David Douglas

It was on this day in 1830 that David Douglas finally arrived at the Columbia River.
 
He had departed from England on October 31st, 1829 after visiting his mom.  Before he got on the boat, he wanted to make sure that he got his hands on a Bible with large enough font for him to be able to read it as his vision was feeling him
 
Douglas was excited to go on this trip. He wanted to get to the interior of California to discover the botanical treasures there.
 
But apparently, plant exploration was taking a toll on Douglas. He ran into someone at Fort Vancouver who thought he was 48 years old; he was 30.
 
Despite his physical challenges, Douglas was eager to get going. When he reached Columbia, he immediately thought about botanizing in the area.
 
In just a few weeks, he was able to send home three chests of seeds and plants. In a letter to Prof. Hooker, he wrote:
 
"You will begin to think that I manufacture pines at my pleasure.”
 
One of the pines Douglas sent back was the Pinus Nobilis. It commanded a hefty price tag at the time– 15 to 20 guineas per plant.