e natives."

Mr Dunn, in his valuable "History of the Oregon Territory," thus
describes the country and climate:--"After the Columbia, the river next
in importance is Fraser River. It takes its rise in the Rocky
Mountains, near the source of Canoe River, taking a north-west course of
eighty miles. It then turns to the southward, receiving Stuart's River,
which rises in a chain of lakes in the northern boundary of the
territory. It then pursues a southerly course, and after receiving many
tributaries, breaks through the cascade range of hills in a series of
falls and rapids; and after a westerly course of seventy miles, empties
itself into the Gulf of Georgia, in latitude 49 degrees 7 minutes north.
This latter portion is navigable for vessels that can pass its bar
drawing ten feet of water. Its whole length is 350 miles. There are
numerous lakes scattered through the several sections. The country is
all well watered; and there are but four places where an abundance of
water cannot be obtained, either from lakes, rivers, or springs.

"The climate of the western division is mild throughout the year,
neither the cold of winter, nor the heat of summer predominating. The
mean temperature is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The prevailing winds,
in summer, are from the northward and westward, and in winter, from the
west, south, and south-east. The winter lasts from about November till
March, generally speaking. During that time there are frequent falls of
rain, but not heavy. Snow seldoms lies longer than a week on the
ground. There are frosts so early as September, but they are not
severe, and do not continue long. The easterly winds are the coldest,
as they come from across the mountains, but they are not frequent.
Fruit trees blossom early in April in the neighbourhood of Nasqually and
Vancouver; and in the middle of May pease are a foot high, and
strawberries in full blossom; indeed, all fruits and vegetables are as
early there as in England. The hills, though of great declivity, have a
sward to their tops. Lieutenant Wilkes says, that out of 106 days, 67
were fair, 19 cloudy, and 11 rainy. The middle section is subject to
droughts. During summer the atmosphere is drier and warmer, and in
winter colder than in the western section; its extremes of heat and cold
being greater and more frequent. However, the air is fine and healthy;
the atmosphere in summer being cooled by the breezes that blow from the
Pacif