The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-11-17

/ finally secures the rubber. Somebody
makes heavy profits out of every trans;,c-
| ton, but 1t is not the poor Indian, upon
whose courage and powers of endurance
all depends, nor yet the smaller traders.
The annual expectation of India rubber
from Para is said to be upwards of twenty
million pounds, worth from six to nine
million dollars. The rubber tree of Brazil
| (Siphojtio Elostica, near relative OF the
/ tGcus Eldstjca Of the East Indies and the
| trceoia Eiastico of Asa). is really giant
! species OF milkweed 1t begins to Weld
| when about fifteen years old, and the gov
I eminent has repeatedly suggested plans
| for eultivating it by planting large areas
with trees and conducting the business
/ like that of coffee and sugar plantations.
| But Brazilians seem to be peculiarly de-
void of the power to take "a long look
ahead and far nobody has been found
willing to wait fifteen years for the first
returns on au investment.
Htreabouts the rubber hunters are call
cd .>U'iHgllerioS, rs in Central America
they are known as lHidroes. They usual
ly "a out in small parties, having chosen
one Vi their own number as 'Captain and
as soon as the rubber swamps are reached
they select suitable spot for the base of
operations and proceed reconstruct rude
camp, which serves as the general rendez-
Vons They then wander off, singly and
in couples, searching all day for new trees
and returning to headquarters at night
fall. The camp consists OF central
hut, built upon stilt-like supports to
elevate it above the maleria- haunted
molass in which rubber trees most abound.
with palm matched roof, projecting all
around like that of Swiss chalet There
are neither windows nor doors to this rude
home, nor any interior furnishings except
hooks upon which hammocks may be sus-
pended when rains drive THEN owners in
side. Ordinarily ''all out doors serves
well for kitchen, and the men prefer to
suspend their sleeping paraphernalia from
the trees around the central fire built for
the triple purpose Of frightnng away
proving beasts, countelactlng the effects
of deadly dews and miasmas, and keeping
off those troublesome pests, mosquitoes
gnats inins and ganipotas. All around
the little camp is boundless forest. so
dense that it is impossible to penetrate it
the distance of a rod beyond the hut eX-
cept in those paths which the hunters
have partially cleared with infinite toll
no "call'' to walk abroad in sp0ngy
marshes where every step sinks him in
above the Shoe tops, and poisonous water
snakes are known TO lurk and jaguals
proNl III search OF prey.
rs may be imagined. the hunters lie is
little above that ii the Wild beasts whose
proving make night hideous around him
and he is constantly exposed to Thousand
dangers. seen and unseen. Not only do
hungry pumas. wild bears and other pow
full animals abound but deadly reptiles
y
whose sting is fatal. There are wee liz
yards. the exact color OF the leaves under
which they hide, and innumelable creep
ING ami crawling things more dangerous
wilds, which at least gives some warning
OF his intention to strike; while even more
to be feared than the monstrous crocodilrs
ii the lagoons and serpcnts OF hpgging
procliyities, are the feyers that float up
on the noxious Vapors of the TERRA cali
ente
The hunter, rs he goes his daily rounds
makes number OF fresh cuts around the
trunk of each tree which he has previous
ly marked as his own special property
pro tenn. and sets his little clay cups To
catch the valuable sap that will ooze from
the iucision. Later in the day he repeats
the round, carrying a queer sort of buck
ct made from big gourd which has a
cover and handle OF braided palm fiber
and into it he empties the collected CON
tents vi all the little cups. When he gets
back to camp, he pours the Juice from the
calabasA pail into the mammoth shell OF a
torturuga, on Amazon turtle. In that
stage the ytllOwisl- white fluid resembles
good rich jersey cream more nearly than
anything else to which can compare it.
Different ways of coagulating it into the
article known to commerce are practiced
in various parts OF the world Here il is
held on wooden paddle over Il fine Of
palm nuts, which has been built under a
clay pot shaped like a huge lamp chin
uey. The dense white smoke. issuing
from the top of the pot, hardens it into a
leatheiy substance and at the same time
changes its color from pale yellow to
black A. fast as it haldens, more sap is
poured on, until the mass OF rubber on
the paddle j. as heavy as a man can
handle, when it is sliced off with "A huge
knife.
In Central America the tIlid is coagu-
lated with the sap of a wild vine some
what resembling the grape, which over
grows all those tangled forests and acts the
part of Tennet to cheese curd OF moth
er pulpue 10 crude Dlaguey Juice, fOl