SOSI On the Human Bones, ^c. found 



been stationed ever since. I find my situation here very dif- 

 ferent from what I was led to expect on leaving Scotland. 

 Besides the duties of medical-officer, those of Indian-trader 

 also devolve upon me ; so that my time is so fully occupied 

 that little or none have I been able to devote to natural his- 

 tory pursuits. I have made one short journey into the valley of 

 the Walamet, one of the southern tributaries of the Columbia. 

 But, although my opportunities of seeing North-west America 

 have as yet been but limited, I have gathered sufficient infor- 

 mation, and seen objects from the three kingdoms of nature, 

 enough to convince me that it is a country of exceeding interest 

 to the naturalist. Limestone, coal, lead, silver, gold, salt, are 

 among its mineral riches. Among its vegetable wonders, I need 

 only cite to you the gigantic Taxodium of the frontiers of Cali- 

 fornia, the size of one of which^ as I have from credible author- 

 ity, is 32 feet in circumference, 3 feet from the ground, and 291 

 feet of extreme length, by actual measurement. I must reserve, 

 however, for a future letter any information in detail I may be 

 able to obtain regarding this region. The maritime chain con- 

 tains no less than six snowy peaks, within a range of 200 miles, 

 from the parallel of 43° to that of 46°. How often have I wished,- 

 when viewing that of Mount Hood, which towers up within 40 

 miles of Fort Vancouver, that it were transported to Britain, 

 within reach of so many men illustrious in the annals of physical 

 research *. 



FoET Vancouver, Columbia Riveb, 

 August^!. 1833. 



PROOFS THAT THE HUMAN BONES AND WORKS OF ART FOUND 

 IN CAVES IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE, ARE MORE RECENT 

 t?>J|?HAiN THE ANTEDILUVIAN BONES IN THESE CAVES. 



M. Desnoyeiis lately communicated to the Geological Society 

 of France some observations on the human bones found in the 

 caverns of the South of France ; tending to prove that these 



• Dr Gairdner adds, " Mr Douglas, the well known traveller, arrived here a 

 few weeks ago, from a five months' tour into New Caledonia : he was so un- 

 fortunate as to be wrecked in an attempt to descend the Eraser's river in a 

 canoe, and to lose the whole of his collections, but he had saved his notes and 

 instruments, and has brought many valuable materials with him." 



