Viewing page 49 of 78

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

92
[[underlined]] Aug 13. [[/underlined]] Fort Steilacoom
Have walked some distance around here since last date. The country everywhere seems to consist of terraces & Plains covered in many places by the mounds above mentioned and cut up by Canôns through which the streams run. No beds of rock appear south of the Puyallup river. I have obtained a number of specimens mentioned in the Cat.
The weather has been very warm the Ther. at 94° one day & a shower fell one night. 
[[underlined]] Aug 21st [[/underlined]] Left Steilacoom in a canoe about 12 pm with Dr. S. Col. W. & a crew of five Indians.  Weather clear and cool.  Three days ago it rained for about 24 hours soaking the ground well  This part of the Sound is much cut up by small islands with forest and prairies mixed.  On some are lakes also Game & fish are abundant on them.  Arrived at Olympia about 10 P.M. 
[[underlined]] Aug 22nd [[/underlined]]  Travelled on horseback from Olympia about 20 miles leaving at 4 P.M Stopped all night at Grand Mound Prairie.  Weather warm but cool nights. 

[[end page]]
[[start page]]

93
Cowlitz valley
Aug 23rd Rode through the Cowlitz landing and arrived just before dark having started about sunrise. 
The country for about thirty miles from Olympia is similar to that near Steilacoom the soil gravelly but improving as we approach the Chehalis river.
From this south, following the valley of the Chehalis is level & rich soil but subject to overflow from the obstruction by rafts on the river below.  Crossing from this to the Cowlitz there is no high ridge between them & the country continues similar until near Cowlitz farm when the soil becomes more of clay.  Here the Red Fir is replaced mostly by two others on the river banks  A small pine also occurs similar to that on the coast. (P. distorta) The deciduous trees are the same Cornus, [[Aeis?]], [[Almues?]] etc. The Cowlitz here seems very rapid and its color milky blue from a mixture of white clay during the summer floods.  These have just subsided about 6 inches  The valley appears extensive & beautiful and is very fertile -