1827, MAY. CAMP AT ' TWO RIVERS ' 265 



box of seeds addressed to be left at Fort Edmonton on the Saskatchewan 

 River, had endured much misery descending the Athabasca, the ice being 

 taken before he had made good half his journey. In company with him 

 Mr. Drummond. Hope my box is safe (do not reUsh botanist coming in 

 contact with another's gleanings). 



Friday, Wih. — Minimum heat 25°, maximum 45°. Continued our route 

 at daylight, cheerless and comfortless ; a uniform fall of snow of 12 inches. 

 Camped at the junction of Pembina River, a muddy stream of consider- 

 able size, a hundred yards broad. Here the party divided, some ascending 

 it and some going to Assiniboine. 



Saturday, 12th. — Minimum 29°, maximum 42°. Continued our route. 

 Nothing occurred. 



Sunday, 13«A.— Minimum 32°, maximum 55°. Close and cloudy. By 

 making an early start ten miles was gained to breakfast ; shortly after- 

 wards we left the canoe and cut over a low point of wood and arrived at 

 Assiniboine at two o'clock. Mr. Stuart killed a male partridge, the 

 same species that I saw in the bosom of the mountains, called by him 

 White Flesher — difierent from the common ruffled grouse — too much 

 destroyed for preserving. Make some smaU slug and procure a pair of 

 this fine bird. 



14ih. — Morning dull and cloudy ; minimum heat 36° ; maximum 61°. 

 Loud peals of thunder at noon with showers of hail. At two o'clock had 

 all my things tied up and crossed the river. Mr. S., I must mention, gave 

 me two horses, one to carry my collection and one to ride, but being averse 

 to that he went light. Took our course in a south direction, through a low 

 marshy country, low points of poplar and birch, and on the higher places 

 low pines. Path very bad, sinking to the knees in mud and kept by the 

 still frozen soil at the bottom from going further. Passed through a point 

 of wood and camped five miles from the river ; killed a female partridge of 

 the species killed on the Rocky Mountains ; difiers not in size. The colour 

 on the back a little lighter, on the breast not so jetty black. Could not 

 preserve it. Regret it. 



Tuesday, 15th. — This uninteresting wretched country affording me no 

 plants, at daylight I took a gun and went in quest of partridges ; kiUed 

 a pair of White Fleshers and a hen of a different species. The male a 

 beautiful bird. Only one of the three, the hen of the White Flesher, 

 was worth skinning. Had eggs — small, pure white, about the size of the 

 common pigeon. Pine leaves, and leaves of birch in the crop. The flesh 

 is remarkably white. The breast-bone uncommonly high and very short, 

 differs only from the male in the ruffle being less conspicuous as to colour 

 and size. The hen of the other species was about the same size, of a dark 

 red. Only one shot struck it, but, as misfortune would have it, through 

 the head. Camped at ' Two Rivers ' much fatigued. Observed two 

 species of Ribes (one in Order or Section Ribes and one in Grossulariae) ; 

 both common west of the mountains on the margin of mountain rivulets. 

 Minimum heat 29°, maximum 53°. Showery, with hailstones of large size. 



Wednesday, 16«A.^-Continued our route through the same sort of 

 country as yesterday, still bad road and nothing in' the way of plants. 



