The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-10-04

fevers that nightly stalk abroad with
the noxious vapor of the turrG caLtenta.
Usually the hunters set out in small
parties, and as soon as the rubber
forests are reached, they select a suit
able ground for operations and proceed
to construct q rude camp. which
serves as
THE GENERAL RENDEZVOUS.
Then they wander off, singly
or in couples, searching all day
for new trees and returning at
n;ghtfall to head quarters, where they
sleep under no better shelter than a
few palm leaves laid lightly over four
upright poles. A huge fire is always
built at night, partly to brighten away
proving beasts and to counterfeit the
effects of deadly dews and miasmas,
but principally that the smoke may
keep Oft those more troublesome pests,
and inland ms, gnaps and garripctas.
Aside from the scant rations, he
brings the Yularois food consists mainly
Of wild hogs, or such other animals as
he may be able to kill, eked out by
tortitlGs, and as an occasional luxury,
dish of red beans stewed in fat.
Monkeys are considered the choicest
OF moreeans, particularly the large,
red species, which are as highly relished
by the hunters as ere racoons by
southern darkeys, or Thanksgiving
turkeys by New Euglanders. Indeed,
in many parts of Spanish America,
monkey-meat is eaten by both natives
and foreigners, whose gastronomic
tastes are harder to please than those
of the hungry Yularoes. 1 can, my
self. testify to the fact that we'll
broiled slice of a young ape-though
trifie tough and strong-is not more
unpalitabfe than bear-steak or buffalo
meat, which itgreatly resembles. II one
could overcome the canniballstic ideas
engendered by DarWinian nonsense,
and it feels as if
FEEDING UPON BLACK BABY,
monkey flesh would be decidedly pre-
ferable TO pork as an article of diet.
The rubber tree OF Central America
is the same as that found in New Gran
ade and Ecuador near relative to
the beautiful and glossy-leaved Ficus
Elasttcd of the East Indies, which is SO
common as an ornamental plant in
northern Conservatives.
The Yularo has no other implement
than short rope of cactus 6ber, Of his
own twisting and huge mediate the
latter rude sort of sword or knife,
which every South American who is ell
gagged in any out of-doors occupation
carries upon all occasions. The hunter
ties one end of the rope around his
wrist, throws the other over the lower
branches, and scrambles up the tree,
mechate in hand. Having reached con-
yenient limb. he secures himself by
means of the rope and proceeds to make
an incision into the tree. from which
gradually letting himself downwards-
he cuts deep channel through the
thick bark, around the trunk to the
ground. In most cases the careless
fellow cuts much deeper than is neces-
sary, thereby running the future useful
ness of the tree; for if a pen-knife, or
even a pin, be thrust into a thrifty
young tree, the milk" spurts out in
copious flow.
Ths yelIowish. white juice resembles
good. rich cream more nearly than any
thing else. ) II the tree is fully grown
and has never before been tapped, the
sap will flow ,f'om the inclsion in
streams, and running down the chan.
mel, is received into a pit dug at the
roots. Sometimes tin cans or earthern
pots are used as recep les for the
JUICE. and occasionally the Indians
clay, which they fit closely around the
lower part of the tree. The pit, how
ever, answers every purpose.
% Hui 10 u q mi
the sap of a wild vine somewhat re-
sembling the grape, which overgrows all
these tangled forests and acts the part
of repnet to cheese-curd, or mother"
pulque to magney juice; for after its |
addition. the milk is soon hardened into |
NOTED CAKES OF INDIA RUBBER.
all ready for transportation. In South |
America, 1 am told, it is solidi6ed by |
of the liquid part, and
dried completely by being exposed to
gentle heat suspended in kettles over
VOID fire. In Brazil it is the custom
TO maintain the flame with the pungent
fruits of the duricurG, in such manner
hat the caoutohone may receive all the
the blac4ish color much
Of il presents.
Many attempts have been made
% import the juice of the tree in
is natural state, but so tar none have
been successful. While yet in liquid
:orm, it may be fashioned into any
;haL e by means of molds, but no pro-
less has been discovered to prevent
There is always a good |
leal of partially hardened caontchoDe
sdhering to the bark of the tree. which
S torn off in long. stringy masses. This
s called berucha, ard of course is not
nearly so valuable as the solid cakes,
,ut is wrapped in bundles and ex-
ported for various uses. Commercially
peaking, the eaontchone of Para is
considered best and command the high
,st price in market, while that from
he western coast of Africa is the least
desirable. being only slightly elastic,
md like its collectors, extremely offens-
We in odor. Great quantities are also
from British India, Manritas
md the Indian Archipelago.
T le milky juice that now plays so
part among the worlds