—Iio— 
hundred and twenty-five miles; but above that a suc- 
cession of falls begin, impassable for vessels of every 
kind, forming obstacles whose removal would be dis- 
proportionately expensive. 
The land along the Columbia has been described 
in most recent times as a western paradise. The 
truth of the matter is that the ground is indeed very 
fruitful, and well suited for the cultivation of wheat, 
barley, oats, rice, beans, potatoes, apples, tobacco and 
the like; but just as good tracts of land can be found 
in Illinois and Missouri. Besides, the Columbia 
River itself has only small valleys, which are sub- 
ject to overflow; and so the valleys of the smaller 
streams that flow into the Columbia from the north 
and south are even better. One of the most fertile 
tracts is the land along the Wallamette, which flows 
from south to north into the Columbia. Immediately 
on the seacoast the land is the worst. The chief 
kinds of wood are white oak and long-leaf pine. 
Game is scarce, but there is superfluity of fish, espe- 
cially salmon. The climate in summer is about the 
same as in the central part of the United States. The 
summer is distinguished by its dryness; for which rex 
son maize succeeds indifferently. In winter, there is 
seldom frost or snow; but from October to April 
there is almost continuous rain, which refreshes the 
dried grass and makes it green. The fields are us- 
ually sown as early as January. These mild winters 
make this country one of the most suitable for cattle 
raising. No part of the United States is thought to 
