The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-11-17
Rubber- Hunting in the Heart of
Brazil.

,lt,lal Correspondence of The journal 7
NANAos, Brazil, Oct. ), 1892 Being
any OF these Amazonian towns, where
elN thing reekS of India rubber-where
IS the one engrossing industry Of the
1ple, smelled and tasted-you are sure
be seized by the spirit of discovery,
oner or later and a burning desire to
m hunter yourself and become habi-
Hte, if for ever SO brief period of a
ainc rubber camp in the wilderness.
0j nothing is easier than to crafty that
1dable ambition, especially if you are
,akeu' with it at Manaos-a thousand
'r> UP the mighty river, in the heart of
-reatest rubber producing section of
lobe.
e 'ul case it was particularly easy, for
host is a rubber merchant. Gas are
vt the substantial citizens of the
npl. who keeps from fifty to one hun
l Indians constantly employed As col
'ore, under the leadership of a Cap,
on head collector of their own
No>ing 1t happens that their present
u camp may be reached without diff
~ by two days journey up the Rio
-lu ON one of the regular steamers, and
n dise!nbarking at a certain point in
wilderness. near the mouth OF an I'M
NEED attucnt-by a slower canoe-cruise
vlsal hours between jlngle-covered
*, where apparently human beings
a. came before. At the first indica-
f OF our desire. which had evidently
rt expected and partially prepared for.
parity was made up, headed by mine
and his family. ser ants We're sent
cal with tents and provisions, and In
40 boatmen summoned from the distant
up to meet Us at the junction of the
,frS TO our kind entertainers it was
e.eiY pleasant picnic excursion, such
New Workers are wont to make up the
llson; but to us it was an event of
-nitude, fraught with perils and adven-
IS enough to keep the average ani.ee
either sex in EARNING material for a
time. Think OF it; the Amazon river
nth than the whole navigable length of
'lordly Hudson And then, sup
o-, those Indian boatmcn should fail to
On hand at the appointed time and
acc. and we be left like the Babes in the
lods, among boas and tigers and good
- knows what other telTors? And
Jel. when being padded up the name
b. tqo,oDe, which is hundreds Of miles
m anywhere. and so narrow stream
at the dense wall OF vegetation tower
lpon both sides keeps it in perpetual
hight and the absolute silence OF the
ueval solitude is mournfullv oppres-
suppose the half-sayage guides. who
aiuly look capable ot any atrocity
MD conclude it Were better paying
.IuesS to rob and murder thtil charges.
tr in the world was there Ia prevent
um" We thought OF the narrowing eX-
t-nces Of Madame Godin de-, Otionais
ttJese same wilds. (ot which | must tell
non) and OF the thousands OF eX-
1t.lS. whose hearts We're fired with mis-
airy zeal OF love ot nature, or search
rhe tabled FL Dorado. or greed Of gold
conquest. who have peIished miser-
$ nere-aId there is none to tell their
pigs. We remembered Captain Wayne
II trce-dWeIling savage> who delight
puncture -Amazonian Travellers with
|m>oned arrows shot from boW-gIms:
the monster serpents OF the same au-
l which lie in wait upon over changing
inches and swallow them. boats and
But in our expedition ii turned ont
AT there was an almost disappointing
Hlh of perilous adventure, and not a
lie hair breadth scape' to chronicle.
e Indians we encountered, despite their
4IHeposSesslng appearance. proved to be
most tIocile, gentle and tractible of
atUres; and probably the aerial say
It's and man swallowing snakes, disgust
Nith the increasing frequency of human
asion, have retired farther into the
deIness.
he following facts. stated briefly as
9soible, are summary of The informal
on we have picked up in Brazil, from
Yers sources, relative to the rubber
dde. Like other industries in various
arts of the world. it appears to be con
nled 10y capital ON the >criptural plan
to him that hath shall be given,
PLY the actual toilers are very poorly
d for their labor. Hereabouts il is Gus
mary for a wealthy man to obtain grant
land. OF greater or less extent according
lis political influence and financial pow
Df persuasion. with the exclusive ii hit
Gathering rubber thereon for a stated
mber of years The entire liver trade
the Amazon is run on the credit system.
DE rubber hunters, who are mostly In
ans, are supplied Will grub stake in
tlr search fol precious metals. Each
inter, before he sets forth on IL fresh
nney, is provided with a gun, a guam
| y of ammunition, blanket, hammock and
l0ugh provisions to sustain him from
N0 to six months: all If which is charged
his account at the highest market price.