NARRATIVE AND ITINERARY-UMPQUA VALLEY-UMPQUA CANON. 
107 
surrounded by cultivated land, greatly resembled those of the eastern States. We encamped 
near the end of this prairie, after a day’s march of about 19 miles. 
October 29.—On starting this morning, we passed over a steep hill with a flat and nearly 
level summit, and then travelled to Winchester, distant about 19 miles from camp. Our course 
lay through an undulating and very fertile country, varied with an occasional growth of oak 
and pine. Winchester is a little town situated on the southern hank of the North Umpqua river, 
at this point, a rapid stream about 80 feet in width, flowing over a very rocky bed. We crossed 
it in a ferry-boat, and encamped in the village during a heavy fall of rain, which continued 
through the night. 
October 30.—We learned, upon good authority, that the reports from Rogue river had not 
exaggerated the Indian disturbances there. None hut strong parties could pass through the 
valley, and most of the houses north of the river were burned. A large force of regular and 
volunteer troops was already in the field, and two additional companies were about starting to 
reinforce them. The election of field officers was to take place immediately at Roseburg, and 
we remained in camp to-day to await the result, before applying for an escort to Fort Lane. I 
repaired a barometer. 
October 31.—This morning the road lay through a .nearly level and very fertile valley to 
Roseburg, where I saw Major Martin, the elected commanding officer of the volunteers. He 
informed me that the troops were now fighting with the Indians, near the Umpqua cafion ; and 
that he intended to join them on the following morning, with two more companies at present 
in camp at Cahonville. He kindly proposed to escort my party through the canon, and I accepted 
his offer. 
We continued our course up the valley of the South Umpqua river, and encamped with the 
volunteers near the northern entrance of the Umpqua canon, at Canonville, which consists only 
of one house and a barn. The road followed the stream for the greater part of the way, and 
the valley, although narrow, was settled, and much of it apparently very fertile. The hills on 
each side were lightly timbered with oak and fir. Several specimens of a hard variety of talcose 
slate were found during the day. The distance travelled was about twenty-six miles. In the 
evening a despatch was received from the battle field, stating that the troops were greatly in 
want of food and powder, and urging on the reinforcements. In the night it rained. 
November 1.—This morning we followed the volunteers through the canon, a difficult pass 
through the Umpqua mountains. Two small creeks head near the divide, and flow, one towards 
the north to the south fork of the South Umpqua, and the other towards the south to Cow 
creek. The bottom of the gorge is exceedingly narrow, and the precipitous sides, covered with 
a thick growth of trees, rise at least 1,000 feet above the water. We found in the canon a 
species of yew-tree which we did not notice elsewhere west of the Cascade mountains. The 
ascent from the camp to the divide was 1,450 feet, and we were compelled, after crossing the 
creek about thirty times, to travel part of the way in its bed. A few resolute men might hold 
this defile against an army; and it is wonderful that the Rogue river Indians, who are intelligent, 
brave, and well armed with rifles, have never, in their numerous wars, seized upon it, and thus 
prevented the approach of troops from the Umpqua valley. This pass is about eleven miles in 
length, and communication through it is sometimes interrupted by freshets. The road over which 
we travelled was constructed in 1853, by Brevet Major B. Alvord, United States army, and it 
is the best route known through the Umpqua mountains. 
We had hardly left the canon when we began to see traces of the Indian devastations. 
