128 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



river, the only excursion of any length which I accomplished. In the^ 

 autumn I shipped my collection of plants, and in two months had the- 

 mortification to learn that the vessel was total!}' wrecked in the St. Law- 

 rence. Thus did I lose the fruit of tAvo years' labour. During the next 

 winter 1 did little, except employing myself with such small skill as 1 was- 

 able in designing some flower pieces, for which I got a trifle. Early in 

 the following spring I commenced labour again, and b}' the beginning of' 

 June had amassed about fifty dollars, which, with as much more that I 

 boiTOwed from a friend, formed my stock of money for the next summer's 

 tour. I started in the beginning of June from Montreal, and passing- 

 through Kingston went to New York, to which, after an excursion to- 

 Lake Simcoe, I returned ; then visited the Falls of Niagara and Fort 

 Erie, and crossed over to the United States, keeping along the eastern 

 side of Lake Erie for ninety miles. I afterwards took a direct course ta 

 Pittsburgh on the Ohio, which, owing to the advanced state of the season,^ 

 was the most distant point to which I could attain. On my return I 

 kept along the side of the Alleghany river to Point Ollean, in the state 

 of New York ; then visited the ^^alt works of Onondago and Sackett's 

 Harbour on Lake Ontario, whence, proceeding to Kingston, I packed up 

 my whole collection, with which I returned to Montreal, and embarking 

 on a vessel which was bound to Greenock, got safely home ; the plants^ 

 which I carried with myself being the whole that 1 saved out of the pro- 

 duce of nearly three years spent in botanical researches. 



" In spite of the ill-fortune which has hitherto attended my endeav- 

 ours, I have still so great a desire to bring plants and seeds to this 

 country that I purpose, in the ensuing spring, if my pecuniary circum- 

 stances will permit me, to make another excursion to that country for 

 the purpose of exploring the forests which lie toward the west." 



Mr. Goldie was not able to carry out his intentions. 



In 1824 he was employed by the Russian government to assist in the- 

 formation of the new Botanic Gardens at St, Petersburg, after which he 

 obtained passports to visit difterent parts of Russia and was thus enabled 

 to examine its plants. When he returned to Scotland he took with him 

 a number of plants not before introduced into that countrj-. among them 

 Abies Siberica, Pœonia tenuifolia, and many others. 



About the year 1830 Mr. Goldie again visited Russia, and the govern^ 

 ment, in recognition of his skill, asked him to investigate and report upon 

 the flora of some of its recently acquired territor}', but owing U> business 

 engagements at home he was compelled to decline the congenial task. 



In the course of his wanderings through Canada, Mr. Goldie had 

 formed a favourable opinion of the countr}-, and came with his family, 

 in 1844, to Ayr, Ontario, where he settled and continued to reside until 

 his death. 



