190 DOUGLAS' JOURNAL 



a supply of pemmican, a little biscuit, sugar, and tea, and I was amply 

 supplied for ten days with dry salmon for the guides ; with what we would 

 kill I might consider myself comfortable. Towards midday I took my 

 leave in a south-easterly direction, along the banks of Wallawallah River, 

 which I crossed a short distance from its junction with the Columbia. 

 Proceeded slowly along on the south side of the river, always making halts 

 collecting anything different from what I had seen. As water is very 

 scarce in crossing the plains, and the day being far spent I camped on 

 the edge of a small spring among some birch. 



Sunday, 18th. I was dreadfully annoyed with mosquitoes during the 

 night and was roused at two in the morning by a heavy shower of rain 

 which lasted till half-past four. I had the horses brought in and started at 

 five, and continued my journey. This morning I found great relief, the 

 atmosphere being cool and the sand prevented from blowing. This part 

 of the country to the north is an entire level plain of gravel and sand, 

 destitute of timber, not even a shrub exceeding 4 feet in height, except a 

 few low straggling birch and willows on the sides of rivulets or springs. 

 On the south the ground is undulating, also bare of wood, and on some 

 places veins of decomposed brown granite are to be seen, and in three 

 places volcanic rock. Passed the southern branc of the Wallawallah River 

 at eight ; on the eastern shores, which are steep, of gravel and lime in a 

 recent formation, abundance of Ribes aureum is seen, with perfectly ripe 

 fruit. The fruit is of exquisite flavour, much finer than any I am acquainted 

 with, both yellow and black, but the former more abundant. The racemes 

 are not large but very numerous, the berries about the size of the common 

 currant and equally prolific. It might be well to try some in very dry 

 light gravelly or shingle soil, as I observe it is never seen with fruit where 

 the soil is rich, and but with a scanty crop in moist situations. Continued 

 my route in a southerly direction. As I approached the high ground I found 

 the air gradually becoming cool. Camped at the foot of the range at 

 5 P.M. As I had not tasted anything to-day, I made myself a basin of tea, 

 on which with a little dry salmon and my other provisions I made a 

 comfortable supper, and then took a turn round my encampment. 

 Observed several interesting plants which I had not seen before, but left 

 them until my return. To save time in the morning I made a little 

 additional tea in the evening and left it in the kettle over night. 



Monday, ISth. After breakfast, shortly after sunrise, I began my ascent 

 in an easterly direction on foot, the guides going on before with the horses ; 

 the ascent was gradual for a short distance (about fifteen miles), where the 

 path in many places became rugged and difficult to pass over. Reached the 

 middle of the mountain where the wood begins, where I camped at mid- 

 afternoon much fatigued. I had walked not less than thirty-five or forty 

 miles. I found the timber to consist of the same species that are found 

 prevalent on the mountainous ground, and among the brushwood two 

 species of Ribes, R. viscosissimum and another already collected, the 

 former very plentiful. Also a species of Lonicera or Xylosteon, which I 

 gathered sparingly on the banks of the Spokane River six weeks since in 

 this high altitude, not yet in blossom. 



