68 MR. SPRUCE'S BOTANICAL EXCURSION 
latter I made an interesting collection, including several climbing 
species, some very minute Hymenophyllee, besides a good number 
of Adianta, &c. The palms at Tanaü are a different set from 
those at Caripi: they include Jriartea exorrhiza, Euterpe edulis, 
Mauritia armata, Enocarpus Bacaba, and three or four small palms, 
among which Hyospathe elegans is the most conspicuous, and some others. 
At Caripi, the magnificent Muritis (Mauritia vinifera and flexuosa), 
together with Mazimiliana regia, are the most abundant. The Muritis 
are laden with fruit all the year round, whilst most other palms seem to 
fruit in the rainy season only. At both Caripi and Tanaii the genera 
Desmoncus and Bactris are far too frequent in the thickets to render 
the traversing of them an agreeable or easy matter. Perhaps in no 
part of the world are palms seen in greater perfection than in equatorial 
America. Throughout the year this climate knows no wind sufficiently 
fierce to tear their fronds, and thus rob them of that exact symmetry 
which constitutes their greatest beauty. I have seen nothing more 
striking than a grove of Muritis, on the white beach at Caripi, viewed 
by moonlight, each palm equalling or exceeding 100 feet in height. 
They recalled the lofty pillars and “high embowered roofs” of the 
ecclesiastical edifices of my native land. 
The preparation for the voyage to Santarem is like furnishing a house. 
I have had to buy kettles, pans, plates, &c. &e., besides a good stock 
of provisions for the journey, such as rice, dried fish, &e. We are 
fortunate in meeting with a fine large brig, belonging to Captain 
Hislop of Santarem, in which to make the voyage ; and we are now in 
the best season of the year for ascending the river. The rains, how- 
ever, for nearly three weeks past, have been tremendous, exceeding 
anything witnessed in the last rainy season, and such as no one here 
recollects in the dry season of any year. I am rather glad of them, 
as they prevent vegetation from being burnt up. The Messrs. Wallace 
started for Santarem before we went to Caripi ;—1 have just heard from 
them: they were twenty-eight days on the voyage, the last week of 
which was a perfect martyrdom, from the mosquitoes, which allowed 
them no rest night or day. This is an awful expenditure of time, 
during which it is impossible to add to one’s collection. The captain 
of our vessel does not expect to land all the way up. 
The voyage to Santarem costs upwards of £10. Mr. Campbell's 
kind hospitality (for we were living entirely at his expense at Caripi 
