28 ESS A YS. 



devoted to an examination of the region between Quebec and 

 Hudson's Bay, the botany of which, as is well known, he was 

 the first to investigate. His journal comprises a full and 

 very interesting account of the physical geography and vege- 

 tation of that inclement district. 



Leaving Quebec in October, and returning by the same 

 route, we find our persevering traveler at Philadelphia early 

 in December. It appears that he now meditated a most for- 

 midable journey, and made the following proposition to the 

 American Philosophical Society : " Propose a plusieurs mem- 

 bres de la Societe Philosophique les avantages pour les Etats- 

 Unis d'avoir des informations geographiques cles pays a Fouest 

 de Mississippi, et demande qu'ils aient a endosser mes traites 

 pour la somme de X3600, si je suis dispose a voyager aux 

 sources du Missouri, et meme rechercher les rivieres qui 

 coulent vers 1'ocean Pacifique. Ma proposition ayant 6te 

 accepte, j'ai donne a Mr. Jefferson, Secretaire d'Etat, les 

 conditions auxquels je suis dispose a entreprendre ce voyage. 

 . . . J'offre de communiquer toutes les connoisances et infor- 

 mations geographiques a la Societe Philosophique ; et je re- 

 serve a mon profit toutes les connoisances en histoire naturelle 

 que j'acquirerai dans ce voyage." Remaining in Philadelphia 

 and its vicinity until the following summer, he set out for 

 Kentucky in July, 1793, with the object of exploring the 

 western States (which no botanist had yet visited), and also 

 of conferring with General Clarke (at Mr. Jefferson's re- 

 quest) on the subject of his contemplated journey to the 

 Eocky Mountains. He crossed the Alleghanies in Pennsyl- 

 vania, descended the Ohio to Louisville, Kentucky, traversed 

 that State and western Virginia to Abingdon, and again trav- 

 eled through the valley of Virginia to Winchester, Harper's 

 Ferry, etc., arriving at Philadelphia on the 12th of December 

 of the same year. Conferences respecting his projected expe- 

 dition were now renewed, in which Mr. Genet, the envoy from 

 the French republic, took prominent part ; but here the mat- 

 other locality is given than the high mountains of North Carolina. Major 

 Le Conte found it several years ago in the southwestern part of New 

 York, and Mr. Lapham has recently detected it in Wisconsin. 



