MOUNT RAINIER 



them was a blazing mass of flame, which compelled 

 them to change their quarters farther to windward. 

 They had made eighteen miles. But few plants were 

 found, the season being too early for collecting at so 

 high an elevation. The ground was covered with 

 spruce-twigs, which had apparently been broken off 

 by the weight of the snow. The summit was passed 

 through an open space about twenty acres in extent. 

 This glade was surrounded with a dense forest of spruce 

 trees. There was no danger in walking except near the 

 young trees, which had been bent down by the snow, 

 but on passing these they often broke through, and 

 experienced much difficulty in extricating themselves, 

 particularly the poor Indians, with their heavy burdens. 

 The breadth of snow passed over was about eight miles. 

 At three o'clock they reached the Spipen 1 River, where 

 they encamped : this camp was found to be two thou- 

 sand five hundred and forty-one feet above the level 

 of the sea. The vegetation appeared to our botanical 

 gentlemen farther advanced on the east side than on 

 the west, at the same height ; the Pulmonarias and 

 several small annuals were more forward. There were 

 only a few pine trees, and those small, seen on the west 

 side of the ridge ; and on the east side, there was a 

 species of larch, the hackmatack of the country. While 

 they remained at this camp, they found a Pyrola, and 

 some new ferns. 



The country about the Spipen l is mountainous and 

 woody, with a narrow strip of meadow-land along its 

 banks. Mr. Waldron had, on arriving at the camp, 

 sent Lachemere, one of the Indians, down the river to 

 an Indian chief, in order to procure horses. Those that 

 remained after providing for the baggage, were con- 

 sequently assigned each to two or three individuals to 

 ride and tye on their route. 



On the 3Oth, they proceeded down the Spipen, making 

 a journey of eighteen miles, and passed another branch 



1 Naches River. 

 24 



