18 
interrupted by the revolutionary disturb- 
ances at Huananga and Canamarca, as 
well as by the country between it and 
Lima being for some time after infested 
by a band of miscreants, one hundred and 
twenty in number, who had recently broken 
loose from the island of San Lorenzo, and, 
for a time, almost kept the capital in a 
state of siege. At length, in November 
of that year, Mr. Mathews reached Casapi, 
on the banks of the river Huallaga, which M 
empties itself into the Amazon, and situat- 
ed in the Quebrada of Chinchao, in the 
Montana of Huanuco, where he gathered 
(between the time of his arrival and the 
16th of March, 1835) three hundred and 
fifty species of plants, exclusive of Mosses, 
and where other kinds were then daily 
coming into flower. Cuchero, about six 
or eight miles distant, was for some time 
the head quarters of the celebrated botan- 
ist and traveller, Dr. Poeppig (the first 
volume of whose travels has just ap- 
peared); so that this collection may be 
expected to include many of the discove- 
ries of that gentleman. So damp, how- 
ever, was the climate, at that season, that 
Mr. Mathews was obliged to send his col- 
lections, which were very considerable, 
as quickly as possible to Lima, which 
place they.reached in a very excellent 
state. The Orchidee, he describes as nu- 
merous and beautiful; and of these, being 
furnished with an excellent microscope of 
Banks, he has made numerous drawings; 
very wisely reflecting, that in the recent 
state alone they may be satisfactorily 
On the 17th of April, 1834, our tra- 
plants in Poyuza, and the ravine of Chinchan, the 
works of Linnzus, Murray, Plumier, Jacquin, and 
other botanists, the presses, field-tents, drying-pa- 
per, provisions for two months, with many pieces of 
plate. He would, probably, himself have perished, 
his e ess to save the fruits of his labors, had 
of 
Hippolitos Ruiz Lopez, translated from the Spanish by 
A. B. Lambert, Esq. On an after-occasion, however, 
BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
veller left Casapi, and after four days' 
travelling, reached Juana del Rio, opposite 
the river Monson, passing on foot through 
dense forests, scrambling among rocks by 
the side of the river, with scarcely a 
vestige of a road (and, even this route is 
rendered impassible when the river is 
swollen); continuing down the river, in à 
canoe, he arrived at Juan Guerra, the port 
of Ree near the junction of the Rio 
yo with the Huallaga, on the 
llth of May, after devoting a day to each 
of the Pueblas (where the Indians of the 
canoe were changed,) for the purpose of 
collecting plants. The scenery on the 
banks he states to be peculiarly magnifi- 
cent; but the stream is not so easy of 
navigation as it has been described; so that 
it seems doubtful, if, as has been sug- 
gested, it could be navigated by steam- 
boats, even of a small class. The Indians, 
who are extremely dexterous in the t ma- 
nagement of their canoes, are ex 
much risk, particularly in the descent, Ped 
the course is continually interrupted by 
rapids and malpasos. On both sides of 
the river is a continued succession of im- 
mense hills, (so that no where does the 
Cordillera come into view,) and in many 
places approaching so close to the water 
as to present almost perpendicular preci- 
pices many hundred feet in height, clothed 
with timber. Where these hills recede 
small plains are formed, when the river 
takes a serpentine course, forming numer- 
ous shallow branches with large islands, 
covered with the trunks of immense trees 
and mud, d are continually altering 
the channel. principal trees on these 
flats are a species of Cecropia, and a strong 
cane, called, ** Canna brava ;” while, in 
places, when the surface becomes more 
elevated, these give place to Palms, and 
other lofty trees; but still it is some dis- 
tance from the river, where they attain 
their greatest elevation. 
In his letter, dated “ Myobamba, (lat. 
7° S.) Province of f Minas, 30th June, 
1834,” he says, “ The rivers here abound 
with fish, and the woods with birds, and 
other animals. In my way from Tara- ` 
