| 136 
> On Monday the 30th the heat was just . 
the same as the day before, our elevation 
was seven hundred feet above the river. 
The route lay through a wood and a valley 
precisely similar to those we had passed 
yesterday, and during a walk of two miles 
and a half, we were obliged to ford the 
river seven times, keeping in a direct line 
from point to point. Four more miles, and 
as many times crossing the river, brought 
us to the termination of this platform or 
valley, and here the stream parts into two 
branches, the larger one flowing from the 
North, the other from due East. We cross- 
ed at the angle between the two streams, 
and commenced our ascent of the Big 
Hil. The snow being so deep, at least 
six feet, the markings on the trees which 
indicated the path were frequently hid, 
and we found it no easy matter to keep the 
track. The steep ascent, the deep gullies, 
the brushwood and fallen timber, rendered 
walking very laborious. We encamped 
two miles up the hill, having gained five 
miles to-day. The timber gradually be- 
coming smaller, no new plants or animals 
were added to our store. ' 
. May Ist, Tuesday. This morning the 
thermometer stood at 2° below Zero, and 
the maximum heat at noon was 44°! We 
continued ascending, and had the satisfac- 
tion at ten to reach the summit, where we 
made a short pause to rest ourselves, and 
then descended the eastern side of the Big 
Hill, to a small round open piece of ground, 
through which flowed the smaller or East 
branch of the river, being the same as we 
had left yesterday at the western base of 
Big Hill. To the right is a small point 
of low stunted wood of Pinus nigra, alba, 
and Banksiana. Near this place we start- 
ed at mid-day a fine male specimen of Te- 
trao Franklinit, which I preserved with 
great care. Being well rested by one 
o'clock, I set out with the view of ascend- 
ing what seemed to be the highest peak 
on the North. Its height does not appear 
to be less than 16,000 or 17,000 feet above 
the level of the sea. After passing over 
the lower ridge, I came to about 1,200 feet 
of by far the most difficult and fatiguing 
walking I ever experienced, and the utmost 
DOUGLAS' JOURNEY TO 
ble, but at the elevation of 4,800 fee 
getation no longer exists; not so n 
a lichen is found in a tract of 1,200 
eternal ice. The view from the's 
of too awful a cast to afford pleasu 
thing can be seen, in every dire 
as the eye can reach, except mount 
towering above each other, rugged 
all description; while the dazzling re 
from the snow, the heavenly azure o 
solid glaciers, with the rainbow tir 
their shattered fragments, and the eno 
icicles suspended from the perpendi 
rocks, and the majestic but terrible 
lanches hurling themselves from t e 
exposed southerly rocks, produced 
and groaned through the distant 
with a sound only equalled by th 
the stupendous and wonderful wor 
Almighty. This peak, the hig 
known in the Northern Continent of. 
rica, I felt a sincere pleasure in ni 
« Mount Brown,” in honour of R. B 
Esq., the illustrious Botanist, à 
less distinguished by the amiable 
of his mind than by his scientific $ 
ments. A little to the southward | 
nearly of the same height, e 
[o 
* 
of Glasgow. This mountain, 
was not able to climb. A species 
ziesia, Andromeda hypnoides, Gen 
Lycopodium alpinum, Sals i 
Empetrum, Juncus biglumis and 
were among the last of the phen 
plants which I observed. 
meter only stood at 2° below. 
was obliged to rise and enliven 
to get myself comfortably War 
starting. Through three bundred y 
gradually rising open low Pine-* 
passed, and about the same €" 
open ground took us to the be 
mighty river—a small circular 
