e _Field_ of Feb. 5, 1881, in which it will be
seen that these seeds were obtained at the cost of the life of Manuel,
the naturalist's faithful Indian servant.
"While engaged in my alpaca enterprise of 1856, a Bolivian
Indian, Manuel Tucra Mamami, formerly and afterwards a cinchona
bark-cutter, was accompanying me with two of his sons. He
accompanied me in almost all my frequent journeys into the
interior, and was very useful in examining the large quantities
of cinchona bark and alpaca wool I was constantly purchasing. He
and his sons were very much attached to me, and I placed every
confidence in them. Sitting round our camp-fire one evening, as
was our custom after dinner, conversing on all sorts of topics,
I mentioned what I had read as to Mr. Clement R. Markham's
mission in search of cinchona seeds. Now, Manuel had been with
me in three of my journeys into the cinchona districts of the
Yungas of Bolivia, where I had to go looking after laggard
contractors for delivery of bark. It was while conversing on the
subject of Mr. Markham's journey, and wondering which route he
would take, etc., that Manuel greatly surprised me by saying,
'The gentleman will not leave the Yungas in good health if he
really obtains the _rogo_ plants and seeds.' Manuel was always
very taciturn and reserved. I said nothing at the time, there
being some thirty more of my Indians sitting round the large
fire. The next day he reluctantly told me how every stranger on
entering the Yungas was closely watched unobserved by himself;
how several seed-collectors had their seed changed; how their
germinating power was destroyed by their own guides, servants,
etc. He also showed me how all the Indians most implicitly
believe, if, by plants or seeds from the Yungas, the cinchonas
are successfully propagated in other countries, all their own
trees will perish. Such, I assure you, is their superstition.
Although there are no laws prohibiting the cinchona seed or
plants being taken out of the country, I have seen private
instructions from the prefect in La Paz ordering strictest
vigilance to prevent any person taking seed or plants out of
the country. More than half a dozen times I have had my luggage,
bedding, etc., searched when coming out of the valley of the
Yungas.
"You are aware how I am looked upon as a d
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