190 
JOURNAL OF MR. MACNAB. 
sitions during the two last years of his wanderings, must have been 
both extensive and valuable. 
We know nothing of what bounds or countries Mr. D. had fixed on 
to explore ; but it seems he seized an opportunity of visiting some of 
the Sandwich Islands, in the Pacific Ocean, little expecting that from 
these he would never return. Every naturalist has cause to lament 
the death of Mr. 1).; for though his objects were chiefly botanical, yet 
it is quite reasonable to suppose that the kindred branches of natural 
history, viz. geology, zoology, and entomology were not neglected by 
him. 
Whether his collections have been preserved, in what quantity, or 
of what description; and whether his journals are safe, are matters 
which we are all anxious about, but of which nothing positive has 
transpired. We have only to hope that what he has left behind him 
will fall into such hands as are competent to give them publicity, for 
the good and gratification of the living, and to the honour of the 
lamented dead! 
In the last number of the Quarterly Journal of Agriculture there 
appears an extract from the Journal of Mr. James Macnab, of the Royal 
Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, who, with Mr. R. Brown, formerly of 
Perth, undertook a journey in the summer of last year to North Ame¬ 
rica, for the express purpose of witnessing the natural character of the 
different forest trees and shrubs which compose the sylvan scenery of 
Canada and part of the adjacent United States. To professional or 
practical botanists a view of plants in their native habitats is of the 
greatest service. No perfect idea can be formed of trees by those who 
have only seen them confined in pots, arranged in rows in our nurseries, 
or dotted here and there in our parks or pleasure-grounds. To gain 
the necessary knowledge of the effects of a natural forest, of the dis¬ 
tribution of the trees on hill and dale, of their natural localities, group¬ 
ing and various combinations, such things must be seen before they can 
be either described faithfully, or imitated correctly. No doubt the 
young tourists have imbibed a valuable stock of ideas which, if ever 
employed as planters in their native country, they will avail themselves 
of with credit and advantage. 
Our travellers take no notice of the manners and customs of the 
inhabitants. Trees they journeyed to see, and of trees only do they 
speak. “ Proceeding,” say they, “ up the St. Lawrence river and its 
connection with Lake Ontario, scarcely any of the original forests are 
to be seen. They have been cut down on account of their proximity 
to the waters, and the ready communication these afforded for floating 
down the timber to the shipping places. On the different islands 
