Lu 
166 
numerous rivulets overflowed it in many 
places, and, rising above their banks, rush- 
ed in foam through the deep glens, the 
necessity for crossing which impeded my 
progress in no slight degree. In the low 
places the water spread into small lakes, 
and where the road had a considerable de- 
clivity, the rushing torrent which flowed 
own it, gave rather the appearance of a 
cascade than a path. The road was so 
soft that we repeatedly sunk to the knees, 
and supported ourselves on a lava block, 
or the roots of the trees. Still, violent as 
was the rain, and slippery and dangerous 
the path, I gathered a truly splendid col- 
lection of Ferns, of nearly fifty species, 
with a few other plants, and some seeds, 
which were tied up in small bundles, to 
prevent fermentation, and then protected 
. by fresh Coa bark. Several beautiful spe- 
cies of Mosses and Lichens were also col- 
lected ; and spite of all the disadvantages 
and fatigue that I underwent, still the 
magnificence of the scenery commanded 
my frequent attention, and I repeatedly 
sate down, in the course of the day, under 
some huge spreading Tree-Fern, which 
more resembled an individual of the Pine 
than the Fern tribe, and contemplated with 
delight the endless variety of form and 
structure that adorned the objects around 
me. On the higher part of the mountain, 
I gathered a Fern identical with the Asple- 
vium viride of my own native country, a 
circumstance which gave me inexpressible 
pleasure, and recalled to my mind many of 
the happiest scenes of my early life. ; 
In the evening I reached the saw-mill, 
when the kind welcome of my mountain- 
friend, Mr. Mills, together with a rousing 
e, soon made me forget the rain and fa- 
tigues of the day. Some of the men had 
arrived before me, others afterwards, and 
two did not appear till the following day, 
for having met with some friends, loaded 
with meat, they preferred a good supper to 
a dry bed. My guide, friend, and inter- 
preter, Honori, an intelligent and well- 
disposed fellow, arrived at seven, in great 
dismay, having, in the dark, entered the 
river a short distance above a chain of ca- 
MR. DOUGLAS' VOYAGE FROM THE COLUMBIA TO THE 
breakfast, having examined all the pack. 
ages, we quitted the saw-mill for the bay, 
and arrived there in the afternoon, the ar 
rangement and preservation of my pla 
affording me occupation for two or three 
days. It was no easy matter to dry 
mens and papers during such inces: 
rainy weather. I paid the whole. 
the rate of two dollars, some in mone 
some in goods: the latter consisted o 
ton cloth, combs, scissors, and thread, 
while to those who had acquitted 
selves with willingness and activity, I 
ed a small present in addition. 
them preferred money, especially the 
fellows. The whole of the number 
ployed in carrying my baggage and vi 
sions, was five men, which left eleven. 
the conveyance of their own Ti dei 
od. Nor was this unreasonable, RE 
quantity of Poe which a native will e 
sume in a week, nearly equals his ow! 
weight! a dreadful drawback on expe? 
Still, though the sixteen pemon e 
bullocks in a week, besides what they € 
ried, a threatened scarcity of food M dnd 
yn ihe 
i 
e 
led me to return rather sooner than wr 
have done, in order that the C229 7 
is, however, of a very light kind, 
digestion. E 
‘On the 22nd of January, the e 
pleasant, and the sun ET 
I had all my packages assorted T: 
and engaged my old guide, 
nine men to accompany me ' idi 
and to Mouna Roa. As usual, M 
a formidable display of lugg2g* lici 
of Tapas, Calabashes, Poe, Ee 
each individual provided bi get 
solace of a staff of sugar 
Es 
