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CHAPTER XIII. 



DEPARTURE FROM FORT COLVILLB VANCOUVER ISLAND CRABS. 



WE left Fort Colville in April. The snow was still 

 on the ground, and everything very sloppy and 

 wet. During the winter grain was taken out in 

 sleighs, and distributed at different stations along 

 the route. This enabled the Commission to start 

 much earlier, as the mules by this arrangement 

 were not dependant on grass. We followed the 

 same course on our return as we did on coming 

 up, a route already described. At Walla-walla 

 we transferred all the mules and horses to some 

 persons to whom the Commissioner had sold 

 them, embarked in the steamer, reached the 

 Dalles thence the Cascades, Fort Vancouver, and 

 Portland, from which place the ocean-steamer 

 took us to Vancouver Island to await shipment 

 to England. I added many things to my collec- 

 tion during this time, amongst them a variety of 

 crustaceans (vide illustration). 



On my return I submitted them to Mr. Spence 



