WILLAMETTE VALLEY. 359 



Wishing a distillery, but through the influence of Mr. Slacum, who was 

 on a visit to Oregon as an agent of our government, he relinquished 

 the idea, notwithstanding he had already incurred considerable ex- 

 pense. 



Mr. Young was, at the time, of opinion that unless they had cattle, 

 to which he believed the country was w T ell adapted, they never could 

 succeed in creating a successful settlement, and it was necessary to go 

 to considerable expense to obtain them from California, as the Hudson 

 Bay Company, or rather the Puget Sound Company, would not part 

 with any. Mr. Slacum generously offered to advance the money 

 necessary, and to give as many Americans as desired it, a free passage 

 to San Francisco, in California, there to purchase stock and to drive 

 them through to the Willamette. This w 7 as accordingly done, and 

 after many difficulties, the cattle reached the Willamette in 1839. Mr. 

 Young took charge of the share of Mr. Slacum, which then amounted 

 to twenty-three. Previous to our arrival on the Northwest Coast, we 

 heard from the United States of the death of Mr. Slacum, and on our 

 arrival there that of Mr. Young was also made known to me. The 

 funds and property of Mr. Young, by general consent of the settlers, 

 were put into the hands of the Rev. Mr. Leslie, who acted as adminis- 

 trator, and informed me that at the division of Mr. Young's cattle, 

 eighty-six had been put aside as the share of Mr. Slacum, after the 

 proportion of loss and accidents had been deducted, making the in- 

 crease in four years, sixty-three. Of these cattle no other care had 

 ever been taken than to drive them into the pens for protection at 

 night. Mr. Slacum's share was subsequently sold at the request of his 

 nephew, who was a midshipman on board my ship, to Dr. M'Laughlin 

 for eight hundred and sixty dollars — ten dollars a head. 



The Willamette is now, through the interest felt and advances made 

 by Mr. Slacum, well supplied with cattle, which are fast increasing in 

 numbers. 



We found the farm of Mr. Young very much out of order, although 

 I understood that two persons had been put in charge of it on wages at 

 one dollar a day. The farm-house at which we stopped, was entirely 

 open, and every thing seemed to be going fast to ruin. Johnson, in 

 hunting about the premises, found a sick man, a native of the Sandwich 

 Islands, lying in a bunk. In a small kitchen half a pig was hanging 

 by its hind legs, roasting over a slow fire ; and every thing seemed 

 in confusion. We did not stay long, but rode on to his saw-mill, 

 which we found in ruins. It was badly located, although erected at 

 much expense, for there was little timber of value in the neighbour- 

 hood. Shortly after Mr. Young's death the mill-dam was washed 



