PEEFACE. 



IX 



In reading some of the chapters in the second yolume, it 



must not be supposed that because the 



related 



are unusually strange, they are of necessity highly coloiu^ed, 

 for this is not the case. I have kept closely to fact through- 

 out, and even in choosing my illustrations have taken great 

 pains that everything should be true to nature. Here and 

 ttere a figure lias been introduced "by the artist, but with 



exact copies from photograplis 



y few exceptions all are 

 ( taken on the s2:)ot. 



My best thanks are due to Dr. John Le Conte, of Phila- 

 delpliia, through whose, personal influence I became a 

 member of the expedition to survey a route for the Southern 

 Trans -continental Railway. 



To Mr. Aubrey Smith, of Philadelphia, I am indebted for 

 ha™g taken charge of my little botanical collection ; for 

 having, with infinite trouble, obtained the names of nearly 

 all the plants from the most distinguished botanists in the 

 United States ; and for having sent them to me, thus named, 

 in the best possible condition. 



General Palmer, of St. Louis, has not only given me access 



i 



to all the documents connected with the railway siuwey, and 

 offered me all possible assistance, but he has contributed one 



f (the most thiilling incidents related in the following pages. 



hiese services, however, I value as nothing compared with 



r 



hA warm friendship which om* travels together have matm^ed. 

 To Captain Colton I offer my best thanks for the yaluable 



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