The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-05-28
Written for Mcore's Rural NewYorker.
LOS CASCARILLEROS;
Or, Bark Caterers of Feru aud Bolivio
BY LARDNER GIBBON.

BY LARDNER GIBBON.
These Notes are based on the practical ex
: perience of the author, who was an officer IN th
"Ex ploration of the Valley of the Amazon," il
1S52-3.-ED. RURAL
Los Cascarilleros-bark gathercrs of Pert
and Bolivia-are men Of European descent. lr
the middle of May, at the commencement of th'
dry season, they supply themselves with Ratchet
knife, short club, dried meat, parched corn anG
medicine, and descend the Andes into the ANA
zon basin in search of bark. They follow the
SPURS of the mountains, aud from the upper
branches of tai! forest trees they look out and
survey the surrounding wilderness. With prac.
ticed eye they distinguish the large bright green
and yellow shining leaf of the cinchona tree
from the ordinary foliage.
The tree is fellcd, and the bark stripped off.
dried, and made into small bundles. ready to be
carried on their backs to the nearest point to
which mule may be brought That taken
from the trunk of the tree is the best, that from
the larger branches the second in quality, and
that from the smaller, or upper branches, the
least valuable Two qun,als of green bark will
make one quintal Zone hundred pounds) when
dried. The process of gathering the bark is
destructive, the tree being entirely killed. The
value Of the forest has been injured. The trees
are found with difficulty.
| The belt of country in which the cinchona
tree is found is bosterous region of the earth.
The east winds pass over the low lands of
Brazil. When they reach the Andes, twenty
thousand feet in height, the way is disputed by
stupendous odds liz favor of rock The winds
seem to double themselves, and battle with
great fury. Clouds rise up on the broad Allan
tic, and are brought as if to assist the Winds
They roll against the mountains with increased
atmospheric pressure, electrical flashes of fire,
and laundering. Trees are torn up by the
roots; the eartn is disturbed; rocks are loosened,
fall, aud roll over the precipice, as in an earth
quake. Yet these mountains stand, and bear it
with wonderful composure. The winds and
clouds weepingly give way. Some 90 down
where it is very hot. and rains fall over the
valley. Some 20 up where the last drop of rain
falls amidst the crowned heads of the Andes, in
pyramids of perpetual snow, where there is
formed atmospheric veil for the animal and
vegetable Kingdoms of Lima-on the shore OF
the Pacific Ocean-where it never rains.
TIE Cascarillero roams through the wilder
ness Of huge trees, tangled briars, creeping
vines, and thickets. When he meets tiger or
lion, he walks up to him with short club in
hand AS the animal springs upon him, he
suddenly steps aside, and strikes to break the
back. Should he miss his aim, there is danger;
for when the animal renews the attack he goes
in with much anger, and sometimes kills his
man. When he meets troublesome serpent,
he runs or calls for help.
Thin, sallow complexioned and worn down, he
may be seen slowly walking after an old horse
or mule, loaded with bark, on his way up the
mountains in November, to escape the rainy
season in the valley of the Amazon.
Re laW tho h.rk iS taE on tn oovernmont
agent who pays fixed price IN merchandise or
specie. 1t is then put up in cotton bales, and
covered Eith rawhide, each weighing one hun
dred and fifty pounds-two bales, or three hun
dred pounds, being mule load over the Cor
dilleras to the seaport of Arica where it arrives
in ten days from La Paz, paying freight of
twelve dollars per mule load. The price at
africa varies according to the demand for quipine
in fever and ague countries 1t is carried to
the chemists in the United States and Europe,
where 1t is manufactured and bottled, and some
of it is reshipped and sold in the apothccary
stores of the towns Of these mountains, to those
who enter the cinchona region, where the dis
| case for which it is intended as specific fire.
9uently prevails. Cascarilleros have paid for
one ounce of quinine what they willing to
sell one hundred pounds of bark for at the foot
Of the tree.
choose to employ themselves in gathering bark
All men may enter the territory, live in it, and
are at liberty to take away with them their pro-
perty, paying duties to the Treasury, according
to the laws of police and the custom house.
The home Of the Cascarlero is among the
Andes His house is built of stone and thatched
with mouhtain grasses. A few faggots and a
| little fire produce dense smoke. which fills the
dwelling with an atmosphere which protects
| him from the cold mountain blasts of rain and
snow. The fire is placed n the middle of the
ground floor. The smoke has no escape but
through the doorway, which at night and in
cold, stormy weather is closed by suspending a
raw-hde in the passage. The inmates cook,
eat, rest and sleep by the FIRE Guinea pigs are
great favorites in the house. They burrow
under the ground floor near :he wall. Dogs
crawl in and form circle. Fowls have their
roost in the upper part the roof, along with
! pet parrot, who feels thankful for the fire be-
low, but chatters his objection to being smoked
10 Spanish. A SOW with pigs may crowd under
the raw-hide while the others sleep The guam
tity aud activity of 1cas is startling to stranger.
| Potatoes, onions, garlic and pepper, boiled
with dried or fresh mutton, furnish meal for
the day, which is called 'chupe,"-a national
| dish OF Peru 1t is turned into wooden plat
ter and one large wooden spoon serves the whole
family. The father is relieved by the mother,
and so on, when the father in turn is handed
the spoon by the youngest child. The dogs SIT
up behind, looking on, quiet, respectful and
COED natured. until bone is cast that way
then fight takes place in the rear.