Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/315

Rh After this misfortune, in June, I endeavoured, as far as possible, to repair my losses, and set to work again; and I hope some good new species were obtained for the Flora Boreali-Americana, which I am very anxious should reach you without delay. It is more than probable that I may have the pleasure of presenting these to you myself, say in March next, as it is my intention to return to England by the very first opportunity; and I hope this small collection may give you some satisfaction, as it is all I can now offer you from North-West America. It reconciles me somewhat to the loss, to reflect that you now have friends in that country, Who will probably make up the deficiency. I have given Dr. Gairdner my notes on some more new species of Finns. This gentleman and Mr. Tolmie will have a good deal to contend with. Science has few friends among those who visit the coast of North-West America, solely with a view to gain. Still with such a person as Mr. McLoughlin on the Columbia, they may do a great deal of service to Natural History.

letters: but, little as it is, I have thought it a good plan to accompany it with a rough topographical sketch of the country, to which you can refer to the relative directions of places, though not for a correct scale of distances.

"On his arrival in the country, May, 1830, Mr. Douglas ascended the Columbia for some distance, returning in September, when he soon took his passage in one of our vessels for California. There he remained till the autumn of 1832, and, in October of that year, returned to Fort Vancouver, by way of the (Sandwich) islands, and spent the winter in that vicinity, in the most advantageous way he could, principally in Astronomical pursuits.

" Early in March, 1833, he met me at Puget's Sound, and we returned together to Fort Vancouver, on the 20th, of the same month, when he embarked with our people, who were crossing over to Hudson's Bay. He landed at Oakanagan, whence he proceeded with the cattle party to Thompson's River, Alexandria and Upper Caledonia. At Stuart's Lake he found one of the Company's officers preparing to set out on an exploring expedition, down Simpson's. River, which falls into the Pacific, two or three degrees north of Mackenzie's small river, and was much disposed to accompany him: but fearing they could not reach the sea, or any of our settlements on the coast, and would In that case lose time, and be disappointed in other projects he had in view, he did not join the party. With his man Johnson, he shipped himself in a small bark canoe down to Fort George; there he remained a day or two with Mr. Linton, and, on the second day after he had commenced descending the stream, he experienced the disaster, which he communicated in the letter to yourself. From Alexandria Mr. Douglas got back to Thompson's River, and Oakanagan, by the same route that he went, and with the same means that he had from our people in Spring. At Oakanagan he took two Indian canoes, and, when half way down to Walla-wallah, on the 14th of July, met Mr. Conolly, of New Caledonia, and myself,, on our way up the river, with supplies for the Interior. He continued some days at Walla-wallah, with Mr. Pambrun, making occasional journeys to the Blue Mountains, and finally attempted the ascent of Mount Hood. In the month of September, 1833, I received a letter from him, stating that he was on the eve of sailing again for the Sandwich Islands.


 * ", 20th January, 1835."}}

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