Vamps, Snow Homes and Still Aguamish[1] rivers which is of the very best kind, and in abundance. These rivers I think are all a little north of white river, He says the country about these rivers is very good, and that it must be a good place for farmers as soon as they begin to work these mines, and he thinks as good as any in the Teretory now. In all of my enquiries about the country or about the health of the country, every one has said that it was perfectly healthy. Mr. Horton had the Ague when he went there but has had but one shake since, and he says that he never was so fleshy, never so strong and never could do as much work as he can now. While I was down the river I saw no one that was sick in fact people go from the Willamitt vally down there to get over the ague and all other billious diseases. When I came home, I found a most all Milwaukie shaking, four of our children were down some every day, and some every other day, they have all had it and Esther has it now. I think it is the June freshit in the Columbia that makes it so unhealthy on the lower Willamette and the Columbia bottoms, for as soon as the water goes down the sickness begins, but back from the river there is but a very little sickness of any kind. ...
Ann says that she has washed 66 shirts, besides undershirts drawers &c &c since a week ago last monday, that is in about 10 days. I wish you had your cows on a place as good as Bakers Bay, you could make your $6 or 8 dollars pr week, for Butter and Cheese are worth 50 cts pr pound. The imigration began to come in about the 15th of July, making the trip quicker than it was ever made before.
Milwaukie O. T. 24th Sept. 1853
... This seasons emigrants are coming in rather slow, we think the emegration will be full as small as your estimate, we have seen no one from Bureau or La Salle yet, tho we have seen people that has seen the Bureau train. The report is that the emegrants have had very good health this season and are getting along remarkably well, with few exceptions. a large amount of stock has died, and we have heard of some loosing
- ↑ The Duwamish, the Snohomish and the Stilaguamish.
