The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-08-19

Gun sHoEs.-A correspondent of the Journal Of
Commerce gives the following account OF the collect
lng and moulding of the eGOuiehoue IN Brazil
After dinner we were shown over the place, aud
entering he neighboring forest, were shown me CO.
Otttch0ue tree They grow, IN general, 10 The height
of ETy hhy feet without branches, then branch
ing run up fifteen feet higher The leaf Is abou sH
inches long, thin and shaped Ike lhai OF p'ech
tree The trees show their working by the number
Of knots or punches made by tapping and singu-
lar fact is, that like cow when most tapped they
piye most milk rsap.
As the time Of operating is early day, We were
obged TO content ourselves with viewing the utensils
aud moulds used by the shoemakersi awaiting until
ne ri morning TO see the BOduS 0prGndi, According
w. before sunrise we were on hand. The blacks are
fret sent through the forest, armed with quantity
of soil clay and a small pckaIe. On coming 10 one
cue and stuck TO the trunk The black then striking
his pick over the cup, the sap oozes out slowly
tree giving daily about gill. The 'apper CONTINUES
in this way, tapping perhaps fifty trees, when he r..
turns and with jar, passing over the same ground
empties bis cups. BY seven o'clock the blacks came
in with their Jars, ready Tor working.
The sap this stage resembles milk IN appearance
and somewhat in taste. II is also frequently drunk
with perfect safety. If left standing now, il will
curdle like milk diseDgagng watery substance lac
whey.
Shoemakers now arrange themselves TO form the
gum Seated in The shade with large pan of I.Ilk
on one side, and the other logon, IN which H.
burned nut peculiar to this country, emitting
dense smoke, the operator having bis last, or form
held by long suck or handle, previously besmeard
with soft clay lin order TO SIP OIL the shoe when I'M
shed) holds II over the pan, and pouring on the mix
until covered sets the coating IN the smoke then
giving II second coat, repeats the smoking AMI
on with third and fourth, until The shoe OF he
req ired thickness, averaging from SIX 10 twc,r
coats. When finished, the shoes on the forms ARE
p lced in the sun the remainder OF the day. to drip
Next day. if required they may be figured, being So
soft that any impression will DO ndeliby received.
The natives are very deXerous ia this work. With
quill and sharp pointed stick, they will produce
finely lined leaves and flowers, such you may have
seen on the shoes, an incredibly short space OF line
Alter remaining the forms two Or three DAYS the
shoes cut open on top, allowing the last 10 Slip
out They are then tied together and sung poles
ready for market There peders and Jews lrsde
for them with the country people; and in lots OF
thousand OF more, they are again sold to the
chants who have them stuffed with straw, and PACK.
ed In boxes to export in which state they are ~.
ceived in the United States la the manner
any shape may be manufactured. Thus toys are
made over clay forms. After drying, The clay Is
broken and extracted. Bottles, etc. in the same
way. According az the gum grows older II become
darker in color, and more tough. The number of
caoutchouc trees in this province is countless in
some parts whole forests of them exist and they are
frequently cut down for frewood. Although tins
tree exists in Mexico and the East Indies, there at
pears to be no Importation into the United State,
from these sources The reason, | suppose must be
the want Of that prolifcness found in them here
The caou,chouc tree may be worked all the year b.
but generally in the wet season they have rest wing
TO the flooded state of the woods, and the mix beng
Watery, requires more to manufacture the same arll-
Gle than in the dry