Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/87

81 JOURNAL OF DAVID DOUGLAS. 81 black mane four inches long. I am pretty certain that this is the same sort of animal that I have seen at the Duke of Devonshire's, and unquestionably a very distinct species from the European Stag. I ascended a low hill, about two thousand five hundred feet above its platform, the lower part covered with trees of enormous size, and the same sorts as on the Columbia. On the summit are only low shrubs, small oaks and a species of Castanea. This fine species I first took for a Shepherdia, as it was only shrubby in growth, but I shortly found it on the mountains, growing sixty to one hundred feet high, and with a diameter of three to five feet. The leaves of this tree (Castanea chrysophylla), give quite a peculiar and lovely tint to the landscape. The fruit seems extremely rare, as I only saw it on a single tree, and that growing on the very summit of the mountain. Under its shade is a fine evergreen shrub, new to me, apparently a Clethra. Here, too. Pinus resinosa grows immensely large, two hun- dred and fifty feet high and fifty-five feet in circumfer- ence. Arbutus Menziesii and laurifolia are abundant, but their fruit is almost all taken away by the bears. Two species of Caprifolium, that I never saw before, grew here. My feet are very sore with walking over the burnt and decayed stumps, and struggling through the thick under- growth of Pteris Aquilina and Rubus suberectos, which are bound together with several decayed species of Vicia. Friday, the 13th, to Monday, the 16th For the last few days our progress has been much retarded by rain and heavy fog. The difficulty of proceeding becomes greater and greater in consequence, for the poor horses slip their footing continually and get bad falls ; and to ensure the safety of my collections, I carry them on my back, tied in a Bear's skin. We have passed three ridges of mountains, about two thousand seven hundred feet high, Mr. McLeod and I taking the lead, and chopping off, with the help of