CHAP. X.]

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

387

fifty miles south of San Francisco, that a site for a building had been secured, and pledges in land and money to support the institution, to the amount of fifty thousand dollars, had been obtained. But the removal of the State capital to Sacramento, and the absence of the projector from the State, caused the failure of this promising enterprise.

Mr. Thacher, as we have seen, came to California for the special purpose of establishing a school of a high order, and he accomplished his purpose; but in the general rush after gold, his school was suffered to die; while he devoted himself mainly to preaching.

Mr. Benton and Mr. Durant were both successful educators from the time of their arrival. Mr. Durant has gone to his reward, but Mr. Benton is President of the Congregational Theological Seminary at Oakland.

Subsequently to 1853-when the Congregationalists united with the Presbyterians, and laid the foundations of a school and a college which ultimately emerged into the State University of California and passed entirely beyond their control

the denomination established at Oakland, six miles east of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Academy and the Pacific Theological Seminary -the academy occupying a part of the seminary premises; both still under the special charge of their founders. At the same time, the denomination has been an earnest, efficient advocate for un

denominational free schools and normal schools, and has contributed freely towards the support of higher educational institutions. In short, the Congregationalists of California have fully justified their claim to be lineal descendants of the Pilgrims and Puritans of New England, by their regard for education. But, after all, they have not attained the special end and purpose which they had in view from the first- the establishment of a Christian college such as most of the new States of the West have secured for themselves. And they are far from feeling satisfied. with their mistake. But whether they can now remedy their failure, and secure for themselves a thoroughly Christian collegiate institution, may be questionable.*

OREGON AND WASHINGTON TERRITORY.

The State of Oregon as now meted and bounded extends northward from California and Nevada about two hundred and fifty miles, to the Columbia river; and eastward from the Pacific ocean about three hundred and fifty miles, to the Snake

In relation to this matter, Rev, Mr. Mooar, of Oakland, Cal. ifornia, wrote to the author in 1869: "Congregationalists have no claim and no participation in any college in our State. They had one in the college of California, which was started by them, in connection with the New School Presbyterians. But the trustees have merged the college in the University of California, a State institution. We have been badly sold out in that matter; and our own brethren have sold us. It was a bad bargain which they made."

CHAP. X.)

A DIVERSIFIED COUNTRY.

389

or Lewis river; including an area of about ninetyfive thousand three hundred square miles.. It is in general a mountainous country, with many lakes and rivers; but it has also many fertile valleys, which are in fact quite a distinctive characteristic of the country.

... Three parallel ranges of mountains traverse the State from south to north: the Coast range, parallel with the coast, and distant from it forty to seventy miles, of moderate elevation, with wooded slopes and much fertile land; the Cascade range, sixty or more miles east of the Coast range, with a general elevation of from five to seven thousand feet, and peaks-some of them volcanic-of from ten to fourteen thousand feet high; and the Blue mountains, from thirty to one hundred miles east of the Cascades, which seem to fill up no inconsiderable part of the eastern half of Oregon. Beyond these mountains is the basin of the Snake river, the principal affluent of the Columbia, with its beautiful and fertile valleys.

The valleys of Oregon are indeed its crown of glory. The valley of the Willamette, between the Cascade and Coast ranges, from one hundred and fifty to two hundred miles long, and from thirty to sixty miles wide, is the very garden of the State, containing some five million acres of fine, rich land. In this valley are as yet the principal towns of the State. The Umpqua valley, in southwestern Oregon, is another fine productive region, with about two and a half million acres of

choice land. The Rogue river valley, still further south, is about as extensive and as rich as the Umpqua valley.

Eastern Oregon has been subjected to stupendous volcanic disturbances, and is valuable mainly for its mineral deposits, which are very rich; including gold and silver, iron of a superior quality, and coal everywhere.

Western Oregon is one of the best agricultural sections of the United States. Its grasses and grains and cereal productions, and the excellence and variety of its fruits, won special commendation from the judges of the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia. Its wheat is of the finest quality and the heaviest anywhere to be found, weighing from sixty-five to sixty-nine pounds to a bushel, and yielding from thirty to sixty bushels to an acre; while the average of English wheat weighs about sixty-one pounds, and the yield is about thirty-three and a half bushels to the acre.

The climate of Oregon is various. In some parts cattle can graze out all winter, while the extreme north is subject to frosts all the year round. The winters are rainy, but the average rain-fall does not exceed forty-four inches, or about two inches more than the average of the Atlantic States. This State has, on the whole, an equable and temperate climate, it being much modified by the Pacific Ocean.

CHAP. X.]

MISSIONS TO THE INDIANS.

391

was first discovered and visited by the Spaniards, as early as 1592-1640. But their claim as discoverers passed to the French, who sold it to the United States in 1803. But ten years previously, in 1792, Captain Robert Gray, of Tiverton, Rhode Island, in command of a Boston ship, discovered the great river of Oregon, which he explored for some twenty miles, and named after his good ship, the "Columbia." From the time of this discovery to 1810, a brisk trade was kept up by Boston vessels, chiefly with the natives around the river. In 1804-05, Lewis and Clarke completed their exploration of the Columbia from its sources to its mouth; in 1810, Captain Winship, of Boston, built the first house on the river, and in 1811, John Jacob Astor, of New York, established a trading fort on the south side of the river, nine miles from its mouth. All these acts were essentially assertions of right to this territory by the United States as discoverers and purchasers. In 1835, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions entered this interesting and extensive field. They first sent the Rev. Samuel Parker and Dr. Marcus Whitman to explore the country, and in 1836 opened stations among the Nez Perces and Kayuses, and in 1838 among the Flatheads. The missionaries were very kindly received, and for a time the mission work greatly prospered; so that in 1840 four missionaries, one physician, and two male and six female assistants found abundant employment. Great religious interest appeared among