Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/423

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I sailed from the Columbia in November last, in the Hudson Bay Company's vessel, which visited these islands, touching 1 on the way at San Francisco, where I made a short stay, but did nothing in the way of Botany. I arrived here on the 23rd of December, and, after spending Christmas Day with two English ladies, the wife of our Consul, Mr. Charlton, and her sister, I started on the 27th for the island of Hawaii, which I reached on the 2nd of January, 1834. You know I have longhad this tour in contemplation, and having spent three winter months in botanizing here, I proceed to give you a short notice of my proceedings.

The view of this most interesting island, from the sea, is sublime indeed; combining the grand, sweet and beautiful, in a most remarkable degree. For two thousand five hundred feet above the level of the sea, the Banana, Sugar Cane, Coffee, Pandanus, Bread Fruit, etc., grow in the greatest perfection. Then comes a thickly timbered country as high as eight thousand feet, and for three thousand seven hundred feet more a space covered with short verdure, after which the reign of Flora terminates. I made a journey to the summit of Mouna Kuah, which occupied fourteen days, and found it only thirteen thousand eight hundred and fifty-one English feet above the sea; a height, you may observe, much less than has been ascribed to this mountain by early travellers. In this expedition I amassed a most splendid collection of plants, principally Ferns and Mosses; many, I do assure you,