CHAPTER XVI 



EXPLORATION OF THE EASTERN ANDES OF PERU : 

 RESIDENCE AT TARAPOTO 



( June 22, 1855,^ March 22, 1857) 



[DURING the period comprised in this chapter 

 Spruce appears to have kept no regular Journal, 

 and though there are many scattered notes referring 

 to his various excursions, they are so imperfect, and 

 sometimes so condensed and enigmatical, that I 

 was at first in despair as to how I should find 

 materials for an account of what was, to himself, 

 one of the most enjoyable and interesting portions 

 of his travels, as well as one of the best districts for 

 a botanical collector which he met with during his 

 fourteen years' residence in the equatorial regions of 

 South America. 



Fortunately, his letters to Mr. Bentham and 

 to his friend Mr. Teasdale were so full as, to some 

 extent, to supply the place of Journals, while one 

 of his most interesting botanical excursions was 

 described in some detail in an article he contributed 

 to the short-lived periodical the 

 Magazine of July 1^73. With these materials, 

 and by making use of some of the descripti 1 

 mentioned above, and greatly assistec 



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