144 MR. SPRUCE’S BOTANICAL EXCURSION 
runaway slave along a narrow track in the forest ; the slave, who was 
armed with a musket, ascended a tree, and, as his master passed under- 
neath it, shot him in the forehead with a nail. 
From the causes just stated, I find myself compelled to forego the 
visit to Monte Alegre, on which I had quite set my heart, or at least 
to postpone it until my return down the river. We are now preparing 
to ascend to the Barra do Rio Negro, with a countryman, Mr. Bradley, 
who is settled there. He descended the Amazon to Para with two 
laden vessels about two months ago, and we are in daily expectation of 
his reaching Santarem on his way up. If I miss this opportunity, I 
may have to wait many months for another, as there is rarely any 
direct communication between Santarem and Barra, and few vessels 
ascending from Para call here, on account of their having io undergo 
three or four days of quarantine—a serious sacrifice of time. 
On a separate sheet I have added a few notes respecting the articles 
. Tam sending for your museum, especially as to the use of the Guarana. 
I would gladly have visited the Guarana country, which is six days’ 
journey or more from here, but it would seem to be not very promising 
to a botanist, and the Guarana plant is already perfectly well known. 
Respecting the bow I send you, I may add that the manufacture of 
such a one occupies an Indian ¢hree months ;—not exactly of continuous 
labour; but it must be borne in mind that it is made of the intensely 
hard heart-wood of the Pao d’ Arco, and that his only tool is a shell. 
The wood which he intends to fashion into a bow is first smeared with 
oil, to soften it; he then scrapes it down with his shell as far as the oil 
has penetrated, when he anoints it anew, and betakes himself to the 
chase. Returned from hunting, he again falls to work to scrape his 
bow ; and so on, until it is completed; and no joiner can make one so 
symmetrical, so nicely poised, as these which are made by the Mem- 
drueü and Mauhé Indians. The price of a good bow in Santarem is 
five or six patacas. I send an arrow, such as is used at Santarem for 
killing fish, such as Piraruct, Tucunaré, &c.; the one-barbed head is 
called, in 7ingoa géral, ** tagu-umba.” 
July 26.—Since writing the above, we have been looking out daily 
for Mr. Bradley’s arrival, but hitherto in vain, and we have lately 
learnt that his partner has been dangerously ill of the yellow fever 
in Pará, and that until he regains his strength they cannot set out. 
At the worst we shall have a chance of getting up to the Barra in 
