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and able botanists to the N.W. coast, — Menzies's 

 country. One of them will join Captain Franklin, 

 and return overland with him. The other will ex- 

 plore the vicinity of the Columbia. I have got an 

 appointment for a third to go out with Captain 

 Franklin and Dr. Richardson on their expedition. 

 He will go as far as the Saskatchawan with them, 

 and there remain two entire years, botanizing. He 

 will be within reach of the declivities of the Rocky 

 Mountains, and explore the head of that immense 

 basin or plain which opens towards Mexico, and 

 where he will, it is expected, meet with many of the 

 plants of Nuttall, James, and Bradbury. Franklin 

 and the officers who accompany him will have in- 

 structions to collect plants from the mouth of the 

 M'Kenzie river, during their journey to Behring's 

 Straits. Douglas will pass one season on the west 

 coast,and then crossing the Rocky Mountains in lat. 

 55° (after passing through ten degrees of lat.), will 

 fall in with Captain Franklin at Isle de la Crosse. 

 Richardson will confine himself principally to the 

 country between the Coppermine river and the 

 M'Kenzie river. Their various collections, together 

 with what is now doing in Canada, Labrador, and by 

 Captain Parry's party, will form valuable materials 

 for a Flora of the British possessions in North 

 America. Dr. Hamilton of Leny often speaks of 

 you, and so did Dr. Boott, when he was in Scotland. 

 And now, my dear friend, I have reason to think 

 that long before you come to this part of my epistle 

 you will cry for mercy ; but be assured that I never 

 vol. ii. u 



