JET. 68.] TO W. M. CAN BY. 689 



First day, we got round, retracing our old route, to 

 Blaylocks, a hard place. 



2d. Traveled all day up the north fork of Toe, 

 through scenery which delighted Mrs. Gray greatly, 

 to head of a fork thereof in Yellow Mountains, and 

 thence over to Cranberry Fork, almost under the 

 shadow of the Roan, or of that prolongation of it 

 which we went to; nice food and lodgings and the 

 luxury of a separate room. 



3d. Down Cranberry Creek and up Elk, over Elk 

 Mountain (got Cedronella cordata. Want any?), 

 from which climbed to a good view, down to Valle 

 Crucis, and over to Boone, to sleep ; a long day. 



4th. Drove fourteen miles, partly on Blue Ridge, to 

 Gap Creek, at noon. Nice house. Very nice wife 

 and children. 



5th. Mrs. Gray rested. Cowles and I went up 

 Blue Ridge, saw a fine waterfall on the eastern side. 



6th. Took in Mrs. Cowles, baby, and bright little 

 girl. Drove fourteen miles to Jefferson, picnic dinner 

 on the way ; stopped with an uncle and aunt of Mrs. C. 

 I and some Jeffersonians went up Negro Mountain; 

 collected Saxifraga Careyana at the original locality; 

 took a view of where Aconitum reclinatum must be, 

 went for it, found it, some specimens barely in bud % 

 more in flower, 1 made specimens for you and for Red- 

 field, took roots. 



7th. Cowles and family to wait and visit, while we 

 took their wagon to Marion, forty-five miles, too much 



1 " Dr. Gray, with Mr. Cowles and some of the neighbors, had gone 

 up Negro Mountain. He found on the top the plant he expected, a 

 Saxifraga, made out the narrow ravine he had explored thirty-six 

 years ago, found it, and in its same spot the rare plant (an Aconite) 

 he had then discovered, rarely seen growing since, and so came back 

 triumphant." Extract from Mrs. Gray's journal. 



