CHAPTER XXXVI. IDAHO TERRITORY. Area-Geography-Mountains-Rivers-Forests-Lakes-Scenery -Waterfalls-Valleys- Agriculture- Climate-Indians-Gold and silver mines-Material progress-Railroads-Cities and towns -Population. THE Territory of Idaho embraces an area of 90,932 square miles. It was formerly embraced within the Territory of Oregon, and more recently within the area. of Washington Territory; and was, in 1863, with its present limits, organized with a territorial government by act of Congress. The Territory in length, from the northern line of the State of Nevada to British Columbia in the north, running the whole length of Oregon and Washington Territories, is about five hundred miles. At its northern end it is narrowed to about fifty miles, lying between the western slope of the Rocky mountains and Washington Territory on the west. From this point, extending south until it reaches its southern boundary, it gradually widens, until it finally attains a width of three hundred miles. Idaho is bounded on the west by Oregon and Washington Territory, north by British Columbia, east by the Rocky mountains and Wyoming Territory, south by Nevada and Utah; the crest of the Rocky mountains forming the entire eastern line, leaving the whole of this Territory west of that range of mountains. The surface of Idaho is a succession of lofty mountain chains, rugged hills, alkaline and volcanic flats, rolling pasture-ranges, and numerous fertile valleys. The Territory is well supplied with water by several rivers of magnitude, and innumerable dashing streams, fed by the eternal snow of the mountains. The chief river in Idaho is the Snake, sometimes known as Lewis river; having its source in the western slope of the Rocky mountains, and coursing in a westerly direction across the entire width of the southern part of the Territory, a distance of more than three hundred miles, until it reaches the eastern boundary of Oregon, where it turns directly north, and for a distance of two hundred miles forms the line between Oregon and Idaho. A few miles north of this point, at the city of Lewiston, where the Territories of Washington and Idaho are divided by this stream, it turns directly west, and for one hundred additional miles keeps this course, until near Wallula, in Washington Territory, it empties into the main Columbia, and is carried to the Pacific ocean. The Snake river, in its circuitous passage from the Rocky mountains to Lewiston, runs through a great variety of country-sandy desert, elevated table-land, rich valleys, deep cañons and gorges; and often cutting through and leaping over high mountains, creating in its passage impassable and lovely cascades and falls of great magnitude and beauty. The Shoshone falls, in the southern portion of the Territory, but thirty-five miles north of the point where Utah and Nevada join upon the southern line of Idaho, and one hundred and fifty miles from the western line of Wyoming Territory, is surpassed only in magnitude by Niagara and the Yosemite. The Great Shoshone has an uninterrupted descent of two hundred feet, pouring its mighty flood below, presenting a scene of unsurpassed beauty, and cuts off the further passage of the salmon, which abound in all the waters from this point to the Pacific ocean. From the Columbia to Lewiston, one hundrea miles, the Snake river is navigated by steamers; but beyond this point, owing to the numerous falls and rapids, there is no navigation. Innumerable branches of the Snake river intersect the whole country upon both sides of the main stream. In the extreme northern corner of Idaho is Clarke's Fork, a branch of the Columbia river, of great magnitude, in its course passing through Lake Pen d'Orellie, twenty-two miles in length and six miles in width. Forty miles south of this lake, and near the line of Washington Territory, the Spokan river, a branch of the Columbia, enters and passes through Lake Cœur d'Aline, twenty-five miles in length and five miles in width. There are several lakes of less magnitude than the two here named in the Territory, and many streams of great volume and beauty. Forests of considerable magnitude, in which a great variety of valuable timber grows, are found; and there are large areas of grazing and agricultural lands. Boise, Wieser, Payette, Camas, and other valleys, contain hundreds of thousands of acres of superior land; and Bear Lake valley, in the extreme southeast corner of the Territory and close to the line of Utah Territory, and in which there is a Mormon settlement of five thousand people in a prosperous condition, is one of the richest agricultural districts on the Pacific coast. The climate is mild, and the soil rich beyond comparison. In this fertile valley are situated Bear lake, and the Bear river, a stream of considerable size, coursing through Bear valley in a circle, and finally emptying into Great Salt lake in Utah. Monument, a station on the Central Pacific overland To railroad, at the northern end of Great Salt lake, is but twenty miles from the southern line of Idaho, near Bear valley, and from this and other points of this road travellers entering the southern portion of the Territory will find the easiest and shortest route. reach the northern portion of the Territory from the Pacific side, passage can be made by the waters of the Columbia and Snake rivers, or by a journey overland through Oregon. The climate of Idaho in the northern section in winter is cold, and snow of great depth falls, and frost is severe in the mountains; but the cold of winter is much less than the cold in the same latitude east of the Rocky mountains. There are wide pasture-ranges in the Territory, and cattle, horses, and sheep in great numbers are driven toward the south, where they graze all winter upon the bunch grass and rich foliage of Southern Idaho; indeed, even in the northern part, cattle are rarely housed in winter. Summer in Idaho is delightful. The extreme heat of the Atlantic States is not experienced, and the evenings are cool and the general temperature bracing and charming. In the forests wild game is abundant, and the principal streams abound with salmon, trout, and other fish. The red men, although still found in the country in considerable numbers, are neither numerous nor warlike, and, as in most parts of the West, having spent their fury, are slowly passing away to the shades of oblivion. So far, mining is the chief business of the Territory, and, like the whole range west of the Rocky mountains, gold, silver, and other minerals are found in most of the mountain ranges, and many mines are worked with vigor and with great profit. The annual yield of gold |