2oS NOTES OF A BOTANIST 



species that yet remain to be discovered in the 

 great Amazonian forest, from the cataracts of the 

 Orinoco to the mountains of Matto Grosso ; taking 

 the fact that by moving away a degree of latitude 

 or longitude I found about half the plants different 

 as a basis, and considering what very narrow strips 

 have up to this day been actually explored, and 

 that often very inadequately, by Humboldt, Martius, 

 myself, and others, there should still remain some 

 50,000 or even 80,000 species undiscovered. To 

 any one but me and yourself this estimation will 

 appear most extravagant, for even Martius (if I recol- 

 lect rightly) emits an opinion that the forests of 

 the Amazon contain but few species. But allowing 

 even a greater repetition of species than I have 

 ever encountered, there cannot remain less than 

 at least half of the above number of species yet to 

 be discovered. 



At the highest point I reached on the Uaupes, 

 the Jaguarate caxoeira, I spent about a fortnight, 

 in the midst of heavy rains, when (according to my 

 constant experience) very few forest trees open 

 their flowers. But when the time came for my 

 return to Panure (for I had to give up the boat 

 and Indians by a certain day) the weather cleared 

 up, and as we shot down among the rocks which 

 there obstruct the course of the river, on a sunny 

 morning, I well recollect how the banks of the river 

 had become clad with flowers, as it were by some 

 sudden magic, and how I said to myself, as I scanned 

 the lofty trees with wistful and disappointed eyes, 

 " There goes a new Dipteryx there goes a new 

 Oualea there goes a new 'the Lord knows 



yw O 



what ' ! " until I could no longer bear the sight, and 



