The girls went out in the timber the 2d day of this month an got there hands full of flowers, birds have been singing about for this six weeks, and little red humming birds have been flying around for this long time. The first of this month the girls say they had greens, and they might have had them along time before. The wether is so pleasant that Ann says she would not go back for all of Illinois.
Esther got Philipeen on the mate of the Lot Whitcomb, and he gave her a pencil worth $5. it is said to be gold...
There has 4 vessels loaded here since the first of March, and two more came in yesterday to load, and the company have some 5 or 6 loads on hand now. The snow in the mountains has commenced melting and the water in the Columbia is rising, which backs the water up in this river, so that it is tolerable high now.
Flour is worth $8.50 pr hundred. Butter 75 cts pr pound, Potatoes $3.50 pr bushel, fresh beef 25 cts pr pound and Oisters 6 to 8 dollers pr bushel.
The children eat nothing but oisters while they lasted, and I dont know as they would if they had 40 bushels, for the more they eat, the more they wanted.
Irving has got him two chickens, one is now setting, the other lays, eggs are worth 75 cts pr doz. & Chickens from 50 to 75 each, he has got a pig, so we think we have a little chance for raising stock one of these days. . .
Affectionately Yours
Chas. Stevens
Milwaukie O. T. 13th May 1853
Brother Levi & Sister Emma
... Since my return from Shoal water, I have been engaged at diferent kinds of work. I have helped load one large vessel with lumber, worked some on a flat boat that I expect to run on the river in the summer & fall, made a trip to Fort Vancouver & back, &c.
Fort Vancouver is one of the pretiest places for a town or Citty that I ever see. The river must be near a mile wide, and excelent landing, the bank just about high enough to be out of the reach of the high water and runs back so that it has two benches, and I know not but three. Uncle Sam has his building
