112 
as I had no change whatever with me. I 
however added Ribes viscosissimum of 
Pursh (Flora Boreali- Americana, tab.76.) 
to my collection, which pleased me much, 
the toils of my excursion, by the many new 
plants I had gained, and by the advantage 
- of getting my gun properly repaired. For 
two days, however, after my return to the 
Establishment at the Kettle Falls, I was 
so indisposed as to keep my bed with fever 
and a violent pain between my shoulders, 
probably occasioned by wet, cold, and fa- 
tigue. 
Friday the 19th to Thursday the 26th. 
This time was spent in making several ex- 
cursions; on one occasion I crossed the 
Columbia to Dease River, one of its most 
northerly branches, and which had never 
before been entered by any European. 
Mr. Kitson, in a canoe with two Indians, 
went on purpose to explore it, but after 
having proceeded ten miles, during which 
I walked along the banks, that I might 
better judge of its productions, the stream 
proved so rapid that we were obliged t 
give up further progress and return. is 
river seems, like most of the others, to 
have its source in the Rocky Mountains, 
Friday the 26th. Started at daylight for 
a trip to the hills south of the Kettle Falls. 
The weather was warm, thermometer 86°, 
and sitting down to rest awhile under the 
shade of a large Thuja occidentalis, in a 
valley near a small spring, I fell asleep and 
never woke till late in the afternoon, when, 
being twenty miles from home, I would 
gladly have taken up my quarters there for 
the night, but that I feared Mr. M‘Loughlin, 
who expected me back, would be uneasy. 
I therefore returned with all speed over a 
mountainous and rugged way, and arrived 
near midnight, and found him on the point 
of sending two Indians to seek for me; his 
anxiety, however, lest any accident should 
have befallen me, was changed into heart 
- 
E 
laughter, when he heard of the manner in i 
which I had been spending my time. 
_ The next week was devoted to collecting 
| Specimens of plants, preparatory to leaving 
|... this place for a journey to the plains below. 
DOUGLAS’ SUMMER EXCURSIONS 
Monday, June the 5th. Rose 
past two, and had all my articles 
charge to Mr. Dease, and my tent s 
before five, when I took some brea 
and in company with Mr. W. Kit 
farewell to the wild romantic s 
the Kettle Falls. The river is much 
by the melting of the snow, being 
to sixteen feet above its usual level, 
it is six hundred yards wide. As 
our boats got into the current, they 
down the river with the velocity of 
row just loosed from the bowstri 
half hour took us to Thompson's K 
the place where the striking appe 
the shattered rocks and water is 
my journal of our ascent. Here o 
man, Pierre L’Etang, observed 
water was in fine order for shoo 
me to remain in the boat. 
no coward either in the water 
water, and have gazed unmoved, 
with pleasure, on the wildest Up 
tumult of the stormy deep, yet 
scend these cataracts by way of 
or 
not resolve to do. 
and I got out and walked along de 5 
No language can convey an} 
dexterity exhibited by the Canadian 
men, who pass safely through 
whirlpools, and narrow channels, W 
the strength of such an immense 
water forcing its way, the stream, © 
present instance, is lifted in the mi 
a perfect convexity. In such places. 
you think the next moment must 
frail skiff and its burden of hum 
to destruction among the steep ™® 
fellows approach and pass over "^ 
nishing coolness and skill en? 
themselves and one another with 
We re 
give 8 
rapidity of the current ; forty n 
