3H 
NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
CHAP. 
1862. 
Aug. 20- Reached Guayaquil this morning. From this date 
Dec. 31. to the end of the year at Guayaquil trying to 
redeem some of my lost property. 
1863. 
Jan. I. At II A.M. embarked on board the steamer for Peru. 
„ 3. Reached Payta at 9 a.m. Hired mules, and at 6 p.m. 
started to cross the desert by night. 
4. Reached Piura (48 miles) at 10 a.m. 
Feb.- From this date I remained at Piura until the loth of 
March- October. When, in consequence of rains in the 
April- Andes, the dried-up bed of the river became over- 
May- flowed (March 14) and ran with a considerable 
June-July- stream to the sea for a few months, a scanty 
August- vegetation appeared on its banks, of which I 
September. secured specimens. 
Oct. 10. Travelled from Piura back to Payta. 
,, 23. From Payta to Amotape on the river Chira. 
,, 24- From this date until the end of the year on the river 
Nov.- Chira; until December 22 at the village of 
Dec. 22. Amotape, afterwards at Monte Abierto, higher 
up the valley. 
1864. 
Jan. 26- This day returned to Amotape. 
February- Remained there through the following months until 
March- April 20, then journeyed to Payta by way of 
April 20. Golan. 
„ 30. Rest of month at Payta. 
May T. Embarked for England on board the Pacific mail- 
steamer. 
,, 5. Reached Panama, 6 p.m. 
6. Across the Isthmus. 
,, 7. Sailed. 
„ 28. This morning landed at Southampton, after an 
absence from England of 15 years all but 10 days. 
To Mr. George Bentham 
Daule, near Guayaquil, March 9, 1861. 
My mode of working is this. When I bring 
home freshly -gathered plants, I make notes on 
them in books prepared for the purpose, and add 
numbers. If any plant seems strange to me, I 
keep flowers, etc., in water to await a spare interval 
