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Show • 46 VALT~EY OF ROGUE'S RIVER. S0uth of this range is the Valley of Rogue's River, having the s9.me course with the Valley of the Umqua, and being about twenty- five miles wide. Its general character is much like that of the Umqua; but it is more level, has a soil of a rather better quality, and is also covered with good grass. On tho Not·th side, where the California trail crosses the Valley, it is principally wooded; on the South, Prait·ie. Immediately above, the proportion of prairie and timber is very good. Here, as in the Umqua Valley, the timber is on the streams, and the prairies are between them. There is, in the Valley, quite a considerable quantity of gnmite; but basaltic is the most prevalent rock. The Valley appears to widen above: its 1ength is not known. It is traversed by Rogue's River;, a stream somewhat larger than the U mqua, and not so l'apid bu* that it might probably be made useful for transportation. Salmon ascend'the River in great numbers; and so do they indeed, most of the streams throughout the whole territory of Oregon. Wnter powel' is not wanting in the Valley of :R.ogue's River. A few miles below the California trail, the River appears to enter a Canion, and the Mountains along the coast are high and rugged ; so as to prevent advantageous communication with the Sea-board. The Indians who inhabit this Valley are numerous, and almost in a state of nature. They are of small stature; but well proportioned~ slender, active, and sensible. They have never had any inter., course, of consequence, with the whites, and have, therefore but few. of the articles manufactured by a civilized people. From. theu extreme hostility and treachery, and from the .great amount . of damage they have done to the white man, they have been almost universally called the Rascals. They seldom allow a company to pass, without molestation. They attack from ambuscades, made in d~fil~s, chasms, a~d thickets. They have no fire arms ; their prinmpa1 weapons, bemg the bow an arrow. Their bows are made of the ~ood of the Yew tree; short, and covered on the back with trhe smews from the loins of the Elk, which are fastened on wit.h glue, ~nd neatly and s~cmrely wrapped at the ends with the same ma~erial. !heir arrows are feathered, and pointed with small. delicate, umfo. rm and very s h arp h ead s of fh.n t. These anows·. they shoot With great force and precision. Thoy seldom have horses, and if they tal J •11 . . ( h' h m or n an ammal m their attacks w lc they endeavor to do as much as to take the live; ofefa stht.o me' n,) they afterwards cook "" nd en" t I. t, making a great , CLA.M:UTli VALLEY. ~7 South of th~ Rogue's River Valley, is the Chesty Mountain, a single, and almost bald and banen ridge. To the right of the California trail, it bears a little to the South, and interlocks with the Mountains on the coast. The Northern base is covered with timber; the summit and SouthC'rn side, in many places, with large boulders of granite. The distance act·oss is six miles. Going towards the 8outh, the ascent is gradual--the descent rather steep; but a very good road might be made across, into the C'Iamuth or· Chesty Valley, which lies immediately South of the Chesty Moun· tain, and has nearly the same course with the Valleys of the tJmqua and Rogue's River. This Valley of the Clamuth is about thirty miles wide, where the California trail crosses it. It decreases in width below, and increa::>e:3 above. It is traversed by the Clamuth River; a stream still larger than Rogue's River; but full of rocks, rapids, and narrows; and passing through the l\1ountains of the coast, it appears to run through a narrow Canion, affording no outlet fl'om the Valley to the Pacific. The soil of this valley, is generally af a very inferior quality; but along the streams, and at the fo0t of the Mountains, it is good. The rest iS' a kind of dry, light, dusty and sardy land, producing but little vegetation. The surface of the Valley, is generally quite level, .. and a large portion of it is open. Thet·e are a few scattering Oaks, in places through it, and some Pine; but the timber is, prin• cipally, the Fir growing along at the base, a:nd on the sides of the· Mountains. The Clamuth Indians are numerous, and quite hostile • Their chamcter and condition is much the same as that of the Rascals. This Valley is situated near the parallel of 42 deg., and we are not certain whether it is in Oregon, or California. Theile Southern Valleys of Oregon, though in their pres·ent state of nature, so lonely, so wild, and so secluded : though they now threaten the travelers who pass, at intervals of years·, with dangers from the rugged mountain path, the swollen torrent, and the· savage arrow: though many a gloomy glen, and rocky gorge, and' dark and tangled wood, which have been stained with conflict, or· storied by some savage ambuscade, still stand to awaken terror in the pusset by; yet, th'ese Valleys, notwithstanding their wildness and d~ngers, offer i~ducements, (deadly to the fated' native,)· for whwh, ere long, the stronger hand of the white man will beat back the present wild and implacable inhabitants, and m~ke them· the homes of civilization. Each of these Valleys, is probably of' sufficient extent to make several large counties; and, but for their' |