The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-16
IN A PORTO RICAN FOREST.
The Wealth of Tropical Fruits and Nuts
That Are to be Found.


By nightfall, after l had ridden up
and down some of the most unpreposs-
essing hills, and had got tangled in no
end of chaparral, cactus, and other
thorny underground, which changed a
new pongee coat 1 had bought in San
Juan into an old rag, found myself on
high range of sierra. From a jibaro
negress 1 learned that was half way
between the towns of Quemados and
Jaquas, and that 1 would find a better
trail for my horse below. So I rode.
down lovely, green valley, where plan
tations of coffee and tobacco Law side
by side. AS 1t grew darker bats few
all about me, and / heard the evening
cries of birds which sounded like our
whlppoorwflls and knocking birds. AT
last l struck the trail that the woman
had mentioned ] rode on a little wav
ana took the horse into a clearing.
where there was a spring well hidden
from view, and there hobbled his feet
to the halter rope, flung myself on the
ground and went fast asleep. The last
thing | heard was the beautiful song of
the SOLITAIRE singing in a copse above
me.
l was awakened early the next morn
ing by the screechinng of green par
rots, quarreling with other birds in the
top Of a cocoanut palm. / was drench
ed with dew, but forgot all as / thought
Of my horse. To my great relief
found him standing behind a bit of
oleander bush red with flowers, crunch
ing the juicy stalk of a prickly pear.
watched him with interest as he took
the stalk and with his teeth ripped off
the skin with all its thorns He whin-
nled as II we were old friends. After
brfdling and watering him. found the
trail, and rode off southwark. On the
way ate everything l could find, from
green cherries and guava plums to juicy
manages, which stained the front of NV
coat, and bell apples, the meat of which
suggested mildews There were also Gus
tard apples, large green fruit not I'M
IKE cream puffs inside
The most astonishing and the hest of
all was fruit called pulmo-in our
language, sour sap. 1t is about as large
as quart bowl, and so nourishing and
ruiz that single fruit was enough for
good meal although thas did not de-
Ter my horse from eating four Later
found that they are also relished by
dogs OF springs and streams there
were so many that l had no fear OF dy-
ing Of thirst. If water was not handy.
L could always climb a cocoanut tree
ana throw down the green nuts, which
We're filled with an abundance of watel-y
milk, more than 1 could drink at one
time. Other nuts were there in plenty,
but many We're more curious than edi-
BILE. even to my willing appetite One
had delicious odor. I tasted a little.
and thought it ideal for fiavorinq can
dy But it soon dissolved in my mouth
in fine dust, absorbing all the moist
ure, so that l had to blow it out like
-four Nothing ever made me so thirsty
in my life, and even after rinsing out
my mouth I felt for long time as if
We're chewing punk or cotton. The fruit
Of the tamarind only added to my tor
ments by setting all my teeth on edge.
When we reached the next spring I
fell off my horse for fear he would get
ell the water Only after ! had salts
fed my thirst would let him drink.