1826, OCTOBER. AEGUILAE, RIVER 67 



From the 2nd to tlie 9tli of October tie weather was remarkably 

 fine, generally clear and dry, with cool dewy or foggy evenings. Our course 

 was southerly, and we generally marched from ten to sixteen miles a day, 

 obliged to go sometimes more, sometimes less, as we found suitable places 

 for our horses and hunting. The country is highly diversified with hill 

 and dale, and well watered by numerous small streams. Though late as 

 the season is, I found many curious and some beautiful plants. 



On Monday the 9th we crossed a low hUl elevated about 2500 feet above 

 its platform, covered with wood, principally pine. But what delighted 

 me greatly was findiag Gastanea chrysophylla,^ a princely tree 60 to 100 

 feet high, 3 to 5 feet in diameter, evergreen, the leaves having a dark rich 

 glossiness on the upper surface and rich golden-yellow below. Nothing 

 can exceed the magnificence of this tree, or the strikingly beautiful con- 

 trast formed with the sable glory of the shadowy pine among which 

 it delights to grow. In thickets of Pteris lanuginosa,^ excellent covert 

 for deer, where we killed several very large males of Cervus alces, the meat 

 of which, as might be expected at this season of the year, was but 

 indifferent. 



10th to l?)th. — This morning we passed a hill of similar elevation 

 and appearance to that passed yesterday. Several species of Glethra 

 were gathered — one in particular, C. grandis \_sic\, was very fine — and many 

 birds of Sarcoramphos californica and Ortyx californica, and two other 

 species of great beauty were collected. This part of the time was rainy, 

 ill-adapted for hunting. The last two days' march we descended the 

 banks of Ked Deer Eiver, which empties itself into the Eiver Arguilar 

 or TJmpqua, forty-three miles from the sea. 



Monday the 16th was dull, foggy and raw in the morning. We passed 

 through about two miles of open hilly ground, and then entered a thick 

 wood where it became necessary to lop the branches off to allow the 

 horses to pass ; crossed three low ridges of hills, the highest about 2700 

 feet from its base, descending which, some of the horses were considerably 

 injured and rendered incapable of proceeding for some time. In the 

 deep dark valleys of this stream. Red Deer River, I had the pleasure to 

 find Laurus regiafi a beautiful evergreen tree, a decoction made from 

 the bark of which was used by the hunters as a beverage. So exceedingly 

 powerful is the fragrant scent which it emits by the rustling of its leaves 

 that it produces sneezing ; the smell is precisely like that of the well- 

 known Myrtus Pimenta. Shortly after midday we had the pleasure to 

 arrive on the River Arguilar and camped close to the junction of Red Deer 

 River. Arguilar River is here ninety yards broad, clear and rapid, .on 

 a bed of soft white sandstone cut and divided into narrow chinks and 

 separate channels. My horses were of those broken-down, but my little 

 articles did not suffer, and Mr. MoLeod was kind enough to give me part 

 of his bedding. 



nth to 23r(^.— Some days ago I had attempted to gain the higher 



» Castanopsis chryaophylla, Sargent, Silva N. Am. ix. p. 3. 



2 Pteridium aquilinum, Christensen, Ind. Eil. p. 600. 



3 Umbellularia californica, Sargent, Silva N. Am. vii. p. 22. 



!■ 9. 



