56 MR. DRUMMOND’S COLLECTIONS. 
a considerable number of species of the Timber-trees, pro- 
vided the season was favourable; but I was a month too early; 
for although many of the trees were bursting into foliage, the 
specimens were too young for preservation, so that they turned 
black in drying;—and upon the highest ridge, * Laurel 
Hill,’ every thing had the appearance of winter. Nor did I 
add any thing to my collection of Mosses; the bark of the 
dry stunted Oaks proving very unfavourable to their growth 
and time not permitting me to penetrate into the sheltered 
ravines. On arriving at Wheeling, on the Ohio, seventeen 
days after starting (from Frederickstown), I ascertained that 
the heavy part of my luggage, which I had forwarded 
from Philadelphia, had not arrived, and I was consequently 
detained a week there. It had been my intention to de- 
scend the Ohio in a small boat; but since steam-naviga- 
tion has become so common, it is difficult to procure one that 
would answer the purpose. I had, therefore, no alternative 
but to take the steam-boat to Louisville; on reaching which 
place, symptoms of fever began to appear, the weather being 
extremely warm, and on the third day after my arrival, I was. 
laid up for ten days. Kecovering a little, I reached St. Louis 
in four or five days, without much alteration in my health; 
but immediatly on arriving at that place, Ihad a relapse of 
the fever, with confirmed ague, and had immediately recourse 
to medical advice, but without deriving any advantage. Thus 
I Jost a considerable number of specimens, which were then 
in flower, partly from inability to undergo any fatigue in col- 
lecting, and partly from the destruction of those which were - 
previously collected; but to the drying of which I was totally 
unable to attend. In a little more than a fortnight, I got 
somewhat better, so that I could walk out; but was again laid 
up with fever, accompanied by severe diarrhoea, which reduced _ 
me to so weak a state, that I was unable to leave my bed, |. 
being little else but skin and bone. However, I gradually — 
recovered strength enough to make at length short excursions, _ 
although I found myself frequently obliged to rest half-a-dozen — 
times in the brief space of a mile. I now began to collect - 
