in- 

 cluding the region of its tributaries, covers an average breadth of 

 sixty miles, and extends south to the Elk mountains, a distance 

 of 140 miles. A bend in the Columbia, at the mouth of the 

 Willammet, throws forty miles of the former river into a north and 

 south course corresponding with that of the latter ; and from the 



Bmomm Series, Vol. VII, No. 21.— May, 1849. 49 



