OREGON, a territory of the United States of North America, lies between 42' and 46' bat, 110' and 125' W. long. It is bounded E. by the Rocky Mountains, which separate it from the territory of Nebraska ; N. by the territory of Washington ; W. by the Pacific Ocean ; and S. by the state of California and the territory of Utah. The area Is about 230,000 square miles. At the census of 1850 the territory of Oregon included the country since separated from it and formed into the terrritory of WADDINGTON, and comprised altogether an area of 341,463 square miles, with a population of 13,294, or to the square mile; but no account was taken of the native Indian., who in 1853 were estimated at 23,000.
Eurfuee and IlydrograpAy.—The tonitory of Oregon is traversed from south to north by the ranges of the Cascade and the Blue moms taints, while a third range, that of the Reeky Mountalun, forms its eastern boundary. The Cascade, or Coast, or as it is sometimes called President's range, is a continuous and very lofty range rising at a distance of 100 to 150 miles from the coast ; and almost entirely cutting offdirect communication between those portions of the territory which lie east and west of it. Except where the Columbia, which forms here the northern boundary of the state, breaks through the rouge, the few passes which exist are so difficult as to be of little use to the traveller. The higher peaks are from 12,000 to 14,000 feet above the level of the sea. The country west of this range is a good deal broken by spurs from the main chain. The greater part of this broken country is thickly timbered, in many parts there being dense forests of fir, pine, spruce, oak, ash, and other valuable trees, with close undergrowths of hazel, &c. The valleys and plains afford much excellent fanning land, the soil consisting in some places of a black vegetable loam, in others of clays and gravel. The uplands form good pastures. Tho harbours along the coast are, with the exception of that formed by the mouth of the Columbia, of little value ; most of the other rivers have bars at their mouths, over which only vessels of light draught can pass. Tho coast itself is formed by steep sandy cliffe
and beaches and is broken by projecting headlands which rise pre cipitously from the sea; the principal of these are named Cape Orford, Cape Gregory, Cape Perpetua, and Cape Look-Out, but they afford little shelter, and have mostly numerous rocks scattered about them, while everywhere a heavy surf sets in upon the beach.
The Blue Mountains, which traverse the middle of the territory, ice more broken and irregular than the Cascade and Rocky ranges. On the south-west the Blue Mountains are united with the Cascade Mountains by offsets which form the valleys of the Clamet and Unsqua rivers, while the main chain forms the valley of the Willamette. Other offsets, diverging eastward, couneet this range with the Rocky Moun tains. This middle section of the state differs considerably from that west of the Cascade range. The hills are barren, but in the valleys of the Columbia, Willamette, and Saptin rivers the soil is generally fertile, and in some places extremely rich. Much of the country iu the vicinity of the Columbia and Saptin rivers consists of rolling prairie land, and affords good pasturage. The southern portion of this middle section is for the most part broken and desert, with scarcely a tree or vegetable. The general elevation of the section is about 1000 feet above the sea.
Tho Rocky Mountains have been noticed elsewhere. [Astrasce ; NEBRASKA ; HUDSON'S BAY TERRITORIES.) They are of great altitude, and only one practicable pass has been discovered over them along this territory. This, known as the Great South l'ass, occurs at the south-eastern extremity of Oregon, and is that crossed by the great stream of overland emigration to Utah and California. The country immediately west of the Rocky Mountaine is everywhere broken by great spurs from the main chain, and though in some places partially timbered, is for by far the greater part rocky, barren, extremely variable in climate, and incapable of permanent settlement.