1827, APRIL. THE DALLES 247 



may come to hand without delay, wrote the following note to him to go 

 by sea : — 



Port Colville, Columbia River 



April leth, 1827. 



Deae Sir, — I beg to inform you that the Hudson's Bay Company's 

 ship has arrived, on board of which are four boxes for the Society, 

 containing the total collection made by me in N.W. America. — I am 

 dear Sir, your most obedient servant, D. Douglas. 



To Jos. Sabine, Esq., &c. &c. 



Made a note to the commander of the vessel as to treatment. By 

 mid-afternoon of Tuesday, preparations being made for our departure, 

 I in company with Mr. McLoughlin and Mr. McLeod took an airing on 

 horseback and returned at dusk to dinner. About nine o'clock at night I 

 was convoyed to my camp, about a mile above the establishment, where 

 we pitched in order that no time would be lost in starting in the morning 

 by them, who spent a few minutes with us and then returned. Having 

 now just bid farewell to my Columbian friends, I cannot in justice to my 

 own feelings refrain from acknowledging the kindness shown to me during 

 my stay among them, a grateful remembrance of which I shall ever 

 cherish. My society now is confined to Mr. Edward Ermatinger, a most 

 agreeable young man who goes to Hudson's Bay with us and seven men — 

 four Canadians and three Iroquois Indians. Our next stage is Jasper 

 House, in the Rocky Mountains, distant about 370 miles. Laid down 

 to sleep at 2 a.m. 



Wednesday, 18th. — Overslept ourselves this morning and were not up 

 until daylight, when we hurriedly pushed ofi lest we should be seen by our 

 old friends, who left us last night. A shower of snow fell during the night, 

 which continued throughout the morning. Thermometer 28°, wind 

 northerly and very piercing. General course of the river northerly, bounded 

 on both sides by high mountains : many places rugged, granite, iron, and 

 trap rock. Pinus taxifoUa,^ P. resinosa on the hiUs to their summits, and 

 P. Larix 3 in the vaUeys, the size of neither so large as lower down. The 

 river at many places is narrow, 70 to 100 yards broad, and the numerous 

 rocks and high gravelly banks forming points render it rapid and very 

 laborious to ascend. Passed the Dalles at 8 p.m. and was shortly over- 

 taken by an Indian with a letter that was forgotten. The only plants 

 in flower are Lilium pudicums and a species of Pulmonaria already in 

 the collection. Camped at dusk eight miles above the Dalles on the left- 

 hand side of the river. Travelled twenty-nine miles. Mr. Ermatinger, 

 during the time of boiling the kettle, favoured me with some airs on the 

 flute, which he plays with great skill. Noon cloudy. 



Thursday, 19th. — Just as I laid down my pen at midnight a heavy 

 shower of snow commenced and continued for two hours. Three inches 

 deep in the morning ; found it very local, for five miles higher up there 

 was none. Like many others, this day's journey admits of little variety. 



1 Pseudotsuga Douglasii, Mast, in Joum. R. Hort. Soo. xiv. p. 245. 



2 Larix occidentalis. Mast., loc. cit., p. 218. 



' Fritillaria jnidica. Baker, in Joum. Linn. Soc. xiv. p. 267. 



