CHAPTER XII 
IN Humboldt's country : voyage up the casi- 
QUIARI TO ESMERALDA ON THE ORINOCO, AND 
UP THE RIVERS CUNUCUNUMA AND PACIMONI 
{Nov. 27, 1853, to Feb. 28, 1854) 
Introductory Note by the Editor 
[The Journal of this expedition is unusually full, 
and Spruce himself had always looked forward to 
it as one of the most interesting portions of his 
travels. In the first place, it traversed a large 
extent of ground visited by the early botanical 
travellers, Humboldt and Bonpland, and partially 
by Schomburgk ; and in the second, because Spruce 
ascended, as far as conditions permitted, two rivers 
never before explored by a European traveller, and 
became acquainted with some little known and 
interesting tribes of Indians. I have therefore felt 
bound to present this Journal to the public almost 
in its entirety, only omitting such ordinary details 
of travel as are of no special significance, while I 
retain all that may serve to illustrate the difficulties 
and dangers of travel in this little known region, 
which is, I believe, to this day in almost exactly 
the same condition as that in which he found it. I 
have inserted in its proper place a vivid description 
of Esmeralda (given by Spruce in a letter to his 
VOL. I 385 2 C 
