
          Now it is the scientific interest which
 attaches to this matter, & not only my desire to
 sustain my own testimony, which leads me to
 take steps to fortify my statements. I never did
 announce [added : this as] a discovery of my own. I only professed to 
 announce what was well known at the [west?], & to those
 who lived on the prairies.

 Before seeing Dr. Gray's work I addressed letters
 to officers who accompanied Genl [General] Kearny's expeditions
 to New Mexico & California to learn how far west
 they had seen the polar plant, & also  incidentally asked
 their testimony as to the fact of its polarity.

 Surgeon DeCamp writes me from Carlisle Pa [Pennsylvania] March 20 1849.
 After saying that he only found it as far west as the rich
 prairies which extend some 300 miles from State of Michigan
 he adds, "I have been well acquainted with the peculiarities
 of the polar plant for nearly thirty two years and am perfectly
 satisfied that which the plant is healthy and of a vigorous growth
 the edges of the leaves point northerly and southerly with sufficient
 accuracy to be of great service to the bewildered 
 traveller."

 Br. [Brigadier?] Major Henry S. Turner then of 1st Dragoons writes from St. Louis
 22nd April 1849 that he saw the plant neither in California
 nor New Mexico nor west of the rich prairies (thus confirming the
 testimony of Dr. DeCamp) and adds  "With respect to [crossed out : the] its
 property of polarity or pointing north and south, my attention
 was first drawn to it fourteen years ago by Major Nathan
 Boone of the 1st Dragoons, perhaps the oldest, the albest and the most 
 experienced pioneer of the west. In all my subsequent
        