for the North-West coast before I arrived, and thus deprived, me of the pleasure of seeing an old student of jours. I wrote to him twice, indicating 1 those parts of the country which promise to yield the best harvest to the Naturalist, and particularly requesting his attention to the sea-weeds, but have not heard from him since, nor indeed at any time. I much regret not having seen this gentleman, for I could have told him many things useful for a young man entering this country as a Botanist or traveller to know. However, I explained them all to Dr. Gairdner.
You will probably enquire why I did not address you by the despatch of the ship to Europe last year. I reached the sea- coast greatly broken down, having suffered no ordinary toil, and, on my arrival was soon prostrated by fever. My last letter to you was written from the interior of the Columbia, and bore date about the middle of April, 1833 (last year), just before starting on my northern journey. Therein I mentioned my intention of writing a few lines to you daily, which I did, up to the 13th of June, a most disastrous day for me, on which I lost, what I may call, my all! On that morning, at the Stony Islands of Eraser's River (the Columbia of McKenzie, see the map in his 4to edition), my canoe was dashed to atoms, when I lost every article in my possession, saving an astronomical journal, book of rough notes, charts and barometrical observations, with my instruments. My botanical notes are gone, and, what gives me most concern, my journal of occurrences also, as this is what can never be replaced, even by myself. All the articles needful for pursuing my journey were destroyed, so that my voyage for this season was frustrated. I can not detail to you the labour and anxiety this occasioned me, both in body and mind, to say nothing of the hardships and sufferings I endured. Still I reflect, with pleasure, that no lives were sacrificed. I passed over the cataract and gained the shore in a whirlpool below, not however by swimming, for I was rendered helpless and the waves washed me on the rocks. The collection of plants consisted of about four hundred species two hundred and fifty of these were mosses and a few of them new. This disastrous occurrence has much broken my strength and spirits. The country over which I passed was all mountainous, but most so towards the Western Ocean: still it will, ere long, be inhabited. I have written to Mr. Hay, Under Secretary of State, respecting the boundary line of the Columbia, as the American government is anxious to obtain a footing there. [1]
- ↑ The following are some farther particulars of this disastrous voyage, given to me by Archibald McDonald, Esq., a gentleman in the Hudson Bay Company's service, who visited Scotland, early in the year 1835: "Agreeably to your wish, Sir, I proceed to commit something to paper, connected with our friend Douglas, in case it may assist the design which his friends entertain of laying something before the public, prior to Mr. Douglas' own return to England. It is very little that I can say, beyond what is expressed in his own
