264 | Flora of the Olympics. [zoe 
parviflora); speedwell ( Veronica Americana), Gnanthe Californica,, 
Ranunculus tenellus, R. occidentalis, var. tenellus, the smallest 
flowered butter-cup; white-flowered hawk-weed ( Hieracium albiflo- 
rum), sweet Cicely ( Osmorrhiza nudak), western tall dock (Rumex | 
occidentalis), five bog rushes (/Juncus tenuis, J. effusus, and var. 
brunneus, J. xiphioides, var. triandrus, J. bufonius); several 
grasses, the graceful 7risefum cernuum, Festuca Jonesti, Agrostis 
microphylla, A. exarata; wild barley ( Hordeum nodosum), a hand- 
some nodding brome-grass (Bromus ciliatus ), Festuca subulata, and 
Cinna pendula; a bull-rush (Scirpus sylvaticus, var. digynus); one 
sedge ( Carex stipata); two mosses ( Polytrichum juniperinum, and — 
Bryum sp.); and a lichen ( Cladonia furcata). 
Certainly no one can say from this showing that our flora is poor. 
It would look so to one not intimately acquainted with it, on account 
of the lack of color or size in the flowers of Western Washington 
and Oregon. Everything in the plant kingdom seems to be over- 
powered by the unending, majestic but gloomy fir forests that cover 
plain, valley and mountains to far up their slopes. Even the birds. 
lack the merriment of the songsters of Eastern woods, and a certain 
plaintiveness or harshness pervades their notes. Far different is it 
with the flowers of eastern Oregon and Washington, or with those 
that bloom above the timber line on our higher mountains. Life is 
short with them, whether from the dry, hot climate of the country 
east of the Cascade Range, or from the short summer natural to the 
high altitudes in the neighborhood of perpetual snows. Nature is. 
prodigal, especially in the latter regions, with her paint-pot, and 
gorgeous colors meet the traveler at every step. 
Leaving the larger number of the expedition with the ‘‘ mule- 
train,” and preceded by another party composed of axe-men and 
hunters, I started along the “ fine trail’’ to the lake, which I antic- 
ipated reaching in about three hours, as it was described to be about 
five or six miles distant, and a botanist doesn’t travel fast when there 
is anything to be collected. I started at half-past eight o’clock, 
alone and with no lunch in my pocket, and reached the lake after a 
slow but continuous march of ten hours and a half! The mule-train 
reached it in installments at the end of the second day! After the | 
first half mile the trail commenced to ascend the hills very abruptly, . 
anda mere half hour’s travel brought a great change in the flora. © 
As I toiled up the steep, sunny path, the first plant not previously . 
