XXII 
ON THE PACIFIC COAST 
341 
in the middle of April reported the whole country clad with 
verdure, and the grass in the hollows up to the horses' girths. 
[The following extract from a letter to Mr. 
Bentham, written a few weeks before finally leaving 
South America, explains the reasons for his return 
home, and concludes his correspondence while 
abroad : — ] 
To Mr. George Bentham 
Amotape, near Payta, Peru, 
April 13, 1864. 
During the last twelve months I have experienced 
some relief from my pains, and life has not been 
so barely tolerable a burthen as during the three 
preceding years ; but I see plainly I can never hope 
to regain my former activity, or indeed be able 
to undertake any occupation whatever, and I have 
made up my mind to return to England, my present 
intention being to embark at Payta for Southampton 
on the I St of May. . . . 
[The following extract from a letter to Mr. 
Daniel Hanbury, written from Hurstpierpoint two 
years after his return to England, gives a curious 
piece of information as to his friend the late Dr. 
Jameson of Quito, which is to some extent a vindi- 
cation of that botanist's character and abilities. 
Referring to Dr. Jameson's Flora of Ecuador, 
which Spruce says is extremely imperfect, and 
mostly a translation from other works, with no 
original descriptions of plants, and whole genera 
altogether unnoticed, he has the following remarks 
