BIOGRAPHY 
xxxvii 
About this time Spruce had instructed his former landlord at 
Ambato, Manuel Santander, how to collect orchids and butter- 
flies for Mr. James Backhouse of York. These collections were 
not very successful, and when they came to an end he received 
the following characteristic letter, which, as it gives a few facts 
about Banos which Spruce himself had omitted to state, and also 
in its concluding paragraph shows what an impression Spruce 
had made on these kind-hearted people, I will give here. Other 
letters equally enthusiastic are given in Chap. XXIII. of the 
present work. 
Extracts from Letter from Manuel Santander^ September 1870 
" On the T 3th we went to the village of Banos to inquire for 
the guide Juan. . . . We went to see the hot springs, which are 
truly prodigies of nature, seeing that at only 1 2 feet from them is 
a well of the coldest water. The proximity of the steaming springs 
made us perspire abundantly, and it is impossible to bear one's 
hand in them. 
" All yoilr old friends salute you and are well. Don Pedro 
Mantilla tells you that we have now a coach road to go and eat 
pears and peaches at Lligna, and I say to you — ' Come to your 
Ambato to lay your bones along with ours.' There is now a 
coach road from Quito all the way to Riobamba. The coach 
comes from Quito in one day, and you might now travel with- 
out agitating yourself much. Oh if we had you at our side we 
should be happy ! " 
When Lindberg, the Swedish botanist, was about to visit him. 
Spruce writes to Mr. Stabler : 
''''July I, 1872. — I shall be very glad indeed that you come 
whilst Lindberg is here, for I am still in such indifferent health 
that, without your aid and Mr. Slater's, I fear I shall be able to 
entertain him very poorly indeed." 
On the 4th inst. I was agreeably surprised by a visit from 
three Bryologists, Messrs Slater, Anderson, and Braithwaite. I 
have also lately had other botanists here, especially Inchbald and 
Giles Munby — the latter resided fifteen years in North Africa and 
has written a Flora of Algeria. I knew him in York nearly thirty 
years ago." 
In March 1873 writes to the same friend: "I have only 
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