DR. HENRY N. BOLANDER, BOTANICAL EXPLORER. 101 



of those rainy seasons charaeteristic of California at long intervals, 

 when the periods of dry, sunny weather between successive rainfalls 

 vanish and there is scarcely any surcease of moisture. The memo- 

 ries of that rainy season and its attendant floods in a country in 

 which there had been little opportunity to improve upon theSpauish- 

 Californian's means of conveyance and communication, has become 

 in a degree humorously celebrated. Bolander was in a way bene- 

 fited, since in rain-beleaguered San Francisco he became happily 

 acquainted with the pioneers, Dr. Kellogg, Dr. Behr, Mr. Bloomer, 

 Mr. Stout, Mr. Redding and others of the California Academy of 

 Sciences, and also with the members of the State Geological Survey. 

 As soon as opportunity offered he began to collect with great zeal; 

 the surroundings of San Francisco he found excellent fields for 

 mosses, lichens and phaenogamous plants. 



In order that the man may be oriented with the times a foreword 

 may here be written concerning previous exploration and the foun- 

 dation of the Survey. 



Prior to the conquest of the Mexican Province of Alta California in 

 1847, the Pacific Coast of North America had been visited by many 

 scientific men; but none had become residents, and none save Hartweg 

 and the members of the Wilkes Exploring Party of the United States 

 Government had gone inland but a few miles from the immediate 

 coast settlements. Even the intrepid Douglas, about whose name 

 more than all others we are pleased to associate the romance of 

 botanical exploration, did not traverse the inner Coast Ranges, and 

 knew only by rumor or passing word from the pastoral Spanish 

 people of the great Californian Valley and the Sierran wall defend- 

 ing its eastward border. Nearly twenty years after the visit of 

 Douglas came striking historical events, — the raising of the Bear 

 Flag at Sonoma; the occupation of the old capital of Monterey by 

 the United States naval forces; the discovery of gold in the Ameri- 

 can River. In the crowded train of events which followed rapidly 

 and only ten years after the assembly of the Constitutional Conven- 

 tion, the Legislature of California established a State Geological 

 Survey. The act was approved by the governor, April 21, 1860> 

 and J. D. Whitney was selected to be State Geologist. The bota- 

 nist of the Survey was Wm. II. Brewer. Of Brewer's work and 

 honored character it is not here to speak. Brewer left the Survey 



