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Show 16 WASHINGTON TERRITORY, ITS MATERIAL grandeur, other pens than mine must portray to the world. The river is navigable for sea going steamers to Vancouver, a distance of a hundred and twenty miles from the ocean, and above this point flat bottomed steamers run thirty-seven miles to the Lower Cascades, where a portage of five miles is made, thence to the Dallas thirty-eight ID:iles is good navigation. Here a portage of about fifteen miles is made, and above this only small steamers or those of light draught, are used, as many bars abound, over which it is difficult to pass. The river is very wide and rapid, and judging from its appearance one would suppose it well adapted to purposes of navigation, but a number of improvements are required to make the river supply the great wants of the interior as a channel of commerce. The principal feeders on the north and west, are the Y akama and Okanogan, each of which have numerous tributaries and are themselves navigable streams. A large number of' smaller streams discharge into the Columbia from the west, but no others admitting of the title, navigable. . _On the east, there are Snake or Lewis river, and Spokane w1th many other small streams. Snake river is navigable a part of the year to Lewiston in Idaho. CHAPTER VI. NAVIGABLE STREAMS WEST OF THE CASCADES. The Cowlitz river rises in the Cascade mountains south of Mount Ranier, flows westerly and then southerly emp~yino- into the ?olumbia, sixty mil(;!s above its confluence ~ith the ~cean. N av1gable twenty-five miles for steamers. The Shehalis rises in the foot hills of the Cascade, the northern branch· and th southern in the hills north of the Columbia, flowing tog~ther the; ha_ve a ':esterly course, and empty into Grey's harbor, navigable thirty m1les for small steamers. The Lummi rises in the western slo~e of the Cas~ade,flows west, and empties into Rosario Strait nav1g~ble ten ~1les. Skagit river rises in the Cascade mountains: and discharges Itself into Port Susan bay, formed by two branches, ~orthe:·n and southern, navigable sixty miles. Stilagwamish rlver nses a feW: miles south of the Skagit, and empties into Port Susa~ ba.!, navigable ten miles. Snohomish river is formed by the JUnctiOn of the Skykomnish and Snoquabomie rivers, they RESOURCES AND CLAIMS TO EMIGRATION. 11 rising in the Cascades, flowing south-westerly and north-westerly. The Snohomish is navigable its entire length, twenty-two miles, and the Snoqualomie thirty, miles further. On the Snoqualomie is a magnificent waterfall, of two hundred and eighty feet perpendicular. The view is exceedingly fine. Dwamish river is formed by Black and White Fivers, and discharges into Elliott's bay, navigable the entire length, twelve miles, and White river twenty miles farther. Black .river is the outlet of a system of lakes lying just east of the Inlet, and having a hundred and fifty miles coast line. Puyallup river empties into . the Inlet twenty miles . south of the mouth of Dwamish river, and is navigable nine miles. These comprise the streams west of the . Cascades on which steamers do, or may run. The Skagit is the largest river west of the mount.a ins, and will admit steamers of respectable size, after the removal of a drift that now obstructs it. The navigation on the various streams, thus enumerated amounts to two hundred and and twenty-eight miles, a hundred and seventy-three miles of navigable waters emptying into Puget Sound. CHAPTER VII. CLIMATE OF WASHINGTON TEn.RITORY. The climate of Washington Territory is marked by two seasons, only winter and summer. From the summit of the Cascade mountains west, we have a climate · peculiar to Puget Sound, differing materially from the climate east of the mountains. From the first day of April until the middle of November, no other spot of this green earth boasts such a mild, equitable and delightful climate as does the valley of Puget Sound. Refreshing showers visit us every few weeks, and all nature breathes of purity and healthfulness. Nor are the life-giving energies of nature unappreciated by the animal ~nd vegetable kingdoms. , Hill and glen, woodland and field, vie with each other in sending forth their respective products. All animated existence, from man to creeping thing, speaks in well understood terms, declaring in favor of our exhilerating climate ; and exulting in proud possession of that cherished boon, vigorous faculties. The climate is free from those sudden changes of temperature so frequelil.t on an Atlantic board .. |