Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-09-02


Can ever wave
O'er an early grave!
Then merry and wild in life I'll be,
And that ruby lip be the tomb for me
MANUFACTURES. OF INDIA RUBBER SHOES IN
BRAzIL.---A number of blacks, bearing long
poles on their shoulders, thickly strung with
India rubber shoes, also attracted our atten-
ton. These are for the most past manufac-
tured in the interior, and brought down the
river for sale by the natives. 1t has been es-
timated at least 100000 pairs of shoes are an
nually exported from the province of Para,
and the number is constantly on the increase.
A few words here, respecting the tree itself,
and the manufacture of shoes, may not be
out Of place. The tree is quite peculiar in
it's appearance, end sometimes reaches the
height of eighty, and even a hundred feet.
The trunk is perfectly round, rather smooth,
and protected by bark of light color. The
leaves grow in clusters of three together, are
thin, Of an ovate form, and are from ten 10
fourteen inches in length. The centre leaf
Of the cluster is always the longest This
remarkable tree bears curious fruit of the
size of a peach, which, although not very pa
latable, is eargerly sought after by different
animals; it is separated into three lobes,
which contain each small black nut. The
trees are tapped in the same manner that
New Englanders tap maple trees. The trunk
having been perforated, a yellowish liquid,
resembling cream, flows out, which is caught
in small clay cups, fastened to the tree. When
these are full, their contents are emptied in
to large earthern jars, in which the liquid is
kept until desired for use.
The operation of making the shoes is as
simple US it is interesting. Imagine yourself
dear reader, in one Of the seringo groves of
Brazil. Around you are number of good
looking natives, of low stature and olive COM
plexions. All are variously engaged. One
is stirring with long wooden stick the con-
tents of a cauldron, placed over pile of bla-
zing embers. This is the liquid as it was
taken from the rubber tree.-Into this a
wooden last, covered with clay, and having
handle, is plunged. A coating of the liquid
remains,
You will perceive that another native then
takes the last and hold it in the smoke laris-
ing from the ignition of a species of palm
fruit, for the purpose of causing the coating
to assume dark color. The last is then a.
gain plunged into the cauldron, and this pro-
cess is repeated, as in dipping candles, until
the coating is of the required thickness. You
will, moreover, notice number of Indian
girls, (some very pretty,) engaged in making
various impressions, such as flowers, &C., u.
pom the soft surface of the rubber, by means
OF their thumb nails, which are especially
pared and cultivated for this purpose. After
this final operation the shoes are placed in
the sun to harden, and large numbers of them
may be seen laid out on mats in exposed sit
uations. The aboriginal name of the rubber
Is cahucha, from which the formidable word
Of caoutchouc is derived. In Para it is styled
borracha, or seringa.-Bentley's Miseellany
JUDGE MCLEAN, we learn by a letter from
him, published in the Clevelend Democrat, de-
clines going before the Buffalo Convention as
acandidate He gives an opinion upon the sub.
lect OF the extension of slave territory which,
coming from Judge, must we suppose, be re-
garded as law.
"aest'ng upon the principles of the Consti-
tuition, as they have been judicially settled
the free States; by moderation, vigilence and
frmnes may prevent the extension of slavery
to the territory lately annexed. Without the
sanction of law, slavery can no more exist in
territory than man can breathe without
air. Slaves are not property where they are
not made so by the municipal law The LIE
glslature Of Territory can exercise no power
which is not conferred on it by an act O
Congress.
The Utica and Schenectady Ra;l,o,d co,