It is my painful duty to inform the Academy of the decease of Robert Kennicott. The meager information received furnishes no particulars, further than that he died suddenly, in the month of May last, at Nulato Bay, in Russian America.
The services rendered to science by Mr. Kennicott are worthy of something more than a passing notice. In the month of May, in the year 1859, we find him starting upon a prolonged exploration of Russian America, under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institute, assisted by the University of Michigan, the Audubon Club of Chicago, and the Academy of Sciences of the same city. This exploration, including also a portion of the territory held by the Hudson’s Bay Company, extended from May, 1859, to the date of his return in October, 1862. From the Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institute we learn that “the route traversed by Mr. Kennicott was from Lake Superior along the Kamenistiquoy River and Rainy and Winnipeg Lakes, up the Saskatchewan River to Cumberland House; thence nearly north to Fort Churchill, on English River, up the latter to Methy portage, at which point he first reached the head waters of the streams flowing into the Arctic ocean; thence along the Clear Water River and Athabasca Lake, down Peace River into Great Slave Lake, and along the Mackenzie River to Fort Simpson. At this place Mr. Kennicott spent a part of the first winter, making excursions up the Liard River to Fort Liard in autumn, and again on snowshoes in January. Before the close of the same winter he went up the Mackenzie to Big Island, and thence northwest to Fort Rae, near the site of old Fort Providence. From this point he traveled on the ice across Great Slave Lake to Fort Resolution, at the mouth of Peace River, where he spent the summer of 1860. He next descended the Mackenzie to Peel’s River, and thence proceeded westward across the Rocky Mountains and down the Porcupine River to the Youkon, in the vicinity of which he spent the winter of 1860-61 and the summer of the latter year. The winter of 1861-2 was spent at Peel’s River and LaPierre’s house in the Rocky Mountains, and in traveling from this point to Fort Simpson and back to Fort Good Hope, on the Mackenzie. He left the last mentioned place on the first of June, 1862, and reached home in October. This enterprise terminated favorably, the explorer having returned richly laden with specimens, after making a series of observations on the physical geography, ethnology, and the habits of animals of the regions visited, furnishing materials of great interest to science.”
Aside from the extensive collections in every department of natural history, the geographical information acquired by Mr. Kennicott was of the greatest importance.
In 1865, the Western Union Telegraph Company having determined to extend their wires so as to connect the old world and the new by an overland line passing through Russian America across Behring’s Sea to Russia in Asia, and thence to the central cities of Europe, Mr. Kennicott’s knowledge of the territory through which the proposed line was to pass made his services indispensable to the Company. He was sought out, and his cooperation at once secured. He entered upon this new labor, hoping not only to do whatever lay in his power to make this enterprise a success, but hoping also still further to serve the great cause that was so dear to him; and while thus engaged in the enthusiastic performance of this self-imposed duty, in the prime of life, he has passed away.
Dr. Gibbons made some remarks on the relations of our climate to that of the Great Basin, and the Eastern States.
He also made some observations on Zirphea crispata, living in the bay near Alameda.
Regular Meeting, November 5th, 1866.
President in the chair.
Fourteen members present.