PREFACE. 
IX 
take a more extensive range for my botanical excursions, 
which during my stay at the Woodlands had been con- 
fined within a comparatively small compass, the neces- 
sary attention to the duties of that establishment not per- 
mitting me to devote more time to them. 
Accordingly, in the beginning of 1805, I set out for 
the mountains and western territories of the Southern 
States, beginning at Maryland and extending to the Ca- 
rolinas, (in which tract the interesting high mountains of 
Virginia and Carolina took my particular attention,) 
and returning late in the autumn through the lower 
countries along the sea-coast to Philadelphia. The fol- 
lowing season, 1806, I went in like manner over the 
Northern States, beginning with the mountains of Pen- 
sylvania and extending to those of New Hampshire, (in 
which tract I traversed the extensive and highly interest- 
ing country of the Lesser and Great Lakes,) and returning 
as before by the sea-coast. 
Both these tours I principally made on foot, the most 
appropriate way for attentive observation, particularly 
in mountainous countries ; travelling over an extent of 
more than three thousand miles each season, with no 
other companions than my dog and gun, frequently tak- 
ing up my lodging in the midst of wild mountains and 
impenetrable forests, far remote from the habitations of 
men. The collections and observations made in the 
course of these journeys, all of which I communicated to 
Dr. Barton, were considerable, in respect to the dis- 
covery of many new and interesting subjects of natural 
history in general. But the knowledge which I thereby 
acquired of the geography, soil, and situation of the 
plants of that country, (points of the greatest interest 
