xvn TARAPOTO TO CANELOS 131 



Spruce found there only two Indians, from whom 

 he was able to buy some fowls and other provisions 

 to complete what was needful for the long journey 

 through the forests. Here all the elaborate pack- 

 ing of the baggage by the Indian carriers had to 

 be done, and the straps carefully arranged in a 

 peculiar manner, so as to be suitable for a route 

 where they are liable to be entangled by creepers 

 overhead and other difficulties. Then there was 

 food for the whole party of sixteen persons to 

 be carried by the boys and girls brought by 

 the Indians themselves, so that they were not 

 ready till late the next day. Then a heavy 

 storm came on which caused the actual start to 

 be put off till the morning of the i4th, at which 

 date the Journal continues the story in the next 

 chapter. 



The region described by Spruce in the last three 

 chapters is characterised by the presence of the 

 singular plant usually called the Vegetable Ivory 

 palm, but which is now considered to form a distinct 

 natural order intermediate between true palms and 

 Cycads. Its very hard albuminous seeds, nearly 

 the size of hen's eggs, are contained in compound 

 fruits as large as a man's head, which are concealed 

 among the leaves close to the ground. These 

 seeds are largely exported and used to make buttons, 

 umbrella handles, and other small objects. The 

 plants occur thinly scattered from the mouth of the 

 Napo to Tarapoto and the Forest of Canelos on the 

 lower slopes of the mountains up to about 2500 feet, 

 and on the river-banks. 



Spruce only once collected ripe fruits, and then 

 unfortunately lost them, as he describes in his 



