4 
Botanical Reminiscences. 
The joy of our own Indians very soon changed into the 
greatest ilthumor, their hope to participate in the festivities 
being frustrated, because the beverage had been all drank to 
the last drop- — and yet it seemed that the immense trough 
had held at least more than a hundred gallons. 
Bixa Orellana^ Lin., Crescentia Cujete, Lin,, luxuriated round 
the village. From the seeds of the first, which are covered 
with an orange red waxen pulp or pellicle, and which is 
separated by washing, the Indians prepare the red color 
known as arnotto, for painting their bodies; and from the great 
gourd-like fruit of the latter they prepare their calabashes, or 
drinking vessels. Numberless trumpet trees, Cecropia p)eUata^ 
Lin., with their smooth, grayish- white stems and large peltate 
leaves, formed an interesting contrast to the dark green back- 
ground. The branches of the Cecropia^ which grow at right 
angles from the stem, give the tree a peculiar appearance. 
Proceeding on our journey at daybreak, the whole village 
was in motion ; and scarcely had we left our hammocks when 
the chieftain, with his whole harem, appeared to wish us a 
Gfood morning — and Oh, wonder ! he had changed his 
great coat for a modern dress coat, pressed over his naked 
body, while his wives appeared in a state of nudity. What 
is the pride of a perfectly elegant swell of our saloons in com- 
parison with the feelings of imposing dignity which filled the 
breast of this chieftain. Every look, every move of his dark 
face, every motion of his body bespoke the highest satisfac- 
tion of his vanity and of his proud consciousness. To make 
the already happy chief happier yet, we supplied his ward- 
robe with some additions which were still wanted. Not to see 
his harem against the laws of gallantry neglected altogether, 
we presented the fair ones with some strings of glass beads. 
Curious to see the fair disturber of peace yesterday we 
asked our host to introduce us to her. He pointed out the 
oldest of his wives, who was even seen now concealing her- 
self behind the younger ones. 
After sunrise we left Ilonobo and returned to the Barima. 
The further we proceeded up the river the more it lost its 
character of a coast river. The Bhizophora^ Avicennia, and 
Conocarpus disappeared, and their places were taken by 
representative of the orders of Leguminosae, Bubiaceae, and 
Laurineae. The banks were covered with underwood which 
often covered the surface of the water near them v/ith its 
luxuriant branches. In this magnificent carpet of vegetation 
