£6 
VIEWS OF LOUISIANA. 
The lands immediately in the vicinity of the Columbia, are 
represented as rich and highly susceptible of cultivation; but the 
country in general is too open, and deficient in wood. The cli¬ 
mate is more temperate than the same latitudes in the United 
States. Near the sea, however, there prevails almost continued 
fog, and drizzling showers of rain, which renders it extremely 
disagreeable. 
The natives on the Columbia and its branches are very nu¬ 
merous. Gen. Clark informed me that their numbers might be- 1 
safely estimated at eighty thousand souls. 
The route taken by Lewis and Clark across the mountains, 
was perhaps the very worst that could have been selected. Mr. 
Henry, a member of the Missouri company, and his hunters, have 
discovered several passes, not only very practicable, but even 
in their present state, less difficult than those of the Allegany 
mountains. These are considerably south of the source of 
Jefferson river. It is the opinion of the gentleman last men¬ 
tioned, that loaded horses, or even wagons, might in its present 
state, go in the course of six or eight days, from a navigable 
point on the Columbia, to one on the waters of the Missouri.—* 
Thus, rendering an intercourse with settlements which may be 
formed on the Columbia, more easy than between those on the 
heads of the Ohio, and the Atlantic states. Mr. Henry winter¬ 
ed in a delightful country, on a beautiful navigable stream. 
An attempt is now making to form establishments on the 
Columbia, with what success, is not yet much known. This has 
been undertaken by a company in the city of New York, at the 
head of which we find Jacob Astor. Two vessels were despatch¬ 
ed for the mouth of the river, we are informed, with orders to 
commence an establishment. A party of about eighty men un¬ 
der the command of Wilson P. Hunt, and a brother of Sir Alex. 
M’Kensie, who was formerly in the employment of the N. W. 
company, has proceeded across the mountains. The princi¬ 
pal object of the company at present, seems to be the establish¬ 
ment of a fur trade direct with China. The valuable sea-otter, 
and the fine furs which may be obtained in this country in great 
^quantities, will undoubtedly produce considerable profits. Whe¬ 
ther the returns could be introduced into the United States a- 
