FLORA OF FORFARSHIRE. 
227 
cation to his favourite pursuit. The mountains, the inland 
woods, lakes, rivers, dens, and the sea-shore, were alike his 
field of exploration, and, with unwearied assiduity, he sought 
out and made known their floral treasures. He was an 
early riser, and, when botanizing about Auchmithie, he was 
frequently to be seen, scrutinizing with curious eye the caves 
and rocks of that picturesque shore, before the sun’s earliest 
beam was mirrored in the German Ocean ; and no doubt 
these early perambulations, when the mind, fresh from the 
night’s repose, is open to all the sweet influences of Nature, 
tended in no small degree to nurse that enthusiasm which 
afterwards led him to investigate distant shores. The moun- 
tains were peculiarly his delight, and he frequently accom- 
panied parties to those of Clova, whose numerous and beau- 
tiful alpine rarities richly rewarded their exertions. 
Much as he did, however, to promote a knowledge of the 
vegetation of his native country, his fame rests more upon his 
labours in the “ far west.” He was engaged as assistant na- 
turalist to Dr Richardson, in Franklin’s Second Overland 
North American Expedition, and a very interesting account 
of his discoveries in botany and zoology, the nature ol the 
country, and his perilous adventures among the Rocky Moun- 
tains, and on the Columbia River, is given from his own pen, 
in Hooker’s Botanical Miscellany, first series, vol. i. pp. 178 
to 219. The following sketch of an encounter with a grisly 
bear, will give some idea of the danger of his undertaking, 
and furnish a sample of the graphic style in which he de- 
scribes such an occurrence : — 
“ Having crossed the Assinaboyne River, the party halted 
to breakfast, and I went on before them for a few miles, to 
procure specimens of a J ungermannia , which I had previ- 
ously observed in a small rivulet on our track. On this oc- 
casion I had a narrow escape from the jaws of a grisly bear ; 
for, while passing through a small open glade, intent upon 
discovering the moss of which I was in search, I was sur- 
prised by hearing a sudden rush, and then a harsh growl, 
just behind me ; and, on looking round, I beheld a large bear 
approaching towards me, and two young ones making off in 
a contrary direction as fast as possible. My astonishment 
was great, for I had not calculated on seeing these animals 
so early in the season, and this was the first I had met with. 
She halted within two or three yards of me, growling and 
rearing herself on her hind feet, then suddenly wheeled about, 
