198
THE WEST SHORE.
July,
Clarence B. Bauley, Esq., editor
and publisher of the Olympia Courier
honored the city of Portland with his
presence a few days ago. Mr. Bagley
is an intelligent and sociable gentleman
a good writer, and publishes one of the
best papers in the territory.
"How'b your father?" came thu whisper,
Bashful Ned the silence breaking ;
'O, he's nicely," Annie murmured,
Smilingly the question taking.
Conversation flagged a moment ;
Hopeless Ned essayed another ;
"Annie, I I" then a oouffhinp:
And the question "How's your mother?"
"Mother ! 0, she's doing finely !"
Fleeting fast was all forbearance,
When in low, despairing accents
Came the climax, "How's your parents?"
THE SAND HILLS OF THE OREGON
DESERT.
A JUI'KNKY Of TWO DAYS,
BV CAPT, 0. :. aj'Ite'pA J k.
One morning, bright early, we
left Silver Lake, in Lake county, for
the Sand 1 lilts, on the sage plains,
about thirty miles distant, in an easterly
direction. We were on a general cam
paign oil the Oregon Sahara, and were
provided with a complete outfit of camp
equipage) borne on mules and hardy
Cay uses, while we, buskined and
spurred like knights of the olden time,
bestrode some of the toughest steeds in
Lake-land, and as we were all mountain
men five in number and considered
good, we anticipated a pleasant and suc
cessful tour through this very interest
ing region. Our Hue of march was for
some distance on the Ochoco road,
across a sage plain bounded on the
north and south by low ranges of juni
per hills, presenting too much sameness
in its outlines and vegetation to he of
much interest.
To the left of otir course was a pecu
liar looking conical mountain, rising to
an altitude of perhaps ,xx) feet above
the surrounding plain, surmounted by
a basaltic block perhaps 200 feet high
and a half mtle in circuit. This promi
nent land-mark, called by the settlers
on Silver Lake, Table Mountain, could
be seen by us afterwards from mountain
summits fifty or sixty miles to the east
ward. The sage plain which we were cross
ing, is a favorite wintering place for
the thousands of cattle now in that sec
tion, the sage brush, which grows sev
eral feet high, providing them with
protection against the chilling winds
which sweep over these plains in win
ter, and the scattering bunch-grass and
more abundant sweet sage, a little deep
green shrub about a foot high, furnish
ing ample food for them when the snow
is not loo deep. This does not often
occur, for there is comparatively little
snow-fall in the land of sage and sand,
and there is no danger to stuck except I
in the most severe winters.
After following the t chnco road!
some fourteen or fifteen miles, we came
to the base of the Juniper hills, at the
northern boundary of the plain, where
we took the road leading southeast to
Mr. Button's ranch, some three or four
miles distant, on an alkali lake. At the
lake we found Mr. Mutton, an experi
enced mountaineer and hunter, residing
in his little cabin with a single tmguero
as bis companion, and gradually grow
ing into a fortune by raising line horses.
Here we spent the night, encamped
amid the white alkaline cUcrvcseence
near the lake shore, lulled to rest by
the rippling of waves among the sway
ing tide-.. I ere w ere a thousand water
fowls, principally of the duck family.
There were the little top. knotted fel
lows so qualMlke in their appearance,
the line old mallard floating around
fearlessly within a few yards of us, and
some other varieties which neither of
Ul remembered seeing before in all our
Wandering!, Among the .edges and
tall grasses, near the lake shore, w ere
numerous nests, from which our hunt.
gathered a bountiful supply of eggs foi
our breakfast.
The next morning we went on our
waytacroH the sage plains eastward,
tow ards the Sand WOt, HOW Only ten
or twelve miles distant, Mr. Hutton ac
company in- ui a. guide- ln lhat
icinii v w the much spoken of "Tomb
of the diants," oi "IWyard," where
the petrified remains of pre historic Bnb
Will are found in large number, and
with the help of Mr. Hutton we hoped
lo fad this interesting place. On Hear
ing the sand hills We were surprised to
see what appeared to be smooth-mown
meadows, covered all over with new
hay, raked and ready for hauling. On
nearer approach we found, that all over
the smooth hills of greenish-white
sand, were little conical mounds, densely
covered with green-foliaged shrubs
three or four feet high. Perhaps at one
time there was but a single shrub
where now each little hillock stands,
penetrating the sands to a great depth
with its long fibrous roots. The sands,
always drifting, gradually blew away
from the tenacious shrub which resisted,
with its long arms deep into the sand,
until it was left alone with its sand heap.
This it gradually made green and beau
tiful by sending out leafy branches from
the roots all over the surface of the
mound. Some of these mounds were
only four or five feet high, while others
were not less than fifteen or twenty,
and they were all so densely overgrown
with the foliage that they presented a
remarkable contrast to the smooth,
Bandy lield around them. Those who
; traverse these plains a tew centuries
hence, will perhaps find that the smooth
sand-fields are no more, but instead,
! rolling hills covered with bunch-grass,
and the various shrubs, which grow so
thriftily on the so-called Oregon Desert.
Going still farther on, we found a
considerable area covered with rank
looking grass, which was arranged in
rows, as if drilled by hand. This was
curious, and led us to investigate another
device of nature to hold fast the drift
ing sands and gradually cover them
with vegetation. We found that each
row of grass gfew on a long root, a
little less than a hay cord, running in a
direct course near the surface of the
ground, and sometimes of great length.
On these long roots the blades of grass
grew, only a few inches apart, forming
well defined rows.
Crossing over a ridge, w e came down
into a little valley perhaps a mile in
length, and not more than a fourth
wide, ln this were two small alkali
lakes or ponds, two or three hundred
yards apart, tilled with little brown
water-fowls with curious tufts on their
heads, and stilted, long-billed snipes.
These birds were apparently unac
quainted w ith our species, for we rode
up within a few feet of them, and they
only seemed annoyed w hen we came
too close lo the nests which were
numerous amid the grasses on the
beach.
A large area near the lakes was
frosted with little shells, and we found
some petrified bones only broken frag
mentsalong our route, as we crossed
the little valley to the sand hills beyond.
Passing over this last range of low sand
hills, we came into a valley where the
low ridges and mounds were densely
covered with grass and shrubs. Beyond
this valley was a long, volcanic ridge,
covered with sage and scattering juni
pers and with a single grove of pines
on the west side the only pine trees, I
believe, in this part of the Oregon
Desert. In the valley we found a
sprinj; of tolerably good water, bub
bling up out of the sand and forming a
pretty little meadow. Here we en
camped, and sat around our sage-brush
fne until long into the night, talking
over the adventures of the old pioneers
who sometimes, awav back "in the
days that tried men's souls," missed
their w ay and wandered for days and
even weeks, foot-sore and half famished,
through these cheerless wastes, until
the old Cascades were reached at last,
and they threaded their way through
migiuy torests to the land of
promise beyond. Our own adv entures
with wild beasts and wilder men, on
the frontiers, came in for their share of
the conversation, and in this part of the
programme, we found our friend of a
day, Mr. Button, one whose thrilling
life experiences had made him a pecu
liarly interesting story-teller.
The next morning we rode back to
the two little lakes and spent several
hours among the remains of the ancient
animals, wdiich were much more nu
merous than we were led to think by
our casual investigations of the day be
fore. Among the sage brush, half
covered by the sand, We found what
were apparently the bones of horses,
petrified, and seemingly nearly twice as
long as the corresponding bones ot the
horses we rode. There were other
bones more massive, probably of the
mastodon and other giant mammals of
the olden time. On the north shore of
one of the ponds was a black mass of
volcanic scoria, forming quite an ex
tended field, sloping down from the
sand-hills to the shore of the pond.
Distributed all over this were b'okfin
pieces of petrified bone, which at some
former time, when the lake was many
miles in extent, perhaps, were proTmbly
carried up here by the waves. I also
found in this lava bed a finely formed
stone pestle and several shallow mor
tars, indicating that the Arabs ot the
Oregon Desert used to do their milling
here, perhaps before the advent of the
grasping pale-face.
But it was reserved for me to accom
plish the great achievement of the day.
Crossing over a low range of sand-hills
to the southward, my horse sinking
down into the loose sand half way to
the breast at every step, I found par
tially imbedded In the sand a shoulder
blade thirty-five inches in length, weigh
ing, although the thinner portions were
broken off, not less than forty or fifty
pounds. Going hack to the top of the
nearest mound, I waved my hat and
called to my comrades, who assembled,
wonder-stricken, around this remnant of
an old-time giant. Here Mr. Hutton,
placing the bone carefully on the saddle
before him, bade us good-bye and left
us for his lovely ranch, while we rode
on back to the little spring among the
sand-hills, the next morning to continue
our way eastward, through a trackless
region, towards the Wagon-tire Moun
tains. Ashland, July 13, 1877.
THE EDEN OF OREGON.
During a visit to Southern Oi
on the 15th of July, we observed in the
gardens of Messrs. O. Coolldge.at Ash
land, and Peter Brltt, at Jacksonville,
some magnificent fig-trees. They were
in full bearinsr. and the frail w lust
turning ripe, whilst the second crop was
commencing to form, A very excel
lent article of grapes also grows in this
county, and at Mr. Hritt's place we
tasted a one-year old claret of his own
growth and manufacture; and we
very much doubt If it can be surpassed
In the much boasted of California vine
yards. Cold is found In Jackson county,
and thousands of dollars have been
taken out, as is proved by the washed
out hill-tides as seen from the road lead
ing from Roscburg to Jacksonville,
w hilst millions still lie buried awaiting
the advent of capital. All the grains
and fruits known to the tropics grow
here to perfection. Extend the Ore von
& California railroad to Jackson county, j
and she is capable of supporting the
entire present population of Oregon.
Gray's Music Store is the most com
plete on the Pacific Coast. The latest '
publications, u well as all kinds of
Musical Merchandise, can always be '
found in their salesrooms in Odd Tel
low's Temple. I lere is also the agency
for the world renowned Burdett Organ,
.1- well as the ever favorite Stcinway j
Piano. A visit to Portland is not com
plcte w ithout having called at Gray's. '
The West Shohe, Portland, Ore
gon, is one of the very best literary pa
pers in America. Its columns abound
with rich reading, the cream of family
literature. Central City (Neb.) Coitr.
Messhs. Jacobs Bros. & Co., of
this city, arc manufacturing extensively
Clothing of a very superior, article, of
Oregon City Mills cloths. Our read
ers should always ask their merchants
for clothing made from Oregon City
cloth, for not only will they then re
ceive a most excellent article, but also
help to build tip our State by patron
izing this home industry, which gives
employment to many skilled laborers.
A Skillful Mechanic Some
time ago we made mention of a mag
nificent monument in course of erection ,
by Wm. Staiger, the Salem Stone Cut
ter, over the grave of ex-Mayor Mon
roe, at Odd Fellow s' Rural Cemetgry,
near Salem. By our Salem exchanges
we sec that the monument is new com
pleted, and all of the papers there are
loud in their praises over the taste and
skill displayed by Mr. Staiger in this
work of art. The Willamette Farmer,
in speaking of it, says: "It is one of the
latest and most striking monuments, a
really beautiful memorial of affection
and remembrance, which would well
grace Laurel Hill or Greenwood." Any
of our readers desiring to erect a memo
rial to some departed friend, would do
well to call on Mr. Staiger, as his taste
and skill are unsurpassed in this
State.
Geo. V. Traver, the enterprising
agent for the Home Sewing Machine,
has now arriving and on the way, a
large shipment of these favorite ma
chines. Our readers will do well to
consult our advertisnig columns, and
note the Immense reductions made by
Mr. Traver. No excuse now for go
ing without a sewing machine.
HlRSTEL & Co., of No. 77 Front
street, receive by every steamer large
shipments of the very latest publica
tions, as well as all the novelties in the
Stationery line. A person might call
there almost daily, and always find
something new. Their arrangements
with Eastern publishers and manufac
turers are complete, and merchant!
from the interior will find it to their ad
vantage to give them a call or send
them an order.
Tin: old established house of Meier
& Frank, occupying the extensive ware
house cor. of Front and Yamhill, do a
very large business. Their stores are
always crowded, as their patrons find1
it advantageous to deal with them.
They are reliable and worthy of pat
ronage, and their stock of General Mer
chandise is very large.
At the Pacific Hoot and Shoe Store
of Champlin & Hollabiugh, No. 77
First street, can always be found a com
plete assortment of fine and heavy
Hoots and Shoes for ladies', mens' aw'
childrens' wear, at prices to suit afi
classes. They h ave none but the vt'r)
best goods In stock, and purchasers will
find it to their interest to fcive them a
call.