218 DOUGLAS' JOURNAL 



Monday, 9it^.— Morning cloudy ; drizzly rain. As we expected wet 

 weather, did not start till noon. Hunters out and fell in with, a small herd 

 of elk ; but being in the close and almost impenetrable thickets, only one 

 could be secured, which fell after receiving eleven shots. At this season 

 the males are very lean and tough eating ; weighed about 500 lb. Horns 

 very large, 33 inches between the tips, with five prongs on each, all 

 inclining forward ; the two largest, 11 inches long, running parallel with 

 the nose and reaching nearly to the nostrils ; body of a uniform brown, 

 with a black mane 4 inches long. I am pretty certain this is the same 

 sort of animal which I have seen at the Duke of Devonshire's, and unques- 

 tionably a very distinct species from the European stag. I ascended a low 

 hill about 2500 feet above its platform, the lower part covered with trees of 

 enormous size of the same species as on the Columbia. On the summit only 

 low shrubs and small oaks and a species of Castanea. This handsome tree 

 I saw at the foot of the hiU, but very low, not more than 4 feet high, and 

 being imperfect, from the leaves which are lanceolate, deep glossy-green 

 above and ferruginous underneath, I took it to be a species of Shepherdia, 

 but was agreeably disappointed to find my little shrub of the valley change 

 on the mountains to a tree 60 to 100 feet high, 3 to 5 feet in diameter 

 (Castanea chrysofhylla).^ Its rich varied foliage, quivering in the wind, 

 clothed to the very roots with wide-spreading branches, and standing alone 

 on the dry knolls or on the crevices of rocks, gives a tint to the general 

 appearance of American vegetation of more than ordinary beauty. As I 

 never saw the American Castanea, and having no book, I cannot say whether 

 it is new or not, but am inclined to think it rare ; at least I had a laborious 

 search to find it in fruit, which I did on the very highest peak and only one 

 tree ; fruit little more than half ripe, husk thickly beset with sharp prickles ; 

 found one small lateral shoot with male flowers. I am confident of finding 

 it in perfection on more elevated grounds, and will undoubtedly make 

 every efiort to secure such a desirable object. Under its shade is a large 

 evergreen shrub, 4 to 10 feet high — leaves ovate, five-nerved, minutely 

 serrate, upper side glutinous and sweet-scented — which I take to be a fine 

 species of Clethra, but not in perfection. Perhaps 1 may meet with it soon 

 — in the low shady places among moss near rivulets or springs. Abundance 

 of a curious species of Helleborus, with ternate leaves, is to be seen. Laid in 

 specimens of all, sticky as they are. Towards dusk I crossed the hill and 

 descended on the other side, and walked along a small serpentine stream 

 for six nules, where I found the brigade encamped in a small cove on its 

 margin. As the weather seemed very unsettled I had my tent pitched 

 and my sundry articles placed secure, and soon afterwards lay down to 

 rest, being much fatigued. By the route the brigade marched six miles. 

 Tuesday, lOf A.— Morning cool and pleasant, calm and cloudy. Having 

 to cross the same hiU I was on yesterday a few nules to the south, and 

 apprehending rainy weather, and the horses poorly off for fodder and 

 ourselves on bad hunting ground, we started at eight o'clock and reached 

 the other side at two p.m., where we encamped in a small woody valley. 

 Besides the Pinus usually seen, I observed one not unlike the black spruce, 

 ' Gastanopsis chrysophyllaj Sargent, Silva N. Am. ix. p. 3. 



