Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 5.djvu/359

 JOURNAL AND LETTERS OF DAVID DOUGLAS. 349 Ground Rat, a creature common in this country, where it burrows in the sand under bushes and lives on the fruit of Purshia tridentata, and the leaves of several species of Artemisia. I found the flesh somewhat rancid, or rather of a musky flavor, probably from the bitter strong-scented plants on which it feeds. The Indians of the Walla-wal- lah and Kyemuse tribes call this animal Limia. Thursday, June 15th. At 4 A. M. set off for a walk on some rocky grounds, near the river, having breakfasted on the same food as I had had for some previous days, but long before noon felt greatly exhausted, being unable to get so much as a drink of water. My eyes began also to distress me exceedingly ; the sand which blows into them, with the reflection of the sun from the ground, which in many places is quite bare, having made them so sore and inflamed that I can hardly distinguish clearly any object at twelve yards distance. Friday, 16th. The weather being pleasant, I began pre- paring for my great excursion to the mountains, and sent accordingly to the Indian camp, to bid my guide be ready at sunrise. During the night I was annoyed by the visit of a herd of ruts, which devoured every particle of seed I had collected, eat clean through a bundle of dried plants, and carried off my soap-brush and razor! As one was tak- ing away my inkstand which I had been using shortly be- fore, and which lay close to my pillow, I raised my gun, which, with my faithful dog, always is placed under my blanket at my side, with the muzzle to my feet, and hastily gave him the contents. When I saw how large and strong a creature this rat was, I ceased to wonder at the exploits of the herd in depriving me of my property. The body and tail together measured a foot and a half; the back is brown, the belly white; while the tail and enormous ears are each three quarters of an inch long, with whiskers three inches in length, and jet black. Unfortunately, the