580 



Widdy-bank Fell, Teesdale. It was not in flower, and we saw no 

 trace of it until we had reached the exact spot where we previously 

 found it. Equisetum umbrosum was abundant on the Yorkshire side 

 of the Tees, near Winch Bridge. Jas. Backhouse, jun. 



York, 19th of 6th month, 1846. 



Death of Mr. Tliomas Edmondston. 



Twelve months ago we mentioned Mr. Edmondston's appoint- 

 ment to the Harold, as botanist to the expedition for exploring the 

 north-west coast of America; it is now our duty to record his decease 

 under the melancholy circumstances stated in the following extract 

 from the Morning Chronicle of June the 11th, 1846. Letters written 

 by Mr. Edmondston, when full of health and spirits, were received in 

 England by several of his friends almost simultaneously with the ap- 

 pearance of the paragraph in the Chronicle. 



" Melancholy Accident on Board H.M.S. Harold, in the Pacijic. 

 Letters from some of the officers of that ship, and her tender the Pan- 

 dora, have been received, dated April 24, 1846. The Harold, Capt. 

 Kellet, had been to the Galapagos, and returned to the coast on the 

 2'2nd of February. While off the mouth of the small river Sua, about 

 five miles from Atacaraez, an accident occurred which has deprived 

 the expedition of one of its most valuable officers, just at the period 

 when his services were beginning to be required. A party had been 

 employed on shore, and on returning to the boats a loaded rifle hap- 

 pened to be touched by one of them when jumping into a boat, wad- 

 ing through the surf — it went off", and the ball first struck the arm of 

 the clerk, slightly wounding him, and then passed through the head 

 of Mr. Edmondston, the botanist of the expedition, killing him on 

 the spot. His death was instantaneous. The loss will be greatly 

 felt, as Mr. Edmondston was an exceedingly amiable and talented 

 young man, deservedly regarded by his messmates and all on board 

 the Harold ; and although but twenty-three years of age, had greatly 

 distinguished himself in his profession. He had lately been elected 

 botanical professor of the Andersonian University of Glasgow ; he 

 was also the author of a botanical work, the ' Flora of Shetland.' His 

 remains were buried on shore on the following day, with funeral ho- 

 nors, and attended by the greater part of the officers of the expedition. 

 The Harold and Pandora had commenced their surveys of the coast 

 of California, and were occupied in March last in the Bay of Choco." 



