very small, but generally larger than those in Illinois and are free from thorns. There is also the Sal-all berries, which are nearly black, a little smaller than the Catawby Grape, and they grow on a stem something like the grape. They are very rich, and good, some think they resemble the peach in tast, but I confess I can see but little resemblance.
There is three kinds of Wherttleberries there, the blue, the red and the winter berry. The Thimble berry is a very large red berry, resembling the rasberry in shape, but is a very different fruit. has a slight tart, and will melt away on the tounge. The Salmon-berry grows here also very large, it resembles the black berry in shape, but is of a bright straw color, many people are fond of them, but I cannot say that I really like them. The day before I started down the river, Mr. Thomas Mercer was at our house on his way to Portland. I only see him about 5 minutes, he told me that he was going up on Pugets sound to live, that he liked the country well, that Mr. Horton was then there and was intending to make a home there. While I was gon Mr. Mercer & Mr. Horton stopt at our house, on there way to the Sound with their families. They left word for us to go up there and no where else, for they thought I should like the country. They say it is a great fruit country a good farming country, and thousands of fish of all kinds, including Oisters, that there is a plenty of good rich prairia and excelent water, which is more than they have at Bakers Bay. Mr. Horton said that the grass was up to his waist when he left. They intend to settle a short distance from a town called Seattle, in Kings County, on or near White river, some 40 or 50 miles down the sound. Mr. Mercer says that Mr. Bagley, Aaron Mercer, and Mr. West have determined to go there, as soon as they can dispose of their property at Salem, and I have sent word to Mr. Mercer that we will go too, so just as soon as we can make a sufficient rais we intend to leave this place. While down at the bay this time a man, that had lived on the sound for three years and had been up and down a number of times, told me that there had been stone Coal[1] found on the head waters of the De
- ↑ Puget Sound coal is spoken of in the Oregonian as early as 1851 and frequently thereafter; Scott, Oregon Country, III, 163.
