OF THE AMAZON. 11 



gourd contains oil, which he has extracted from the 

 fruit of another species ; and that long elastic plaited 

 cylinder used for squeezing dry the mandiocca pulp to 

 make his bread, is made of the bark of one of the sin- 

 gular climbing palms, which alone can resist for a con- 

 siderable time the action of the poisonous juice. In 

 each of these cases a species is selected better adapted 

 than the rest for the peculiar purpose to which it is 

 applied, and often having several different uses which 

 no other plant can serve as well, so that some little idea 

 may be formed of how important to the South American 

 Indian must be these noble trees, which supply so many 

 daily wants, giving him his house, his food, and his 

 weapons. 



To the lover of nature Palms offer a constant source 

 of interest, reminding him that he is amidst the luxu- 

 riant vegetation of the tropics, and offering to him the 

 realization of whatever wild and beautiful ideas he has 

 from childhood associated with their name. 



In the equatorial regions of South America they are 

 seldom absent. Either delicate species flourishing in 

 the dense shade of the virgin forest ; or lofty and mas- 

 sive, standing erect on the river's banks ; or on the hill 

 side raising their leafy crowns on airy stems above the 

 surrounding trees, creating, as Humboldt styles it, " a 

 forest above a forest;" in every situation some are to 

 be met with as representatives of the magnificent and 

 regal family to which they belong. 



In the following pages the genera and species are 

 arranged in the order adopted by Dr. Martius in his 

 elaborate work already alluded to. 



