70 MR. SPRUCE'S BOTANICAL EXCURSION 
Santarem is the largest town on the Amazon, and there is constant 
communication between it and Parà; hence I have been induced to 
make it my head-quarters. Mont’ Alegre, my proposed botanizing- 
ground, is at a short distance up an igaripé, on the opposite shore 
of the Amazon; and no vessels ever touch there. 
At Santarem I will religiously perform Dr. Von Martius's commission, 
relative to the crucifix,* &c. 
Since I began this letter, the President of the province has had the 
kindness to send me nine letters, addressed to the military command- 
ants at various places I propose visiting. For this and other civilities 
I am indebted to Lord Palmerston's letter to our consul. 
The only drawback I feel from the pleasure of proceeding to explore 
new ground, is, that I go with a poor stock of health, I did not 
mention that I had an attack of fever (called here a Constipacoen, and 
much dreaded by the people) at Tanaii, which held me a week, and 
the effects of which I have not yet shaken off. It was caught by 
being a whole day with wet feet in a palm-swamp. There is no getting 
plants here without exposing one’s self to wettings of every kind, and 
without being almost devoured by insects. You can scarcely imagine 
how much I long to be among hills. If I am successful, I shall be in 
no hurry to descend the river again. When I do return to Para, I 
propose spending three or four months among things I am now obliged 
to leave ; andif there are any ferns, &c.,in my dried collection you 
desire to have alive at Kew, I will procure them.T 
RICHARD SPRUCE.. 
Many of the vegetable curiosities above mentioned are so interesting 
that we subjoin a list of them, as forming a part of the Kew Museum :— 
No. 1. Mauritia flexuosa, Linn. (Muriti, Bras.) (Portion of lower 
* This, we believe, alludes to a request made by Von Martius, that a memento 
should be placed by Mr. Spruce where that distinguished naturalist had a miraculous 
escape from some very imminent danger.—Ep. 
- + We may here take leave to mention, that Mr. Bentham has already inspected 
this collection, which is about to be distributed at the price of £2 per hundred 
species (all expenses included), and he pronounces the plants to be well selected and 
in beautiful condition,—many very good things, with several new ones. This gentle- 
man has already named the Leguminose, among which is the rare Sommeringia. 
There are also beautiful specimens of a fine Pachira, of several fine Rutace@ (or 
allied mo" and some very curious-looking small plants, which have not yet been 
examined. 
