The National tribune., 1898-10-06

of these leaves the Tower rises, and also
the spike regime. BY this word Is to be
understood a hundred of large bananas
| growing from the same stalk, forming to-
Ccther Il long branch that turns towards
| the sun.
Before the fruit has reached it's fun
| ripcnesS the spike Is cut, and becomes fit
| for use. The part of the plant which Is IN
| the earth is kind of large root, from
which proceed successfully 20 shoots, and
| each shoot ought not to have more than
| one spike or bunch. 1t Is then cut 'front.'
| ing the sun. and as all the shoots rlsing
| from the same trunk are of different ages
| there are fruits to be found IN all the
stages of growth so that every month or
| fortnight. and at all seasons, spike or
| two may be gathered from the same plant
| There Is also species of banana the
| fruit of which is not good to eat, but rom
which raw silk il formed called abaca,
which * used to make clothes and all
| kinds of cOrtiage. This filament rs found
| In the trunk of the plant, which, as have
said, consists Of leaves placed one over
another which after being separated into
| long strips and left for some hours in the
! sun, Is then placed on an iron blade, not
sharp. and then dragged with force over 1t
The paTenchyme Of the plant Is taken of
/ by the iron blade. and the filamentS then
| separate Nothing Is now wanting but TO
expose them for some time to the sun 8
rays, after which they are brought to
market.
! observe that have left my journey
aside to describe three tropical plants
which afford Il Sufiiciency for all the wants
OF man. Those plants are we'll known;
yet there may be some persons ignorant
Of the utility and of the various services
which they render To the inhabitants OF
the tropics. My readers will from them be
naturally led to reflect how the inhabit-
ants of the torrid zone are favored by
nature in comparison with those OF our
frigid climate.
PRIMITIVE FIRE-MAKING.
We were at the foot of the mountains. pre-
pairing to pass the night. Our labor was
always divided. one got the beds ready,
another the fire. Il third the cookery He
who had to prepare the fire collects Il
quantity of dry wood and Of bramblcs.
Under this heap of firewOOd ne puts about
II pounds OF clemi gum. which Is common
IN the Philippines, where IL IS found IN
quantities at the foot of the large trees
from which 1t flows naturally. He takes
Il piece of bamboo half yard long which
he splits to its length, tears with pOignard
so as TO make very thin ShavinCS, which
he rubs together while. rolling them be-
tween his hands and then puts them into
the hollow part of the other piece, and lays
1t down on the ground, and then with the
sharp side of the piece from which he had
taken the shavings he rubs strongly the
piece lying on the ground, as if ne wished
to saw II across.
In short time the bamboo containing
the shavings is cut through and on fire.
The flame rising frCm the shavings when
blown lightly upon, quickly sets the
cleml gum in a blaze, and in an in
slant there is d fire sufficient to roast
an OK
He who had to manage the cooking cut
two or three pieces of the large bamboo,
and Put in each whatever he wished to
cook-usually rice or some part of the
palm tree-he added some water stopped
the ends of the bamboo with leaves. and
laid it in the middle of the fire. This
bamboo was speedily burned on the out
side, but the interior was mOiStcned by
the water and the food within was as we'll
boiled as in any earthen vessels. For
plates we had the large palm leaves.
Our meals, as may be observed, were
Spartan enough, even during the days
while cur provision of rice and dried veni-
son lasted. But when game was found,
and that stag buffalo fell to our lot,
we fed like epicureS We drank pure
water whenever spring or TIvulet
tempted US, but if we were at a loss we
cut long pieces of the llama called the
travellers drink, from which flowed a
clear and limpid draft preferable per-
hapS to any which we might have pro-
cured from a. better source
1t was evident | was not travelling like
a nabob; and it would have been impOs-
sible to take more baggage. How could
dflE ONO VIII ltILC PROV ioICI4S anu
Gus retinuc move along in the midst OF
mountains covered with forests literally
untouched by human feet, and forced, IN
order to get through them, at every in
slant to swim across torrents, and having
no other guide than the sun. or the blow
ing of the breeze. There was no choice
but to travel in the Indian style, as / did,
or to remain at home.
VIRGIN FOREST.
The first night we spent in the open air
passed quietly. Our strength was re-
stored, and we were recruited for the
Journey. At an early hour we were up,
and after a frugal breakfast we resumed
our march. For more than two hours we
climbed up a mountain covered with
heavy timber: the ascent was rough and
fatiguinC; at last we reached the top,
quite exhausted where there was vast
fiat which it would take US some days to
traverse.
1t was there on this fat that / behelj
the most majestic, the finest virgin forest
that existed in the world 1t consists OF
gigantic trees, grown up as straight as a
rush, and to q prOdigiOuS hight: Their
tops where alone their branches grow, are
laced into one another, so as to form a
vault and among those fine trees, prolific
nature has given birth to q crowd of climb
ing plants of q most remarkable descrip-
ton The rattan and the flexible llama
mount up to the tOpmOSt branches, and
to the earth, take fresh
root receive new SuStenance, and then re-