POEPPIG’S JOURNEY. 881 
understood that I was inured by long custom and seasoned 
to every hardship, that I spoke rather fluently the language 
of the Incas, —and yet, I almost abandoned the task ! Amidst 
savages and millions of mosquitoes— widely separated from 
any civilized being—quite solitary—the only European in an 
immense province—without shoes and without clothes—often 
without a monkey to dine upon—unkindly treated by petty 
authorities, though protected by the far distant government 
of Lima—once even a kind of prisoner for the space of three 
months—under all these privations and dangers, thank God, 
I did not flag; but my resolution rising in proportion as my 
difficulties increased, I even lived in the thickest wilderness 
of Maynas nearly eighteen months, working day and night, 
though friendless and quite limited to my own personal 
resources, whether as regarded my body or mind. The 
whole cost for five years to the Society which sent me out, 
only amounted to 4500 German dollars, which have been 
refunded to them by collections on which they have them- 
selves fixed the value, so that not a groat remains unpaid, 
and they had besides a profit of 10 per cent. allowed. Never- 
theless an immense botanical collection was left to me, (5500 
species, exclusive of the lower Cryptogamic Orders,) and so 
many well-prepared animals that I have been enabled to 
make liberal presents to our public collections. The Society 
received 1750 species of plants, 10 samples of each 17,500; 
besides many hundred birds and quadrupeds. A great 
number of Chilian plants have been diffused upon the con- 
tinent, that were originally reared from my seeds—as Francoa, 
which may be seen growing in the gardens and church-yards 
of our most secluded villages— Tetilla, Nassauvia, Paya, 
and several species of Escallonia. The only specimens of 
Araucaria Chilensis (excelsa), which exist on the continent, 
(Ithink you do not possess that king of trees?) are now 
here, raised from seeds which I gathered in the wild country 
of the Pchuenches, among a thousand dangers. Six of these 
have survived the perils of their early growth, and are nearly 
two feet high, while forty or more have successively died. 
