Dr. Hooker on American Botany. 127 



pal investigator ; but a Mr. Nelson, who perhaps accompa- 

 nied some of the voyagers, who succeeded Captain Cook in 

 the survey of that coast, has communicated many specimens, 

 which are in the Banksian or Lambertian Herbarium. Pallas"' 

 Herbarium, in the hands of Mr. Lambert, contains plants 

 gathered by the Russians in the Aleutian isles, and De Can- 

 dolle has published, in his Prodromus, some interesting indi- 

 viduals, communicated by Dr. Fischer from the same neigh- 

 bourhood. 



More ample materials may confidently be looked for from 

 the following sources : — The great attention already be- 

 stowed during former voyages by Captain Parry and his 

 officers, to the vegetable productions of the Arctic regions, 

 would alone warrant us in expecting that the same desire 

 will be felt during the present expedition, to contribute all 

 in their power to the natural history of the countries which 

 they explore. But we have farther the assurance of the dis- 

 tinguished commander of the expedition himself, in the last 

 letter which we received from him, dated Whale Fish Islands, 

 July 1, that no exertion should be wanting on his part to se- 

 cure every species of plant that may be met with in the course 

 of the voyage. 



The Horticultural Society of London have despatched one 

 of their most able collectors to the mouth of the Columbia, 

 David Douglas, who was formerly one of the head gardeners 

 at the Glasgow botanical garden. He had, immediately pre- 

 vious to his being sent on the present expedition, done him- 

 self great credit, and given his employers the highest satisfac- 

 tion, during his mission to the United States, for the purpose 

 of procuring plants and fruits for the society. His under- 

 taking is now a far more arduous one, and one in which we 

 know that no exertions on his part will be wanted to bring it 

 to a successful issue. After spending the ensuing season in 

 collecting on the north-west coast, through nearly ten degrees 

 of latitude, he will cross the Rocky Mountains in lat. 55°, and 

 fall in with Captain Franklin's line of route at Isle de la 

 Crosse, and return overland with that enterprising officer to 

 Hudson's Bay. 



The Hudson's Bay Company, with a liberality that reflects 

 the highest credit upon them, made application and provision 

 lor a surgeon to one of their ships, who, to his medical know- 



