The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-08-02


The following account of most inter.
esting industry occurs 10 the second paper
in the Scribier series on Brazil by Her.
bert II Smith
The rnbber-swamps are all around, but
land travelling is out Of the question. SO
an Indian canoe-man Is engaged--a good
natured fellow, and an adept in wood.eraft.
He sets US across the river at haIf-ruiped
hut, where bright vines Chamber over the
broken thatch and hang in long fes-
toons in front Of the low doorway; but
within, the floor is sodden black clay. and
dark mold hangs on the sides, and the mir
is like sepulcher. The single sloyouly
maDletucd woman who inhabits the place
complains bitterly Of the ague which
tertures her; yet year after year, until the
house falls to pieces, she will go on dying
here, because, forsooth, it is her own and
the rubber trees are near. She will not
even repair the structure. You can see
the SKY through the roof, but If rain drives
10 she will swing her hammock in another
corner, and shiyer on through the night
as best she may; for tomorrow there are
rubber trees to be trapped, and a fresh
harvest Of the precious milk to be BROUGHT
home-and what will you hayeY One
must expect discomfort in a swamp.
Back Of the house tho rubber trees are
scattered--through iparshy forest. where
we Chamber over logs, and sink into pools
oil mud, and leap the puddles; where the
mosquitoes are bloodthirsty, and nature is
damp and dark and threatening; where the
silence is unbroken by beast or bird
silence that can be felt; it is like n tomb
IN which we are buried, away from the
sunshine, away from the brute and man
alone with rotting death. The very beauty
OF our forest tomb makes us shudder by its
intenseness.
In the carly morning, men and women
come with baskets of clay cups on their
backs, and little hatchets 10 cash the trees
Where the white milk drips down from
the cash they stick their cups on the trunk
with daubs of clay, nodded SO as to catch
the whole flow. II the tree is large one.
four or tive gashes may be cut in circle
around the trunk. On the next day other
gashes are made little below these. and
so on until the rows reach the ground.
by eleven o'clock the flow of milk has
ceased, and the seringaeiros come TO col.
, lect the contents Of the cups in calabash
/ jugs. A gill or so is the utmost Weld
from each tree, and single gatherer NAV
, attend to hundred and twenty trees Of
more, wading always through these dark
marshes, and paying dearly for his profit
in fever and weakness.
Our m0melucd hostess has brought II
her days gathering calabash full Of tn,
(. white liquid, in appearance precisely like
. milk If left in this condition it eoagu
lates after while and forms a whitisl
! gum. To make the black rubber Of com
merce the milk must 60 through pecu
, liar process Of manufacture, for which ou
, guide has been preparing. Over smoul
a derlng fire, fed with hard nuts of the "a
! ctnaa palm, he places kind of clay chin
) ney, like wide-mouthed bottomless Jug
n through this the thick smoke pours in
constant stream. Now he takes his mold
i IN this case wooden one, like a round
|. bladed paddle-washes it with the milk
& aud holds it over the smoke until the i
a quid coagulates. Then another coat i
a added, only now, as the wood is heate,
3 the milk coagulates faster. Il may TAX
the gatherings Of two or three DAYS /
4 covcr the mold thickly enough. Then III
rubber is still dull white, but ia shor
. time it turns brown and finally almos
black, as it is sent to the market. TIL
I mass is cut from the paddle and sold I
traders in the village Bottles are some
1 times made by molding the rubber over
clay ball, which is then broken up aud re
! moved. Our old-fashioned rubber shoe
/ used to be made in this way.