94 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



known among scientific men in this counutry as the bot- 

 anist and historian of this expedition, and who made the 

 first ascent to the summit of Pike's Peak on July 14, 

 1820; Dr. Thomas Say, 12 the zoologist; and Dr. A. E. 

 Jessup, 13 the gelogist. 



While this expedition did not accomplish either of the 

 great objects for which it was sent out — the discovery 

 of the sources of the Platte and the Red rivers — the work 

 of the scientists was, however, of great value, inasmuch 

 as it added to our knowledge of a part of the country 

 which was hitherto but imperfectly known through 

 hunters and traders. This applies especially to the dis- 

 coveries made in natural history and ethnology. 



Before leaving St. Louis, Long's party made some 

 local investigations. Dr. Say examined some of the sink 

 holes around St. Louis, descending into one of them for 

 the purpose of ascertaining the mean temperature be- 

 low the surface of the earth. On the grassy plains to the 

 west of St. Louis Dr. Baldwin found many beautiful 

 plants, among them AristolocJiia sipho (the Dutchman's 

 pipe), Cypripedium spectabile and parviflorum (Lady 

 slippers), Lilium catesbeiana (Red lily), Triosteum per- 

 foliatum (Horse gentian), Clematis virna (Virgin's 

 bower, and Tradescantia virginica (Spiderwort). Dr. 

 Say went down the river to the mouth of the Meramec 

 and up that stream about fifteen miles. He had been 

 told of the discovery of many graves in that locality 

 said to contain skeletons of a diminutive race. In one 



mand of Maj. S. H. Long, of the U. S. Top. Engineers. Early Western 

 Travels 1748-1846. 14: 40. 1904. 



Spaulding, Perley. A biographical history of botany at St. Louis, 

 Missouri. Pop. Sci. Month. 1908: 497-498. 



i2Youmans, W. J. Thomas Say. Pioneers of Science in America. 

 215-222. 1896. 



13 Thwaites, R. G. Edwin James's account of an expedition from 

 Pittsburgh to the Rocky Mountains, performed in the years 1819, 1820, 

 by order of the Hon. J. C. Calhoun, Secretary of War, under the com- 

 mand of Maj. S. H. Long, of the U. S. Top Engineers. Early Western 

 Travels 1748-1846. 14: 40. 1904. 



