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Show 4o THE JOURNEY OUT. were disbelieve·d·, and we were our own heralds; for, not until we arrived, were they convinced of our coming. Instantly every thing tevived; improvements went tapidly on, and th'e expectations of ihe people were again excite'cl'. We found, at the Falls, a small village of about one hund!'ed inhabitants. Lots were laid out on both sides of the River·; those on the East side, by Dr. McLaughlin, Chief Factor of tlie Hudson's Bay Company, West of the Mountains. and called Oregon Oity; those on the West, by H. Burns, and CaHed Multnom'ahJ , • , CHAPTER III. DESCRIPTION OF WESTERN OREGON. Willammotte Falls, Mills, &c.-Description of the Willammette~ ValleyHead of the Willammctte River-Galapooiah Mountains-Umqua Valley--· 1Jmqua Mountains-Valley of Rogue's River--Clamu th or Chosty Valley-. Description of Country North of the Columbia--Mount St. Holcns, an active Volcano-Num:ei8us low Islands in the Columbia Rtver-Astorin or Fort George' '-Indians West of the Cascade Mountains-tho& metlrod· of catching Salmon-Gov~n·nm~nt organized-Peopling of America and Pacific Islands-Scenery in Oregon: Great imp'rovemerits were made in tHe littl.e Town, at the F~ll~r of the Willammette,- du t·ing out· stny irt the Co'Untry. There was, at the Falls, when we left, a Saw and Gi·ist Mill on one of the Rock Islands, belonging to a:n American Company,:styled the Oregon Mill.: ing Company, and on the main shore, two Saw Mills and a large Metchant Flouring Mill, belonging to Dr. 1\1cLauglin, four Dry Goodd Stores, a School Houst~, two Churches, a Public Library, a flourishing Literary Society, Law offices, Physiciarrs; Shops, and Mechanics, of almost every description; and a population of ab'o'ut three hundt·ed persons. At the Falls, the Wi1lammette' precipitates down a perpendicular basaltic rock, thirty-three feet, and spreads out as it approaches the precipice, into a broad sheet, at the verge of which it is nearly a half a mile \vid'e: It is diviJed by two large IslandS' of rock, into three different shoots~ The' whole descent of the Wat<ir from the level surface above', td that below, is about forty-five feet~ The River for some distance abdve and below the Falls, ruris through a channel cut in the solid rock. On the East side, extending down from the Falls several hundred yfxrds, and back from the Water five hundred and fifty feet, there is a perpendicula1· wall, one hundred and fifty feet high; further ddwn, the space' between the hills and the River, increases in w.i dtH; until th·ere is suffi'cifirrt room for a town of considerable srze. The VaiJef df th1e· 'Villam·mette, which has generally been considered the be~t porticm of Oregon, is situated bn the South' sid(j 6 |