358 WILLAMETTE VALLEY. 



his general character throughout the settlement is, that George is ever 

 ready to help those in trouble. 



On our return towards the road, we passed the farm of one of Dr. 

 M'Laughlin's sons, who has settled here, and has an extensive portion 

 of the prairie fenced in. This part of Willamette Valley is a prolonged 

 level, of miles in extent, circumscribed by the woods, w r hich have the 

 appearance of being attended to and kept free from undergrowth. This 

 is difficult to account for, except through the agency of fire destroying 

 the seeds. The Indians are in the habit of burning the country yearly, 

 in September, for the purpose of drying and procuring the seeds of the 

 sunflower, which they are thus enabled to gather with more ease, and 

 which form a large portion of their food. That this is the case appears 

 more probable from the fact that since the whites have had possession 

 of the country, the undergrowth is coming up rapidly in places. 



In passing through the Willamette, I had a good opportunity of 

 contrasting the settlers of different countries ; and, while those of 

 French descent appeared the most contented, happy, and comfortable, 

 those of the Anglo-Saxon race showed more of the appearance of 

 business, and the " go-ahead" principle so much in vogue at home. 



The most perfect picture of content I saw was a French Canadian 

 by the name of La Bonte, on the Yam Hill river, who had been a long 

 time in the service of the Hudson Bay Company. This man was very 

 attentive to us, and assisted in getting our horses across the river, 

 which, though but a few rods wide, is yet deep and attended with 

 much difficulty in passing. 



The sudden rises of this river are somewhat remarkable and difficult 

 to be accounted for, as there does not appear from the face of the 

 country to be much ground drained by it. The perpendicular height 

 of the flood is, at times, as much as thirty feet, which was marked 

 very distinctly on the trees growing on its banks. 



Having heard that the farm of the late Mr. Young was the most 

 beautiful spot in this section of the country, I determined to visit it, and 

 for this purpose crossed the Yam Hills again. When we reached the 

 top, we again had a view of the Faulitz Plains, which were highly 

 picturesque. The hills here were covered, as we had found them 

 before, with wall-flowers, lupines, scilla, and quantities of ripe straw- 

 berries. Mr. Young's farm is situated in a valley, running east and 

 west, which seems to unite that of Willamette and Faulitz. The 

 situation did not meet my high-raised expectations, though it is fine. 

 Mr. Young was one of the first pioneers and settlers in this country 

 and met with much difficulty. At one time he was desirous of esta- 



