Natural-History Collectors. 3727 



difficulty is the flowers ; as to getting any quantity of different kinds, 

 it would oblige me to alter my plans very much : I should have to 

 hire two good Indians, and go to other expenses, entailing £80 or 

 ,£100 a-year extra expense: but what few I can get en passant, I will 

 send. I have about twenty specimens of medicines, woods and roots 

 now waiting for the flowers. Mr. Hawxwell I hear sells most of his 

 birds to passing travellers, and in Para, perhaps the reason why you 

 have not heard of him in London. I saw some excessively lovely 

 things (I am sure some very rare) which he sold to Lieut. Horndon 

 an American, passing through here from Lima. He gets better prices 

 than in London. I have about fifty specimens of reptiles &c, but not 

 enough to fill a small barrel which I wish to forward them in. 



"As I said, I am ready to proceed on the Tapajos voyage. I in- 

 tend to go for eight months or a year, and in my own vessel, with all 

 things as convenient on board as I can arrange, so as to be able to 

 work, write, and sleep on board. This latter is a great thing in these 

 rivers, where sleeping ashore is almost sure to lead to fever and ague. 

 The glorious river stretches away southward from Santarem, with its 

 high banks, blue hills, and white sandy shores seeming to invite its 

 exploration. Every one from there speaks in raptures of the scenery, 

 and the novelty of the birds and animals, and I consider myself lucky 

 in getting hands to row me up, a matter of great difficulty in the 

 Amazon branch rivers." 



" May 8. — I left the letter unfinished until the last thing, according 

 to custom ; when in the mean time an accident happened to the ves- 

 sel by which it should go, it sprung a leak, and had to be unloaded 

 and caulked. My collection was all ready papered and packed, so I 

 send it, just as it was ready a month ago ; since then, of course, I 

 have collected as usual, and added enough new or rare things perhaps 

 to fill another box, but think it better to wait until the last day before 

 I leave for the Tapajos, so as to send all, and finish with Santarem 

 once and for all. The weather has continued drenching wet, and the 

 river has risen much with a tearing current. Now is near the end of 

 the wet season, and the current will soon slacken. I have a canoe 

 very convenient either to purchase or hire, not yet decided, and two 

 good Indian oarsmen at 9d. a-day, besides their food, and have al- 

 ready made acquaintance here with residents at various places up the 

 river. If I find a good station I shall stop six or eight months at it, 

 sleeping on board if unhealthy. The same men with two others will 



