NISQUALLY AND COLUMBIA RIVER. 335 



saw two or three very fine bulls, that had been imported from 

 England. The sheep have lambs twice a year: those of the Cali- 

 fornia breed yield a very inferior kind of wool, which is inclined to 

 be hairy near the hide, and is much matted. This breed has been 

 crossed with the Leicester, Bakewell, and other breeds, which has 

 much improved it. The fleeces of the mixed breed are very heavy, 

 weighing generally eight pounds, and some as much as twelve. 

 Merinos have been tried, but they are not found to thrive. 



The Californian horses are not equal to those raised in Oregon: 

 those bred near Walla walla are in the most repute. 



In one of our rides we visited the site of the first fort at Vancouver: 

 it is less than a mile from the present position, and is just on the brow 

 of the upper prairie. The view from this place is truly beautiful : 

 the noble river can be traced in all its windings, for a long distance 

 through the cultivated prairie, with its groves and clumps of trees; 

 beyond, the eye sweeps over an interminable forest, melting into a 

 blue haze, from which Mount Hood, capped with its eternal snows, 

 rises in great beauty. The tints of purple which appear in the 

 atmosphere, are, so far as I am aware, peculiar to this country. This 

 site was abandoned, in consequence of the difficulty of obtaining 

 water, and its distance from the river, which compelled them to 

 transport every article up a high and rugged road. The latter 

 difficulty was encountered in the first location on the upper prairie, 

 because it was said that the low 7 er one was occasionally flooded ; but 

 although this may have happened formerly, it is not found to occur at 

 present. 



I also visited the grist-mill, which is situated on a small stream, 

 but owing to the height of the river, which threw a quantity of back- 

 water on the wheel, it was not in action. The mill has one run of 

 stones, and is a well-built edifice. Annexed to it is the house of the 

 miller, who is also the watchmaker of the neighbourhood. The mill 

 is amply sufficient for all the wants of the Company, and of the sur- 

 rounding country. The saw-mill is two miles beyond the grist-mill. 

 A similar mistake has been made in choosing its position, for the mill 

 is placed so low that for the part of the season when they have most 

 water, they are unable to use it. There are in it several runs of 

 saws, and it is remarkably well built. In few buildings, indeed, can 

 such materials be seen as are here used. The quality of timber cut 

 into boards, is inferior to what we should deem merchantable in the 

 United States, and is little better than our hemlock. The boards are 

 shipped to the Sandwich Islands, and we here found the brig Wave 

 taking in a cargo of lumber. These boards sell at Oahu for eighty 



