Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/433

Rh around me, yet untouched. The white cedar is a very fine timber, nearly if not quite equal to the red cedar in the States.

The wild animals of this the first section of Oregon, are the black bear, black-tailed deer, raccoon, panther, polecat, rabbit, wolf, beaver, and a few others. Deer and wolves are plenty. We have no buffaloes, antelopes, or prairie chickens here, but in the second section prairie chickens are plenty. As for. birds, we have the bluejay, larger than the jay of the States, and deep blue. We have also the nut-brown wren, a most beautiful and gentle little bird, very little larger than the hummingbird. Also, a species of bird which resembles the robin in form, color, and size. Also, a bird that sings the livelong night,; but although I have heard them often, I have never seen one. The bald eagle, so well described by Wilson, is here found all along the rivers, but he was here to catch his own game, as there are no fish-hawks to do it for him. The eagle here feeds principally upon the dead salmon that float down the rivers, for you are aware, perhaps, that out of the myriads of salmon that ascend the rivers of Oregon, not one ever finds the way back to the ocean. They are never found swimming down stream, but their last effort is to ascend. The eagle also feeds upon wild ducks, which he catches as follows: He darts at the duck while in the water, and the duck dives, but as soon as he rises to the surface, the eagle, having turned himself, strikes at the duck again and the duck again dives. This manoeuvre the eagle continues until the duck becomes tired, when the eagle nabs him just as he rises to the top of the water. The duck seems to be afraid to attempt escape upon the wing. We have also pleasants very abundant, and they are most excellent eating. Like old Ireland itself, there are no poisonous reptiles or insects in this section of Oregon. The only snake is the small harmless garter snake, and there are no flies to annoy the cattle.

.—We have the most beautiful scenery in North America -the largest ocean, the purest and most beautiful streams, and loftiest and most beautiful trees. The several peaks of the Cascade range of mountains are grand and imposing objects. From Vancouver you have a fair and full view of Mount Hood, perhaps the tallest peak of the Cascades, and which rises nearly sixteen thousand feet above the level of the Pacific, and ten thousand feet above the surrounding mountains. This lofty pile rises up by itself, and is in form of a regular cone, covered with perpetual snow. This is the only peak you can see from Vancouver, as the view is obscured by the tall fir timber. At the mouth of the Wallamette, as you enter the Columbia, you have a view of both Mount Hood and Mount St. Helena. From Linnton you have a very fair and full view of Mount St. Helena, about fifty miles distant; but it looks as if it was within reach. This peak is very smooth, and in the form of a regular cone, and nearly, if not quite, as tall as Mount Hood, and also covered with perpetual snow. This moun-