VOYAGE ON THE AMAZON. 207 
tribes, who waged war among each other, and whose language was di- 
versified by various dialects. In consequence, the names of plants in 
the old accounts appear under manifold dialectic differences; which is 
the case, even at the present day, with regard to the language of that 
enigmatically dispersed nation of the Tupis*, the so-called Lingoa 
Geral, varying in many forms from the Guaranis, in the former Reduc- 
tions of the Jesuits in Paraguay, to the half-civilized coast-Indians in the 
northern provinces. This circumstance renders all inquiries into the 
Indian nomenclature of plants difficult; but I believe I am warranted 
in assuming, that by a cautious critical analysis of those dispersed 
remnants of languages, many not unimportant facts relating to ethno- 
graphy and phytology may be developed. 
This same Tupis language prevailed likewise in the regions to the 
north of Ceará, namely at Maranhão; a circumstance to be mentioned 
in this place, because another still older writer must be named, who has 
left us some accounts of plants not to be neglected in reference to those 
inquiries; namely Claude Abbeville. He accompanied the French ex- 
pedition from Bavaditre and Rasilly, which had settled on the island 
of Maranhão from 1611 to 1615, and founded there the town of S. Luiz. 
Here too we meet with several not unimportant notices, especially of 
the useful plants of that place. 
For the sake of convenient reference it will be proper to treat of the 
plants in this Commentary according to their natural families. We 
shall accordingly commence with Cryptogames. 
(Zo be continued.) 
Journal of a Voyage up the Amazon and Rio Necro; by Ricuarp 
SPRUCE, Esa. 
(Continued from p. 192.) 
Towards the end of January I crossed to the south side of the Rio 
Negro, to visit a campo on which Senhor Henrique many years ago 
established a cattle-fazenda. He had at various times gone to consi- 
derable expense in procuring cattle from the Rio Branco, but from 
various causes they have never prospered. The grasses on the campo | 
* Compare Martius’s State of Judicature among the Aborigines of Brazil, Ap- 
pendix, pp. 1-5. i 
