152 DOUGLAS' JOURNAL 



he showed me several articles of Russian manufacture, among which were 

 small copper Russian coins, metal combs, &c. 



But the most convincing proof that the difficulty of transportation by 

 land or water is trifling, is large four, five, and six gallon malleable-iron 

 pots of very coarse workmanship and very different from anything in the 

 trade of the British Fur Company. He exchanged some of his for theirs. 

 The sea to the west of the McKenzie River is said to be open after July, 

 so that there is little difficulty in going either by water or land to Icy 

 Cape. Mr. M. had the Indians assemble for the purpose of extending 

 their territory in that direction, when he had to leave and proceed to 

 Hudson's Bay. In him there is a great example of perseverance, visiting 

 the Polar Sea, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in the short space of 

 eleven months. In the short spells of fair weather, when able, I crawled 

 out, either with my gun collecting birds or other animals, or picking up 

 Musci or any Cryptogamic plants in the woods. As yet (15th December) 

 there has been scarcely any frost. When dry, weather generally very 

 pleasant during the day ; the nights invariably cold and damp. On the 

 24th December the rain fell in such torrents, without the least intermission, 

 that my little hut of Thuya bark, which stood in rather a low situation, 

 was completely inundated ; 14 inches of water was in it. As my lodgings 

 were not of the most comfortable sort, Mr. McLoughlin kindly invited me to 

 a part of his house in a half-finished state. Therefore on Christmas Day all 

 my little things were removed to my new dwelling. After the morning 

 service was performed, they took an airing on horseback. I was prevented 

 from joining them in their pleasant excursion by my troublesome knee. 



1826. 



Sunday, January 1st. Commencing a year in such a far removed 

 corner of the earth, where I am nearly destitute of civilised society, there 

 is some scope for reflection. In 1824, I was on the Atlantic on my way to 

 England ; 1825, between the island of Juan Fernandez and the Galapagos 

 in the Pacific ; I am now here, and God only knows where I may be the 

 next. In all probability, if a change does not take place, I will shortly 

 be consigned to the tomb. I can die satisfied with myself. I never have 

 given cause for remonstrance or pain to an individual on earth. ^ I am in 

 my twenty-seventh year. 



January 2nd to March 1st. As my Journal would be of little 

 consequence containing a statement of the weather and so on, I do not 

 transcribe it. The following birds came under my notice during the 

 season : Silver-headed Eagle is abundant all over the country where there 

 are rivers containing fish. They perch on dead trees and stumps over- 

 hanging the water, and are invariably to be found near falls or cascades. 

 It is a very wary bird and difficult to obtain ; although powerful, it is 

 overcome by several other species. Its voice is a weak whistle ; called by 

 the natives ' chuck, chuck,' which name they give from its own call. They 

 build their nests on large trees on the banks of rivers, and seem to prefer a 

 point, for on every conspicuous eminence or neck of land are nests. I 

 have not seen the egg ; has two, three, or four young at a time. They keep 



