219
England states, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. A portion of it is occupied by the forested ranges of the Bitter Root and Blue mountains; but in general it is a region of great plains and elevated plateaus, relieved by wooded valleys and gently sloping hills. The climate, soil, and productions, all vary greatly from those of western Oregon, and the natives were superior to the western Indians in intellect as well as in strength, energy, and warlike valour.
Its agricultural possibilities begin to be understood. Owing to the light rainfall over the greater portion of the Inland Empire, some early travellers pronounced the entire region unfit to be the home of civilized man. But the missionaries proved that the natural grasses afforded excellent pasturage for cattle and sheep,^ and that the soil in many places would produce bounteous crops of grain and vegetables even without irrigation, while with an artificial supply of water surprising results could be obtained. Several of the valleys, like Walla Walla and the Grand Ronde, which lay in the path of the emigrants to Oregon, attracted the attention of the pioneers at an early time by the evident fertility of their lands; and as early as 1847 it seemed certain that the first of these would soon be occupied by farmers. But the Whitman massacre of that year destroyed these prospects, and an 1 Dr. Whitman wrote in October, 1847, just before his death: " The interior of Oregon is unrivalled by any country for the grazing of stock, of which sheep is the best. This interior will now be sought aft
