Olympia to the Cowlitz Landing
July 30, 1853

The traveling correspondent of the Olympia Columbian wrote about his trip from his office in Olympia to the Cowlitz Landing; "After being "pent up" in our sanctum at Olympia ever since the first advent of the Columbian, denying myself all pastime save that of incessant toil for the gratification of out readers, I at last find myself in this delightful season of the year, on a flying trip overland to Oregon, for the purposes of business and pleasure.

Leaving Olympia on Monday, the 6th, I got on board, or rather took a deck-passage on the outside of a Cayuse pony, and started towards the Cowlitz Landing. After and easy after noon's ride, I found myself comfortably installed for the night, enjoying the hospitalities of our excellent friend, Judge Yantis, the "latch-string" of whose door is never "pulled in." The Judge and Antonio Rabbeson are erecting a commodious and splendid house, beautifully situated in an oak grove, at the edge of the Mound Prairie, intended for a hotel, and I may as well tell the truth at once, and say that who ever becomes a guest there, will congratulate himself, and be certain to call again.

The mound Prairie is filling up with industrious and enterprising settlers. At least 20 new claims have been taken there since I passed that way to Olympia last summer. On every hand thereabouts, the passer-by beholds improvement, progression, and the sure indications of future wealth and prosperity.

On Tuesday I passed new established homes, where the immigrants of last season had built, fenced in, and were gathering comforts around them. In the afternoon, I made a short halt at the "big mound" on the summit of which Mr. L. Durgin has built a good frame house. This is a lovely place, an earthy paradise. The view it affords is grand, embracing the snow capped Mounts Rainier and St. Helens and a surrounding scenery as picturesque as that with which the finest sentimentality has been most enraptured. From the level of the prairie to the top of the mound, is about one hundred feet. About 30 feet from the base, on the west side is a fine spring of delicious clear water. the surfaces of the mound contains 30 or 40 acres of good land, which Mr. Durgin has converted into a vineyard and nursery of fruit trees, for large profits, as no one will doubt.

After remaining there for about an hour, I started in good spirits, and in the evening "brought up" at the house of Sidney Ford, where I rejoiced in spending the night. He displayed his usual readiness to supply the wants of the weary traveler. The plesant countenances of friend Ford and his good wife and antidote to fatigue and trouble, are sure harbingers of the true comfort and good fare their entertainment affords.

At every farm along the road, the crops look exceedingly well, and promise what all anticipate, an abundant harvest. This in conjunction with the large number of immigrants pouring into this territory, gives strong assurance of our general prosperity.

At the house of John Jackson where hundreds have stopped before, i found all that I could wish for. The Squire was communicative, and gave me to understand that the barns required to be enlarged to contain the produce of the present year. That "good time coming" seems close at hand.

On Wednesday at 12 o'clock, I entered the Cowlitz Hotel, kept by Mr. J. W. Goodell, where I sat down to a dinner, such as cannot be surpassed at any public house in the territory. Mr. Goodell keeps a hotel, supplies his table well, and deserves the patronage of the public. Here is a good commencement of a town, 2 hotels, 2 stores, and several other buildings. The Cowlitz river is very high, and still rising. What a current! My stars, how we shall travel when again stated, which will be tomorrow, for the fever and ague country, i.e. the Columbia and Willamette.

I will write again soon, and report the latest items for the Columbian. In the meanwhile I am, dear readers,
Devotedly yours,
Mc.