328 COLUMBIA RIVER. 



Near by were to be seen fine fields of grain, large barns and 

 sheepfolds, agricultural implements, and workmen with cattle engaged 

 in the various employments of husbandry. 



I also visited Dr. Richmond, who had been settled here for some 

 months, and occupies a nice log house, built on the borders of one of 

 the beautiful prairies. Here I found Mrs. Richmond and Mrs. Wil- 

 son, with four fine, rosy, and fat children, whose appearance spoke 

 volumes for the health of the climate. This mission has but recently 

 been established : so far as respects its prospects, they are not very 

 flattering. I shall have occasion hereafter to allude to the opera- 

 tions of the missions, and shall therefore defer any farther remarks 

 at present. The location of the mission-house, on the borders of 

 an extensive and beautiful prairie, can scarcely be surpassed, and 

 would be admirably adapted for a large settlement, if the soil was in 

 any respect equal to its appearance. This is composed of a light 

 brown earth, intermixed with a large proportion of gravel and stones : 

 it requires an abundance of rain to bring any crop to perfection, 

 and this rarely falls during the summer months. At the season 

 when we arrived, nothing could be more beautiful, or to appearance 

 more luxuriant than the plains, which were covered with flowers of 

 every colour and kind ; among these were to be seen Ranunculus, 

 Scilla, Lupines, Collinsia, and Balsamoriza (a small sunflower 

 peculiar to Oregon) ; but the soil is quite thin, and barely sufiicient 

 for these in many places. The best land occurs where the prairies 

 are intersected or broken by belts of woods, that have a dense 

 undergrowth, consisting of Hazel, Spirsea, Cornus, and Prunus. On 

 the borders of these belts are scattered oaks and some ash, arbutus, 

 birch, and poplars, and in some places the yew is to be found ; but 

 the predominant character of the vegetation is of the tribe of Coni- 

 ferge, which seem to occupy large ranges of the country, and among 

 which the cedar is found to attain a large size. 



In connexion with the Company's establishment at Nisqually, 

 they have a large dairy, several hundred head of cattle, and among 

 them seventy milch cows, which yield a large supply of butter and 

 cheese : they have also large crops of wheat, peas, and oats, and were 

 preparing the ground for potatoes. These operations are conducted 

 by a farmer and dairyman, brought from England expressly to 

 superintend these aff'airs. A few Indians are engaged in attending 

 the flocks, and the Company's servants are almost exclusively em- 

 ployed as labourers. 



