INTO THE DUTCH EAST INDIES. 303 



generally acquainted with the specialities of natural and medical science ; 

 in other respects^ conciseness has been necessary to avoid too great 



amplification. 



From the earliest scientific information we know that the inhabitants 

 of South America have done nothing to hinder the unlimited collec- 

 tion, we should almost say robbery, of the Quinquina woods. No one 

 thinks of their cultivation, and the Public Authority seems not to be 

 interested in it^ or is not able to be so : the latter, we should be dis- 

 posed to conclude, when we consider, after Weddell, that the Quinquina 

 district covers an extent of 2000 square miles. 



We notice also that unheard-of quantities are exported; nay, what 

 is more, now and then whole woods are burnt up. It may be unknown 

 to the Peruvians and Bolivians less than to Europeans, that the quan- 

 tity diminishes, and that the trees, which are felled by thousands, are 

 not so speedily succeeded by others, that replace them. Whoever de- 

 scends the Andes, to visit the woods in which the Quinquina grows, 

 finds his way from the sound of the reckless axe of the Cascarilleros, 

 as they mercilessly, in an unexampled manner, hew these beautiful 

 trees. This rough handling is not alone working fatally for the future, 

 but all accounts are unanimous that an incredible quantity of bark is 



lost in the most reckless manner. 



These circumstances h'ave the sad consequence, which De la Conda- 

 mine foresaw as probable, and that all late travellers confirm, namely 

 that there is a visible diminution in the quantity of Quinquina trees. 



Don Antonio de UUoa,* thirty years after De la Condamine, uttered 

 a warning against the destruction of the Quinquina woods, and pro- 

 posed that strong prohibitive measures should be taken against their 

 abuse. This, although very late, sixty-six years after, the Government 

 of Bolivia considered, viz. in January, 1838 ; it issued an order against 

 the exportation of Quinquina wood for five years. 



Pereirat makes the remark, that as these trees are produced but in 

 one quarter of the world, and no care is taken of their cultivation, it 

 is nowise to be wondered at that this bark, in the course of time, 

 should disappear from commerce. 



• Writer of ' Notieias Americanas/ vol. i. 1772, 8vo. See also Hooker's 'Com- 



panion to the Botanical Magazine/ i. 247- . t d ^ ;« •.? a ml ;; 



t ' The Elements of Materia Medina and Therapeutics/ by J. Poreira, ed. 8, vol. u. 



part 2, pp, 1605 et seq, London, 1853, 



