618 OREGON. 
drains this region, and flows south into the Gulf of California, being 
the third great river of Western America. 
Thus, from latitude 32° to 55°, the waters of the Rocky Moun- 
tains reach the sea through only three channels. On the east side of 
the Rocky Mountain chain, at the same distance from the summit as 
the Pacific coast, the number of distinct rivers that may be counted is 
much larger. ‘This peculiarity of Western America is of great 
agricultural advantage, as already remarked. ‘This is farther obvious 
when we consider the dryness of the climate, (the rains being confined 
to the winter seasons,) and the importance, therefore, not only that 
there should be lofty mountains and a second range of snowy heights 
to afford supplies, but also that the waters should flow in few channels 
to diminish the surface for evaporation. Their influence, moreover, 
in the production of alluvial lands, is therefore the more widely felt. 
C. General Features of the different Sections. 
We have mentioned the division of Oregon into a coast, a middle 
and an inner section, by means of the Cascade Range and Blue Moun- 
tains. ‘These sections differ much in topography, but still more in 
climate and vegetation. 
Coast Section.—The coast section has strongly-drawn boundaries in 
the ocean on one side, and the Cascade Mountains on the other. The 
Coast Range of mountains gives a very broken character to a band 
fifteen to thirty miles wide along the sea. Over this region there is 
scarcely a level tract in any part beyond a few acres in extent. In an 
excursion from Astoria to Swalalahos, (figure on p. 644,) twenty miles 
south of the Columbia, the surface was a succession of high hills and 
deep valleys; and the same features appear to extend south to Califor- 
nia. Lieutenant Eld traversed the region north of the Columbia to 
Puget’s Sound, over a still more uneven country. ‘These shore hills 
and mountains are covered with forests of cedars, pines and other 
Conifer, and among the trees, three hundred feet is a common height, 
and fifty feet occasionally their circumference, as we can attest from 
actual observation. It is not surprising, therefore, that in many 
places the forests should be obstructed by fallen timber piled up ten 
and twenty feet above the ground. Long distances may be travelled 
by walking from log to log, with the ground far below, and accessible 
only with much difficulty. The soil over this portion of the district is 
generally fertile; and the proximity of the sea gives the advantage of 
frequent heavy mists or rains, when other parts of the country are 
dry. Thus in July, the weather at Astoria was almost constantly wet, 
