The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-08

A wouanu a%rissiopary Tells How the Ns-
tiyen Collect n.


In the months OF March and April during the
rainy season one sees busy life in the native
towns OF the French Congo. The men arc pre-
pairing to 60 to the bush to cut rubber. Every
woman and child seems to have something to
do. and even tho men do not lounge about as
usual. but nre sharpening their knives and ma
chctes aud putting their guns into proper trim.
The women nre digging cassava, and sono of
them are washing It and preparing chiguanga
or native bread. Others are cleaning the cas-
sava with knives and tying 1t Into m0ttets made
from palm leaves. This kind Of cassava Il
roasted over the fire and eaten warm. while the
bread is eaten cold and is mostly used on tho
rond. The men carry their guns so they may
kill the game which aboundS In the forest.
When all Is ready n drunken carousul and
dance are given the night before the start by
way of saying farewell to the Villagers left at
home. Sometimes n good place with plenty of
rubber plants Ia found after n march OF two or
three days, but oftcncr the Journey takes n
week or more. In this case the men Keep car.
riers on the road with fool for them, because
there Is nothing to be had ia these parts with
the exception OF game.
Tie rubber In central Africa Ia not n tree. but
q vine, often three ur four inches IN d Rmeter.
This vine generally climbs up the ta!lcst trees.
aud the natives often use one of the Vines to rs
cend the tree. After the branches ARE reached.
which in most cases are ut least i.ty frci from
the ground, the men proceed to cut the vines
away at the, top. leaving only one for their de-
scent, md this one, 1t possible. not IL rubber
vine. II seems strang" that the natives cut
away the rubber plants and so destro. them :n-
stead OF tapping them. but they are too lazy TO
After the vines have fallen they are cut into
lengths OF three or four feet. aud the Juice is
The rtece OF the vine IL held over the pot. iirst
by one end. then by tho other until the ialce
ceases running. Then the piece is cut again 10
get at any juice which may have been left in
the middle. After a pot Is nearly fun a rest is
hours. ana. during the boiling process. Is mixed
with the juice OF other vines and some lime
juice. - that the mixture is more sticky and
As soon as 1t cools down sufficiently to he
handled: the hardening, rubber. is shaped by
winding II at first around a stick, After a bit
the stick Is pulled ont and The ball Ia rr-wound
10 finish II OF. In some places these balls weigh
three pounds or more each: In others, five OF
them make u pound. The purity OF the rubber
depends much rpon how much other Juice has
been addr,i. III. best and purest is that OBJ
tanned from the juice without boiling. This In
only found in the shape OF bracelets. because
the native, wind the juice. as it runs out around
dry 1t slips Off easier. This would be- transparent
rubber II the kin and fingers of the natives
were not so very dirty.
The natives often used to put foreign sub
stances. such as small stones, palmnuts, and
little balls OF grass into the rubber ball to make
II heavy. They were soon found out. and every
ball is now cut through the centre to reveal its
days because II draws the moisture from the
ground. which adds TO the weight. Cheating IL
Tesofltu 10 neChuse the pay Ia 30 poor. II tnRes
a party of eight or ten men and boys six to eight
weeks to gather from eighty to one hundred
pounds Of rubber. The value OF this, IL all 10
iirst-class. is from 200 to $50 yards Of cotton
cloth or forty gallons OF rum or three or four
hintiock guns. Surely this Is poor pay for this
kind of work.
Still. the natives rejoice greatly II the men
from one town return with 100 pounds. 1t
seems Ike Il fortune to them. because Lhey need
so little that civilized people crave and pay for.
When this little fortune Is spent and the
weather permits. another trip is undertaken TO
the rubber region.