VII 
AT MANAOS 
209 
forests I cannot find boards to make a packing- 
case ! I brought a large one with me from San- 
tarem, but how I shall get another I cannot tell. 
As I found no difficulty in this matter at Santarem, 
I did not dream of any here, but a sawmill which 
existed here was burnt down two years ago, and 
since then no planks have been prepared at the 
Barra. 
I have just received your letter and the very 
welcome list of my first Santarem collection. I 
have no time to make any remarks upon it, but I 
need hardly say that it is extremely gratifying to 
me to find that it includes so many new species. 
If No. 594 be really the Tecoma toxophora of Martius, 
then was he quite mistaken in supposing it the Pao 
d' Arco of the inhabitants, for it is a low tree with 
soft wood quite unsuitable for the making of bows ; 
the Indians call it Tauari do gapo, Tauan being a 
general name for trees whose bark admits of being 
split into thin layers. There are two Bigno- 
naceous trees called Pao d' Arco, of only one of 
which (148) I have yet seen the flower. 
I have no doubt my Barra collection includes 
more variety and novelty than any previous one, 
but the weather has been wretched for collecting 
and preserving. Since our arrival on December 
10 until this day, only five days have passed 
without rain, and these were all in February. For 
three weeks together I have not once stirred out 
without getting a thorough soaking. I have 
certainly not shrunk from exposing myself, and 
hitherto I have not felt any ill effects from it. 
Two Englishmen came into the Barra a few 
days ago from the Rio Negro, where both had 
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