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16 Cath-la-pootle River to Aug 2nd Left the Prairie at 9 1/2 A.M. and proceeded northeasterly for about 4 miles when we again struck the Cathlapootle river higher up than yesterdays crossing. Here we halted for an hour & then following up its banks for a mile crossed it & camped on the east side in a grove of young spruce trees the ground being covered with Uva-Ursi, a shrub called Manzinita in Cala'- and small poplars. Before leaving camp I caught the six snakes described in the Index all being together in a bush. They seem to be of two species & each varies somewhat from age &c The first species same as I obtained at Vancouver, the other new to me After encamping Capt. McC. caught some trout with the artificial fly one of which is preserved in alcohol. It is the only species I have seen here & attains a length of 18 inches. The young appear to differ in having black bars on the sides & red fins. The soil traversed to day was a loose volcanic formation of sand & gravel with boulders of small size covering the river bank & bottom, consisting of porphyritic sandstone & quartz - Travelled 6 1/2 miles - [[end page]] [[start page]] 17 [[underlined]] Aug 3d [[/underlined]] Today made 8 miles, through a region mostly burnt over recently & with a young growth of trees covering it- Encamped after crossing the rivers again on a small level surface about 20 ft above the river, similar in character to that passed over yesterday, Collected nothing today Noticed a species of Sorbus in fruit, the berries being orange color and larger than those growing in the Eastern states. It is not mentioned in Fl. of N.A. as native here [[underlined]] Aug 4th [[/underlined]] Still continued along the course of the Cathlapootle in a direction about Northeast- Passed over a bed of porous lava cracked & raised in various directions, but could not see its source. It appeared to be comparatively recent, not supporting any old vegetation & being but little decayed, though of a soft material- Obtained three young flying squirrels (preserved in alcohol) The mother was shot with a pistol ball, so badly torn as to be spoiled for preservation. It was much larger than the P. volucella & dark brown-Obtained also two lizards & a Grouse (Tetrao obscurus) the first I have seen (6 1/2 miles
