Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 14.djvu/58



50 LIEUTENANT HOWISON REPORT ON OREGON, 1846

hazel bush makes a substitute for hickory hoop-poles, and an- swers well. Perhaps a critical exploration would find timber of durable fibre in the less genial atmosphere of the mountain ridges; the cause of its bad quality in the low lands is the rapidity of its growth, which in all countries produces the same disqualifying effects. The ash, which is very abundant, com- pares with that grown elsewhere better than any other timber. Much remains unknown respecting this essential portion of this country's wealth ; nor would I have it inferred that because I saw no good specimen of timber, there are bone to be found. Oregon, from its extent and varied topography, must, of course, possess some diversity of climate. As a general re- mark, it is equable and salubrious; and although ten degrees of latitude farther north than Virginia, it assimilates to the climate of that State, particularly in winter, qualified by less liability to sudden violent changes. The same season, however, in Oregori is characterized by more constant rains and cloudy weather. Our log-book records rain, hail, or snow, every day between October 29th, 1846, and January 17th, 1847, except eleven, and a continuation of such weather was anticipated until the month of March. But during this time there were but few days of severe cold. Grass grew verdantly in every spot that was at all sheltered, and yielded sustenance to the cattle, which requires neither shelter nor feeding (except what it procures itself) throughout the year. From March till Oc- tober the weather is delightful ; occasional showers obscure the sun and refresh the earth; but what is very remarkable, the summer clouds in Lower Oregon are seldom attended by thun- der and lightning. During the winter, at the mouth of the river, we experienced this phenomenon, and witnessed its ef- fects occasionally upon conspicuous trees in the forest, but in the interior it is not common at any season a consoling cir- cumstance to our countrywomen, who had been previously subject to its terrifying effects, ofn the banks of the Illinois and Mississippi.