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Show 70 REV JEW. disadvantages, (excepting that of the vVintcr rains,) are the limited extent of the habitable portion, the great amount of waste lund; incl~ded even in that portion; the different parts of it, which are suitable for settlements, being detached, by range& of mountains, making access from one to anothel', often difficult; the rock-bound chnractBr of its coast; the inferiority of its inland navigation; and of the soil of the high lands. In all of these, it is surely inferior to the Mississppi Valley. But after balancing the advantnges and disadvantages, we cannot detel'mine which is, in reality, superior. Different men have different opinion::s. One will prefer one country, ,and another will prefer another country; one will chose the fertile Valley of the Mississippi; another the healthful climate, and the romantic scenery of 9l'egon. CHAPTER IV. hOUTE FROM OREGON TO CALIFORNI.A. Rendezvous-Indian War Dntice-Indians came into ~ Camp to trade-Ad. venture of an Iroquois Indian-. An Alarm-. Sugar Pine-. Soda Spring-Sac· ramento River--Sacramento Hdls-Ruggotl Road-Ind1ans on the Sacra.· menLo-For~, Trading Post, &c., of Captain Sutter. We left the rendezvous nea1· the Methodist Mission, on the Up· per Willammette, on the 18th day of June, 1844, for Upper Cali• forniu. Our Company consisted of thirty-seven persons; of which number, thirteen were women and children; the rest were made up of Americans, English, French, Mexicans, and Ihdians of four different tribes. We took our baggage, entirely with pack ani .. mals, as the route will admit of being traveled in no other wny.Proceeding up the Willammette River ,ninety mile·g, near to the point where it comes out of the mountains, we left it, and bearing off across the Valley, at ten miles, came to the Calapooiah Mountains; and passed over them, a distance of twelve miles, \vith ease, into the Valley of the Umqua. Passing across it by a 'Very circuitous way, which characterizes the whole route to California, we came, at sixty miles, to the foot of the Umqua Moun-· tains, and encamped by a small, clear mountain stream, which ran hurriedly along, through u beautiful and exte ns;ive incli .. nation, thickly set with a fine green sward; and over which, here and there, the dark green Pines arose to the height of two hundred feet. Lute in the evening, about twenty of the Umqtta Indians, came into our Camp. At night, several of them, being induced by a half breed Frenchman, of our party, who was always fond or' witnessing and participating in all the games and amuserpents of his savage brethren, performed one of their War Dunces. After equipping and painting themselves, in the most hedious manner· which their imaginations, .almost perfect in such savage a1·ts, could possibly invent: Having theh· bows and arrows in their hands,· |