II. FIRST APPROACH TO THE MOUNTAIN, 



1833 

 BY DOCTOR WILLIAM FRASER TOLMIE 



DOCTOR WILLIAM FRASER TOLMIE was a medical officer in the 

 service of the Hudson's Bay Company. He was born at 

 Inverness, Scotland, on February 3, 1812, and died at Victoria, 

 British Columbia, on December 8, 1888. He was educated at 

 Glasgow, and when twenty years of age he joined the Hudson's 

 Bay Company. In 1833, he was located at Nisqually House, 

 Puget Sound. It was then that he made his trip to the moun- 

 tain. He later served at other posts in the Pacific Northwest, 

 and was raised to the rank of Chief Factor in 1856. He was 

 then placed on the board of management of the great company. 

 In 1860 he retired from the service. 



In 1850 he was married to Jane, eldest daughter of Chief Factor 

 John Work. Their descendants still live at Victoria, British 

 Columbia. They, especially the son John W. Tolmie, have 

 compared this reproduction from Doctor Tolmie's diary with 

 the original manuscript to insure accuracy. So far as is now 

 known, this is the first record of a white man's close approach 

 to Mount Rainier. 



It is pleasant to note that the new map of Mount Rainier National 

 Park, published by the United States Geological Survey, shows 

 the peak he climbed and the creek flowing near it bearing the 

 name of Tolmie. 



August 27, 1833. Obtained Mr. Herron's consent 

 to making a botanizing excursion to Mt. Rainier, for 

 which he has allowed 10 days. Have engaged two 

 horses from a chief living in that quarter, who came here 

 tonight, and Lachalet is to be my guide. Told the 

 Indians I am going to Mt. Rainier to gather herbs of 

 which to make medicine, part of which is to be sent 

 to Britian and part retained in case intermittent 

 fever should visit us when I will prescribe for the 

 Indians. 



