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223 JOURNAL AND LETTERS OF DAVID DOUGLAS. 223 brother of this latter gentleman, Capt. Sabine, who showed at all times the utmost kindness, made him known to the Colonial Office, gave him most important instructions at the Greenwich Observatory, and found in him so apt and so grateful a pupil, that a cordial friendship was estab- lished, which continued to the last. The original plan of his route was communicated to me by Mr. Douglas, in a letter bearing date LONDON, August 6, 1829. "I am sure you will be glad to know that my anticipated journey has been laid before the Council, and approved of; so that I go, God willing, on the 15th of September, by the Hudson's Bay Company's Ship Eagle. My plans must be a separate communication, but just let me say, that my principal objects are to make known the vegetable treas- ures of the Interior of California, from the northern boundaries of Mexico, near the head of the Gulf. The botanical productions of Rio Colorado and other streams, totally unknown in Europe, will, I trust, ere many years, be as familiar as those of the Columbia. The govern- ment provides me with every instrument which Capt. Sabine, as Sec- retary of the Royal Society thinks may be of use. These consist of sex- tants, chronometers, barometers, thermometers, hygrometers, com- passes of all sorts, instruments for magnetic intensity, dip of the mag- netic needle, all of which can be used with such accuracy, as will ren- der my journey, as I trust, not the journey of a commonplace tourist. " I am not quite certain, but that when I have completed my expe- dition on the Continent of America, I may cross to the opposite shore, and return in a southerly line, near the Russian frontier with China. What a glorious prospect! Thus not only the plants, but a series of observations may be produced, the work of the same individual on both Continents, with the same instruments, under similar .circum- stances and in corresponding latitudes ! I hope I do not indulge my hopes too far. I shall try to set a hundred pairs of feet and as many pairs of hands to work for me, and shall make them grub up and bring me all they can find. People tell me that Siberia is like a rat-trap, which there is no difficulty in entering, but from which it is not so easy to find egress. I mean at least to put this saying to the test. And I hope that those who know me know also that trifles will not stop me. I am glad to learn you are coming to England before I go that I may see you once more. I shall be greatly obliged if you would purchase for me a Bible, in 2 vols. 8vo., with a good bold legible type and notes of refer- ence, or more properly speaking, marginal notes. I cannot see to read small type, and have been unable to find such an one in London, but I know there is a Scotch edition of the kind which I describe. I intend