Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 5.djvu/239

 We are now come to the most interesting period of Mr. Douglas's life, when he was about to undertake a long voyage and to explore remote regions, hitherto untrodden by the foot of any naturalist In these situations, far indeed from the abodes of civilized society, frequently with no other companion than a faithful dog, or a wild Indian as a guide, we should have known little or nothing of his adventures were it not for a journal which he kept with great care (considering the difficulties, not to say dangers, which so frequently beset him in his long and painful journeyings), and which has been deposited in the library of the Horticultural Society of London. From that journal is here selected whatever is likely to prove interesting to our readers; and these extracts, with some occasional observations and extracts from the few letters which were received by his friends during the continuance of this mission, will prove more than any language we can employ, Mr. Douglas's high qualifications as a naturalist and traveler.