i mm 116 THE WEST SHORE. Southern Oregon. The region here designated as "Southern Oregon" embrace the counting of Jackson and Josephine And the greater portion of Douglas, It lien between the Coast Itango mid Cascade mountains, ntxl in cut off from the Willamette Valley by the Calajmoia Mountains, a trans verse range connecting the two groat ranges, from which it extends southward a distance of 125 milt to the California line, where another high cross range the Sis kiyou hem it in. Through it run two great rivers Rogue and Umqua which, rising in the Cascades almost within a stone's throw of each other, divergo in their westward course, until they cut deep gorges through the Coast Ilange and enter the Fucifio a distance of ninety utile aparL Instead of large valleys or plains of level land, bordered on either hand by the two great mountain ranges, the country consist of numerous small valleys, separated by mountain ranges and spurs of various height, and drained by a large numlwr of creeks which find their tortuous way into the two principal strooms. Thus the country is exceedingly brokon and iU local divi sions almost innumerable. Forest cover the grcator portion of the entire region from the summit of one great range to that of the other, only the broader valleys, bot tom land and aidehills being to any extent free from timlx-r and underbrush. All part of this region aro well watered Save in some elevated portions of the Cuscadcs, there is hardly a quarter section of land that does not poaseat an ample supply of clear, cold water. Springs burst forth in profusion, feeding the multitude of small stream. The climate of Southern Oregon is, in many respects, suMirior to that of any other xrtiou of the l'acifio Coast While iU rainfall is ample, it is far less than in the region to tlio north, while the froquout drought of the great Sacramento Valley south of it are unknown. Closed in by mountain chains, it i not swept by winds heated by a journey over vast atretehes of level land, while across tha low summit of the Coast IUngo steal the cooling breexe from the sea. Storms cannot roach it iu the full strength of their owor. Protects! from hot winds in summer, exempt from excessive rains iu winter, while coming fully within the influence of tlio warm Japan our rent, the climate is singularly equable, agreeable and healthful. With a natural drainago of it surface that renders large area of swamp land impotwihlo, it is never afflicted with petttiloutial or malarial fevers, nor has it any prevailing form of disease. It is a land where fer tility of soil, a healthful and agreeable climate and boau ful scenery ootispire to make life a pleasure to the well and to impart uew vigor to the invalid DOVOLAH OOl'STV. The county of Douglas includi the region commonly known as the " Umqua Valley," though, so far as the Urm indicate a valley as generally understood, it is a misnomer. The only resemblance to a valley it present, aa whole, consist in a baain-like depreasion which the eeutra of tha county forma wheu oontrasted with the high mountains encompassing ii The Calapooias on the north, Cnsendes on the ept, Canyon and Rogue River mountains on the south, and that portion of the Coast Range known as the " Umpquas" on the west, hem it in with high walls of rock and timber. The interior of this great basin is composed of small valleys, plains, canyons, gorges and mountains. Irregular spurs shoot out from the main ranges, and cross the country in all directions, causing an endless variety of hill and vale, meadow and mountain. From the Cascades numerous large creeks, or rivers, flow down between these branching mountain spurs, until their waters are all united and cut through the Coast Ilange in the form of the Umpqua River. The largest of these are North Umpqua, South Umpqua, Calapooia, Deer, Cougar, Dead Man's, Bear, Coffee, Day's and Myrtle, Cow Creek enters the South Umpqua from the Canyon Mountains; atao, from the hills further west, the Olalla, Ten Mile and Looking Glass. Hubbard, Lake and Camp crooks, rising in the Umpqua Mountains, flow into the main stream, as do Calapooia and Elk creeks from the Calapooias on the north. Smith and Siuslaw rivers, which flow across the mountains westward from their sources in the Calapooias, have been described in seaking of the coast region of Douglas and Lane coun ties. The chief natural resources of Douglas are its wealth of timber, it many acres of fertile soil, its natural graz ing advantages, and the precious and other metals in various localities. An incalculable amount of timber covers the sides of the main ranges and the numerous mouutain spurs traversing the county, which may be said to still stand in its primitive condition, the few small saw mills at work having not yet made a perceptible impres sion upon it In the Coast Range are several quite ex tensive tracts of charred and scorched timber, where fires have swept through the forest Both gold and silver learing quartz ledges are found in the mountains. Some work has been done on them, especially in the Bohomian District in the Calapooias, but no producing mine has leen developed. More or less successful placer mining has been done along North Umpqua, Cow Creek and othor streams, and on the lost named hydraulio mining is now pursued in several places. Quicksilver is being pro duced from moral cinnabar lodes. Tellurium is also lieing mined with success. Copper, nickel, lime rock and cement exist in quantity. A large tract in the western end of the county, adjoining Coos, is uuderlaid with broad carboniferous veins, and other ooal measures exist in the CalaKxias. The most permanent, reliable and easily available source of wealth Douglas possesses is her winding val leys ami fertile soiL Though small in proportion to the total area of the oounty, the combined valley and bottom Untb aggregate many thousand acres. The valleys have, in the main, long since been subdued to the yoke of the plow or fitUnl for the grazing of sheep and cattle. There we, however, much bottom land, and some valleya remote from the usual route of travel, which still offer opportu niUo to home-seekers. When the land has been cleared