LONDON, AND VOYAGE TO SINGAPORE 321 



tions to determine the true positions of his farthest point. 

 (The Geographical Journal, July, 1905, p. 89.) 



It seems probable, therefore, that the upper course of this 

 great river for a distance of two or three hundred miles 

 is quite unknown. But this is only one indication of the 

 enormous area of country in the central plains of South 

 America, which, except the banks of a few of the larger 

 rivers, is occupied only by widely scattered tribes of Indians, 

 and is as absolutely unknown to civilized man as any por- 

 tion of the globe. From the Meta river on the north, to the 

 Juambari and Beni rivers on the south, a distance of about 

 twelve hundred miles, and to an equal average distance from 

 the lower slopes of the Andes eastward, is one vast, nearly 

 level, tropical forest, only known or utilized for a few miles 

 from the banks of comparatively few of the rivers that every- 

 where permeate it. It is to be hoped that in the not remote 

 future this grand and luxuriant country will be utilized, not 

 for the creation of wealth for speculators, but to provide happy 

 homes for millions of families. 



As my collections had now made my name well known to 

 the authorities of the Zoological and Entomological Societies, 

 I received a ticket from the former, giving me admission to 

 their gardens while I remained in England, and I was a wel- 

 come visitor at the scientific meetings of both societies, which 

 I attended very regularly, and thus made the acquaintance 

 of most of the London zoologists and entomologists. I also 

 went frequently to examine the insect and bird collections 

 in the British Museum (then in Great Russell Street), and 

 also to the Linnsean Society, and to the Kew Herbarium to 

 consult works on botany, in order to name my palms. 



After discussing the matter with some of my friends, I 

 determined to publish, at my own expense, a small popular 

 volume on the " Palms of the Amazon and Rio Negro," with 

 an account of their uses and distribution, and figures of all 

 the species from my sketches and specimens of fruits. I ar- 

 ranged with Mr. Walter Fitch of Kew, the first botanical 

 artist of the day, to draw them on stone, adding a few 



