MR, DRUMMOND’S COLLECTIONS. 57 
with all the energy I had left, and I flatter myself that my 
collection will yet be such as to give a tolerable idea of the 
general nature of the vegetation round St. Louis. I was 
greatly disappointed that my paper from England did not 
come while I was at that place. It did, however, arrive soon 
after, having been kindly forwarded from New Orleans by 
Messrs. Dennistoun. I was, therefore, under the necessity of 
purchasing paper at a very high price, and pasteboard was still 
more difficult to be procured. 
* Unfortunately, owing to the lateness of my arrival at St. 
Louis, it was impossible for me to proceed up the Missouri, 
the fur traders, whom I wished to have accompanied, gener- 
ally leaving their head-quarters on the first of May, or even 
sooner. I delivered my letters of introduction, however, and 
received most liberal offers of assistance, with a view to for- 
ward my objects. "There are here two companies; lst, The 
American Fur Company, of which Mr. Chiato is the acting 
agent. ‘They generally go out by the route of Santa Fé, as- 
sembling at a small village about a hundred miles from that 
place, called Toas, from whence they proceed to the moun- 
tains. The 2d company was under the direction of General 
Ashley, and he still retains a considerable interest in it. 
Their hunting-ground is near the source of the Missuori. In 
short, there will be no difficulty in getting to the mountains. 
— I do not consider the amount of species I have yet collected 
can exceed 500, They, and the other objects of Natural 
History, shall be despatched by the first vessel that goes 
direct to the Clyde. My health is now tolerable, and I trust I 
may consider myself acclimated." 
This letter was soon followed by the arrival of a collec- 
tion of roots, chiefly from St. Louis, vid Liverpool, with 
a letter dated New Orleans, December 14, 1831, in which, 
speaking of its contents, he says, “ Among them you will find 
a gigantic Grass, which I hope may arrive alive. I should 
never have considered it to be a Grass, had I not seen the 
flowers, for it has much of the habit of the New Zealand Flaz, 
but the leaves are longer and narrower. It is No. 27 of the 
Szcowp Serres, H 
