Warre and Vavasour, 1845-6. 93 and immediately below the Falls, which are about 35 feet m height. It contains about 300 inhabitants, two churches of wood, two grist and three saw mills, and about 80 houses, with one exception built of wood. There are two ferries across the river communicating with the Tuality Plains. The coun- try in the immediate vicinity is very high and rocky, forming two scarps one immediately behind the town and the other about 500 yards from the river. These scarps are very high, the first being about 100 feet and the second of still greater elevation ; the ground falls away towards the Clackamas River, below the junction of which with the Willamette River there is a small rapid which is difficult to ascend during high water. The ground on the left bank of the river immediately oppo- site to Oregon City is very much broken, steep and rocky, and both the banks are covered with a thick forest. The settlement extends about 60 miles up the river on either bank and contains about 5000 inhabitants, composed of Cana- dians and Americans. Twenty-five miles from Oregon City there is a Roman Catholic mission with several large wooden buildings, two churches, dwelling houses and a nunnery. There is an American Methodist Mission 25 miles higher up the set- tlement. At both of these missions ferries are established across the river. At Oregon City I would recommend three block houses, one at the upper end of the town, near the Falls, one near the lower end overlooking the road to Champooick, and the upper settlements, to be placed on the first scarp, and a third on the higher scarp behind, to prevent its being occupied and a com- mand obtained over the ground below. The mills of Dr. Mc- Loughlin might be loop holed and made defensible, being built of square timber. I have recommended block houses for the defense of those points of the country at which I think defensive works are required, as the country is nearly all covered with dense for- ests at these points ; they are easy of construction and the ma-
terials are on the spot.----
