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MR. DOUGLAS' SECOND VISIT TO THE COLUMBIA. 
Montérey, Upper California, 
rd, 1831 
In the absence of all individuals with 
kindred feelings, who can participate in 
our pleasures, and console us in adversity, 
how cheering is the task of writing to them, 
and more especially when we have been 
long deprived of their conversation, and 
severed by a space of no less than half the 
diameter of the world! Greater still, how- 
ever, is the delight with which the solitary 
traveller hears of the welfare of those who 
are dear to his remembrance in his native 
land. I am not ashamed to say that this 
pleasure stimulates me to exertion, and 
lightens my labour. Though I have not 
written to you since last year, I am daily 
with you in thought, and were it not 
that I sometimes persuade myself that my 
feeble exertions in this country may, ere 
long, yield pleasure to my friends in ena- 
bling them to look at its beautiful plants, 
I could gladly return home, to assure you 
In person of my regard. 
I have had only one letter from you, 
dated on “ Christmas-day, 1829,” for which 
I am abundantly thankful. From no other 
person have I received any news, and shall 
therefore trouble “no one else with my 
scribbling, 
On the 22nd of December last (1830), 
I arrived here by sea, from the Columbia, 
and obtained leave of the Territorial Go- 
Vernment to remain for the space of six 
months, which has been nearly extended 
to twelve, as the first three months were 
Occupied in negociating this affair, which 
was finally effected to my satisfaction. I 
shall now endeavour to give you a brief 
sketch of my walks in California. 
Upper California extends from the Port 
of St. Diego, lat. 32° 30' to lat. 43° N., a 
Space of six hundred and ninety miles, 
from North to South. The Interior is but 
Partially known, Such parts of the coun- 
try as I have seen are highly diversified by 
hills, covered with Oaks, Pines, Chestnuts, 
and Laurels, extensive plains, clothed with 
à rich sward of grass ; but no large streams. 
Well does it merit its name! The heat is 
Intense, and the dryness of the atmosphere 
invariable, 29? not unfrequently, which, if 
I mistake not, is not exceeded in Arabia 
or Persia. In this fine district how I la- 
ment the want of such majestic rivers as 
the Columbia! In the course of my tra- 
vels on the western and northern parts of 
this continent, on my former as well as my 
present journey, I have observed that all 
mountainous countries, situated in a tem- 
perate climate, agitated by volcanic fires, 
and washed by mighty torrents which form 
gaps or ravines in the mountains, lay open 
an inexhaustible field for the researches of. 
the Botanist. Early as was my arrival on 
this coast, spring had already commenced ; 
the first plant I took in my hand was Ribes 
speciosum, Pursh (Bot. Mag. t. 3530; Bot. 
Reg. t.1557), remarkable for the length and 
crimson splendour of its stamens ; a flower 
not surpassed in beauty by the finest Fuch- 
sia ; and for the original discovery of which 
we are indebted to the good Mr. Archibald 
Menzies, in 1779. The same day I added 
to my list Nemophila insignis (Bot. Reg. 
t. 1713; Bot. Mag. t. 3485), a humble, but 
lovely plant, the harbinger of Californian 
spring, which forms, as it were, a carpet of 
the tenderest azure hue. What a relief 
does this charming flower afford to the eye 
from the effect of the sun’s reflection on 
the micaceous sand where it grows. These, 
with other discoveries of less importance, 
gave me hope. From time.to time, I con- 
trived to make excursions in this neigh- 
bourhood, until the end of April, when I 
undertook a journey southward, and reach- 
ed Santa Barbara, 34° 25’, in the middle 
of May, where I made a short stay, and re- 
turned late in June, by the same route, 
occasionally penetrating the mountain-val- 
leys which skirt the coast. Shortly after- 
wards I started for San Francisco, and 
proceeded to the North of that port. My 
principal object was to reach the spot 
whence I returned in 1826, which I regret 
to say, could not be accomplished. My ; 
last observation was at 38° 45', which leaves 
an intervening blank of sixty-five miles. 
Small as this distance may appear to you, 
it was too much for me ! ; 
My whole collection of this year in 
149. 
