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Sept. 16  Yesterday was warm & sultry - nothing of importance occurred 
Today Lt. Hodges returned with his party from Nisqually - I caught with a hook several fine trout of the black spotted  species and a fish resembling a sucker but with a soft hog like snout- 
The day was cloudy with passing showers. The little fish preserved with above is a rare species & never larger than this.

Sept. 17th Busy all day writing letters.

"[[ditto for Sept.]] 18th Day warm & nearly clear-
Obtained  three specimens of Eutainia vagrans which is the only snake seen here- Saw it also on the Wenass-

"[[ditto for: Sept.]] 19th Crossed ^[[insertion]] 8 1/4 m [[/insertion]] to the north side of the valley & encamped in a ravine through which a small branch of the Yakima flows- Noticed nothing new this day.

Sept. 20th Crossed over a high range of hills covered on their upper parts by trees principally Pine & Larch, the latter more abundant than before seen 
Saw several new plants but not in flower now. From the top we could see the range of mountains extending northward nearly to Mt. Baker, one high peak & several smaller ones 

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being covered with snow- the whole forming an impassible barrier toward the Ocean. The northern branch of the Columbia was also visible here and the bordering plains for a long distance. These are entirely bare except on the spurs of the mountains where the Pine grows. Encamped in a ravine on the northern side of this range having travelled  16 1/4 miles-

Sept 21st.  Leaving the camp followed the valley down to where it opened on the Columbia & travelling along it for some miles encamped on the banks of the Wenatchapam R. close to its mouth 
The country is very similar to that hitherto seen on the Plains but the rocks are composed of mica slate & gneiss containing a large amount of quartz. Obtained a snake (Bascanion   ) but differing from those caught on the Atanam in being of a pale green instead of purplish. Noticed the spiny lizards obtained at the commencement of the Plains but did not get any. On the way saw some rocks curiously water worn & one place covered with figures resembling the Indian picturewriting. [[insertion]] 8 [[underlined]] miles [[/underlined]] [[/insertion]]