The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-10-04
How the Article is Gathered
and Prepared.
OLE YULARO'S PECULIAR LIFE.
The Dangers Encountered In the
Shape OF Wild Beasts-Hts Food,
The Monkey.

WOrQ 1Or tnaC commonly SOUNDS muCu
like sneeze and is pronounced as il
spelled KEE-cHooK, with the accent
strong on the first syllable. Not many
years ago more than 100 900 pounds
were shipped annually from Greytown
alone, but at present the average export
is only about 10000. This falling off is
due to the fact that no legal surveil-
lance is exercised over the gathering of
the juice, and the people, with their
customary improvidence, are constantly
destroying the valuable trees that YIELD
it.
The Yularo. or rubber-hunters, are
the most irresponsible and ignorant of
creatures, whose first object, when out
on an expedition, is to secure as much
cautchoue as possible. and next to
damage she prospects of other Yular-
oes, regardless of the future.
A thrifty tree at its first cutting ought
to yield not lees than fifty pounds Of
rubber, but the hunters of to-day lind
few go profitable, unless they penetrate
into the virgin forests and are fortunate
enough to discover an entirely new dis
trict. In the sections already worked
most of the trees have been tapped sew
eral times, and many OF them were
spoiled at the outset by having been cut
too young, because its greedy discoverer
feared that if the prize were left to at
tain peTfe ction another might secure it.
Were the matter regulated by Judicious
laws, so that only mature trees might
be tapped, and those not to an extent to
csuse death, the production of caout-
choue would soon be source of wealth
to the Republic. The Costa Rican gov
eminent begins to be alive to this act,
and has recently offered extensive tracts
of land to any who will devote them
selves to the culture of rubber trees.
Among the inhabitants of Central
America YularoeS form distinct class,
by all odds
THE LOWEST IN THE COUNTRY,
unless it may be the Caribs of Guate-
mala, or the pearl divers of the western
coast. They are mostly half-breeds,
or negroes, for white men seldom
engage in it, although the business
might be made extremels profitable. A
Yularo can be distinguished at glance
from natives of other professions as
easily as cowboy in genteel society,
or miller fresh from his mill. not only
by his general air of dare dsvil-don't-
effectiveness, but by the thick coating
of caoutchone that covers his clothing
from head to foot. This extra coating
accumulates gradually by contact with
the rubber trees, without intention on
the part of the wearer, and in time
renders his garments absolutely water
PROOF and almostiuCestructab'e.
vi course, l could not venture far
enough into the forest to observe the
modus operandi of caoutchone collect
ing at its best. Undetermined to fulfil
my journalistic mission as nearly ION
the spot" as possible-I made special
journey to Parismina; and thence, es-
corted by the alcsldi and his servants,
visited the nearest rubber-camp,
about seven miles within the
dense. dark woods.
Parismina is a small coast town in
the very heart of
THE RUBBER DISTRICT,
midway between Limon and GreytoWn
the latter q well-known port of ship
ment, and the latter a comparatively
nav town. the eastern terminus
of the railroad. The sight of nine
hundred habitans of Parismina are
all in some way connected with the
caoutchouc trade, and il is far more
fav orable place for obtaining reliable
concerning the r1bber
business than the distant camps of the
hunters, who know little about it them
the gum. Here the Yularoes obtain
their supplies before setting outon their
long journeys, and to this point they
return when the season is over.
The hunters are fitted out by the
shrewd traders of Paris nina, much ss
American miners used to be supplied
with GRUB stake" in their scar for
precious metals. Each Yularo is pro-
7ided with gun, a quantity OF ammu-
milton, a boat, and sufficient supply |
Of salt, -four and pork to sustain him !
from two to six months. All this is |
charged to his account, at the highest |
market price; and in return he stipu-
ates to sell to this saMe accommodating
dealer, at some fixed sum per pound,
all the caoutchouc he may collect dur
ing his trip.
A journey to the woods may occupy
weeks, or months. according to the will
Of the Yularo; after which ne returns
10 the village-not to leave it again I'LL |
the last cent is spent, which he has
earned, or can
BEG, STEAL Or BORROW,
And all the credit exhausted that
ne can obtain by promises upon
he next expedition. 1t is not strange
however, that they are reluctant to re-
urn to such dangerous exile. for under
avery leaf of the tropical forest some
7enomous creature is lurking, and
eternal vigilance is the price of
Iafety. The hun'er's life is little above
hat of the wild beasts whose bowls
make night hideous around him, and
lie is constantly exposed to q thous and
,erils, seen and unseen. Not only are
here hungry jaguar and pumas, wild
,oars and other powerful animals, but
more to be dreaded are the deadly rep
lies, some of them no longer than
your hand. There are tiny lizards,
he exact color of the leaves under
Uhich thew hide whose hita 10 fatal.