BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 513 



Diplopappus (141), shrubby Labiata and Composite, the latter 

 lost to the collection by accident. On the coarse, gravelly 

 margin of the river are masses ot'Eryngium (583), with Calliopsis 

 Atkinsoniana, Senecio (575), and Marsilea (450), weaving itself 



rustling of their scaly bodies on the gravel. The stench on the spot was 

 very disgusting. Struck by fear, I retreated to my camp-fire, wrapped 

 myself in my blanket, and watched, fearing these guests should take it in 

 their heads to come to my fire, and find me asleep The noise continued 

 till near ten o'clock, when it gradually but quickly subsided, and I went 

 to sleep. As soon as daylight appeared, I got up, saddled my mule, and 

 looked for my horses, in order to leave that unpleasant camp, but the 

 horses were astray in the mountains, and I returned after a fruitless ride 

 of nearly three hours, being compelled to remain. I now began to examine 

 the spot by the water's edge, and found it deserted, just as quiet as on the 

 afternoon before. The rattlesnake I had killed was lying there only. 

 Not satisfied with that examination, I got a pole, and commenced lifting 

 the large flat stones, thinking the creatures must be under them, but 

 after all my searching, I could not see a single one. That no snake got 

 bitten by another during the exciting dance, seemed to me very evident 

 and remarkable, for it would have, by the length of the rendezvous, 

 remained on the spot dead. 



To tell marvellous tales of snakes and hunting- stories has been so 

 common in America, that every one must be careful to relate a true 

 adventure, lest he excites suspicion at the mere mentioning of what he is 

 going to say, that it will be a hoax. But this custom has long reached the 

 utmost pitch, particularly if we credit M. Violet's adventures, and to add 

 more would be disgusting. 



A few days after, I had the pleasure of seeing Chief-factor Macdonald 

 at Fort Colville, to whom I was resolved, at all risks, to relate my snake- 

 adventure. He had just returned with the Brigade, up the Columbia, 

 from Fort Vancouver. When I mentioned the fact to him, and expressing 

 doubt of his believing it, Mr. Macdonald moved his chair back, and 

 showed some astonishment, stating, to my surprize, that he had had 

 occasion to witness the very same thing at his camp, about Priest's 

 Rapids, on the Columbia, about a day before me. I saw it on the evening 

 of the 22nd of July, 1844. 



Often had I heard of such assemblages of rattlesnakes, on the Upper 

 Missouri, for example ; but I always doubted the truth of it, till that 

 evening. Possibly these reptiles congregate, before moving to their 

 winter-quarters, under ground ; but that would have been rather early. 

 for I saw rattlesnakes above ground, fully six weeks afterwards Tho 

 rocky banks of the rivers of Oregon are full of these reptiles. 



