THE INTERIOR OF OREGON. 489 



ferent is it from the Ohio and Missouri. The missionaries informed 

 me, in explanation of this, that the Indians have names for all the nooks 

 and points along the rivers, but none for the rivers themselves : they 

 further state, in reference to these travellers, that when they made 

 their appearance, the Indians for some time doubted vi'hether they 

 were really men, so overgrown were they with beards, and of course 

 so different from this beardless race. 



Mr. Spalding has built himself a house of two stories, with board 

 floors, as well as a grist and saw mill. For these he procured the 

 timber in the mountains, and rafted it down himself; in doing which 

 he has not neglected to attend to the proper sphere of his duties, for 

 his labours will compare in this respect with those of any of his 

 brethren. His efforts in agriculture are not less exemplary, for he 

 has twenty acres of fine wheat, and a large field in which were 

 potatoes, corn, melons, pumpkins, peas, beans, &c., the whole of 

 which were in fine order. 



This part of Oregon is admirably adapted to the raising of sheep : 

 the ewes bear twice a year, and often prodiice twins. One ewe 

 was pointed out to our gentlemen, that had seven lambs within three 

 hundred and sixty-three days. Horned cattle also thrive, but the 

 stock is at present limited. The Indians have a strong desire to 

 procure them. A party was persuaded to accompany a missionary, 

 and take horses over to St. Louis, to exchange for cattle. When 

 they reached the Sioux country, the chiefs being absent at Wash- 

 ington, they were attacked and all miirdered, except the white man. 



Mr. Spalding, during his residence of five years, has kept a register 

 of the weather : this he was kind enough to present to the Expedition, 

 and it will be found in Appendix XIII. Mr. Spalding regards the 

 climate as a rainy one, notwithstanding the appearance of aridity on 

 the vegetation. There is no doubt of its being so in winter, and even 

 during summer there is much wet. A good deal of rain had fallen 

 the month before our visit. The nights were always cool. The tem- 

 perature falls at times to a low point. On the 10th of December, 

 1836, it fell to — 10° ; and subsequently was not so low till the 16th of 

 January, 1841, when it fell to — 26°; and on the 10th of February, 

 it was as low as — 14°. 



The greatest heat experienced during his residence was in 1837 : 

 on the 23d July, in that year, the thermometer was 108° in the 

 shade. In 1840, it was 107°; and in the sun, it reached 144°. The 

 extreme variations of the thermometer are more remarkable, the 

 greatest monthly change being 72° ; while the greatest daily range 



VOL. IV. 123 



