XVII 
TARAPOTO TO CANELOS 
Spruce found there only two Indians, from whom 
he was able to buy some fowls and other provisions 
to complete what was needful for the long journey 
through the forests. Here all the elaborate pack- 
ing of the baggage by the Indian carriers had to 
be done, and the straps carefully arranged in a 
peculiar manner, so as to be suitable for a route 
where they are liable to be entangled by creepers 
overhead and other difficulties. Then there was 
food for the whole party of sixteen persons to 
be carried by the boys and girls brought by 
the Indians themselves, so that they were not 
ready till late the next day. Then a heavy 
storm came on which caused the actual start to 
be put off till the morning of the 14th, at which 
date the Journal continues the story in the next 
chapter. 
The region described by Spruce in the last three 
chapters is characterised by the presence of the 
singular plant usually called the Vegetable Ivory 
palm, but which is now considered to form a distinct 
natural order intermediate between true palms and 
Cycads. Its very hard albuminous seeds, nearly 
the size of hen's eggs, are contained in compound 
fruits as large as a man's head, which are concealed 
among the leaves close to the ground. These 
seeds are largely exported and used to make buttons, 
umbrella handles, and other small objects. The 
plants occur thinly scattered from the mouth of the 
Napo to Tarapoto and the Forest of Canelos on the 
lower slopes of the mountains up to about 2500 feet, 
and on the river-banks. 
Spruce only once collected ripe fruits, and then 
unfortunately lost them, as he describes in his 
