ON THE PACIFIC COAST 341 



in the middle of April reported the whole country clad with 

 verdure, and the grass in the hollows up to the horses' girths. 



[The following extract from a letter to Mr. 

 Bentham, written a few weeks before finally leaving 

 South America, explains the reasons for his return 

 home, and concludes his correspondence while 

 abroad : ] 



To Mr. George Bentham 



AMOTAPE, NEAR PAYTA, PERU, 

 April 13, 1864. 



During the last twelve months I have experienced 

 some relief from my pains, and life has not been 

 so barely tolerable a burthen as during the three 

 preceding years ; but I see plainly I can never hope 

 to regain my former activity, or indeed be able 

 to undertake any occupation whatever, and I have 

 made up my mind to return to England, my present 

 intention being to embark at Payta for Southampton 

 on the ist of May. . . . 



[The following extract from a letter to Mr. 

 Daniel Hanbury, written from Hurstpierpoint two 

 years after his return to England, gives a curious 

 piece of information as to his friend the late Dr. 

 Jameson of Quito, which is to some extent a vindi- 

 cation of that botanist's character and abilities. 



Referring to Dr. Jameson's Flora of Ecuador, 

 which Spruce says is extremely imperfect, and 

 mostly a translation from other works, with no 

 original descriptions of plants, and whole genera 

 altogether unnoticed, he has the: following remarks 



