Untitled - The Alfred Russel Wallace Website

AMAZONIAN VEGETATION 345
Cinchona forest to the west of Chimborazo, for
days, weeks, or even months at a time, and never
makes any mention, on his return, of any injury by
damp, insects, etc., to his plants or his books, he
was evidently sharing a house with some family
(or renting an adjoining house), where he himself
and all his belongings were carefully attended to.
This mystery is now cleared up by a series of letters
to Mr. Daniel Hanbury, enclosing translations of
letters he had received from his old landlord in
Ambato, Manuel Santander, to whom Spruce
promises to write (at Mr. Hanbury's request), with
a commission to obtain, if possible, dried specimens
of the flowers, fruit, and foliage of the "Quito
Cinnamon." The result of Santander's repeated
attempts for over two years was a small quantity
of branches with leaves only, which are now preserved
in the Herbarium of the Pharmaceutical
Society.
On inquiry, I have learnt that no authentic
specimens exist at Kew, and, presumably, there are
none in any other European herbaria, so that the
tree producing this cinnamon-like bark is still
botanically unknown.
Santander's letters show the great and genuine
affection which Spruce had inspired in this excellent
man and his whole family.]
SPRUCE'S ACCOUNT OK SAXTANDKR
{Letter to j\Ir. Daniel H anbury^ Feb. i, 1866)
Santander is a remarkable man, In youth
he was a soldier, and rose to be a captain. He