Hali. Jackson I(ellev 291
perity, and before you are the valleys of both the Wallamette and Colombia, spreading* and winding afar, and almost weary- ing the eye with cotmtless varieties of aspect and innumerable forms of loveliness.
Amongst the other forms of industry at Vancouver, ship- building should not be omitted There was a shipyard there in 1834, where several vessels had been built, and where all the vessels of the Hudson's Bay Company were repaired. The neighboring forests abound in timber adapted to naval pur- poses, such as oak, cedar, si^ruce and firs, of gigantic growth. There is, in particular, an extensive forest of white oak within a small distance of the fort.
I found that a canal had been commenced at the falls of the Wallamette by the company, for the purpose of making the head of water available for practical purposes — the propulsion of machinery, &c.
Families who had settled in the valley of the Wallamette continued under the government and contrd of the company, receiving therefrom, on loan^ all the stock, stores and imple- ments of agriculture, in consideration of which they stipulated that all the marketable products of their farms should be sold exclusively to the company. Oxen and cows were furnished in like manner, it being the settled policy of the company not to kill or sell any cattle until the country should become well stocked.
All these circumstances indicated a disposition to form per- manent interests and estaUishments on the part of this great association and its members and servants ; and I was assured that, whatever may be the result of the disputed question of sovereignty and occupancy, most of the people of tiiis territory will remain quietly fixed in thmf residences.
The fisheries of this territory have been comparatively neg- lected by the company. They might be made immensely pro- ductive and profitable, for diere are several species of fish, particularly salmon, which swim in eountless numbers in the Columbia and its branches, and are easily taken and prepared
