The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle · Chapter
III: The Red Man’s Science explained
Long Arrow returns to the Doctor's palace in Popsipetel, bringing his extensive collection of plants and natural remedies from the Andes.
What happens
Long Arrow returns to the Doctor's palace in Popsipetel, bringing his extensive collection of plants and natural remedies from the Andes. The Doctor and his companions examine the treasures, which include laughing-beans, a dancing root, sleeping-honey, and many other medicinal items. Bumpo accidentally eats too many laughing-beans and nearly dies of laughter. The Doctor marvels at Long Arrow's discoveries, recognizing their potential to revolutionize medicine, but laments the difficulty of transporting them to England.
Themes in this chapter
Adventure and Exploration
Long Arrow's return from Brazil with a hidden collection of plants from the Andes highlights the spirit of exploration and discovery.
Education and Curiosity
Tommy's growing fascination with botany and the Doctor's detailed study of Long Arrow's specimens emphasize the value of learning and scientific curiosity.
Cultural Exchange and Understanding
Long Arrow shares indigenous knowledge of plants and remedies, bridging his culture's science with the Doctor's Western medicine.
Characters to notice
- Doctor Dolittle
Overjoyed at Long Arrow's return, he examines the plant collection with great interest and recognizes its scientific value.
- Long Arrow
Returns from Brazil with his hidden collection of plants, explaining their properties to the Doctor and his friends.
- Bumpo Kahbooboo
Eats three laughing-beans and suffers extreme laughter, nearly dying, but recovers by morning.
- Tommy Stubbins
Initially uninterested in botany, he becomes fascinated by Long Arrow's collection and its wonders.
Key passages
“Long Arrow has discovered a pharmacopoeia of his own. Miranda was right: he is a great naturalist. His name deserves to be placed beside Linnaeus.”
Long Arrow has created his own collection of medicinal plants, and Miranda was correct in calling him a great naturalist; his work is comparable to that of Linnaeus.
The Doctor praises Long Arrow's botanical discoveries, comparing him to the famous Swedish botanist.
“These treasures represent the labors of my life.”
This collection is the result of my life's work.
Long Arrow presents his plant collection as the culmination of his lifelong efforts.