108 EXPLORATION TO THE PEACE RIVER 



rama that lay stretched out before us. But our occupations 

 were more prosaic; we were there to see and faithfully report 

 what we observed regarding the soil and productions of the 

 country. Sitting, possibly, on the same rock on which Butler sat, 

 I mentally attempted to contrast the region we had left west of 

 the mountains, with that in which we now were, and I could find 

 no points of agreement. West of the mountains, the climate was 

 cold and moist and the land generally covered with a coniferous 

 forest, but here we found prairie and aspen forest and a climate 

 dry and warm. Here, 3,000 feet above the sea, the mountains 

 are actually without forest and covered with grass and vetches 

 over two feet high. Botrychium lunarioides, a Lychnis and Are- 

 naria propinqua we found on the highest point. There were many 

 signs of the grizzly bear being in the vicinity as there was scarcely 

 a log which had not been turned over or torn to pieces in their 

 search for ants and their larvae. Aquilegia coerulea and Parnassia 

 palustris were obtained on our way to camp, and a considerable 

 number of eastern species which were not observed west of the 

 mountains. 



During the four following days, we remained in camp close to 

 the canyon, and I employed my time in making excursions in the 

 vicinity, drying, packing and labelling plants. We . had now 

 passed the mountains, and I closed my western observations and 

 commenced a new series." 



On the morning of the 21st, we started to cross the portage 

 to Hudson's Hope. The morning was very warm and walking 

 over the sand hills was not pleasant. While crossing the portage, 

 I found quite a number of eastern species, and, amongst others, 

 Linum perenne. On reaching the Post, we ate a hearty dinner of 

 moose meat, Early Rose potatoes, turnips and onions, and rejoiced 

 in the thought that we had accomplished so much of our journey 

 in safety. 



While the rest of the party were getting ready to proceed 

 down the river, 1 employed myself, as usual, making a thorough 

 examination of the flora in the vicinity for the purpose of compar- 

 ing it with that further down the stream. The following extract 

 from my journal, written on the spot, will give a truthful picture 



