The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1904-06-24
GETTING hussge N nolalA
A. indusirious native win Collect Thre,
or -Four Pounds IA nav

GETTING RUBBER NJ NIGERIA
A. indu'irious Native win Collect rhre,
or -Four Pounds "a Day.
Since tho production OF india
! rubber has become one Of the lndps
tries OF British Nlgeria. says tho ap
thor OF "Analrs OF West Africn." III,
collection Of the sap Is carried on by
whole villages In much the same happy
companionshlp as that with which
American children go gathering nuts
IN the fall.
Boon after dawn all the available
men and women Of village gather TO.
gcther "a lighthearted. jabbering
crowd. Extraordinary animation
relgns throughout the village. The
ground Is strewn with calabashes. ma.
ehetes. knives. dried yams In bags.
bottles OF water, spears and hint.Iock
guns. There IL always something on
the prowl In an African forest.-a man.
a leopard or "splrlt"-and the weap.
ons are necessary precautlon.
Through the village ana beyond II.
passing plantations OF mlllet. vans.
Indian corn and cassava. winds the
0ravan, with implements and utensils
borne on heads. At the edge Of the
forest. reduced to single file and mile
Or more long. II plunges into the atmos.
pierre OF gloomy. fantastic welrdncss,
and disappears among the silent shnd.
oWs OF the giant trees.
The bare feet OF the natives sink
nolselessly In generations OF rottlng
leaves. The air Is humid and eneryat.
lng The procession glldes along as II
oppressed by some awesome presence.
II Is a world OF black shadows and
mysterious depths A hot breath.
laden with slckly and oyerpowerlng
perfumes. rises IN sitting gusts nm
The brain reels ana one longs for air
and light and sight Of green fields.
suddenly Is given a glimpse OF para.
dlse-a view OF the heavens whore
some great tree has fallen. leaving n
rent In the forest dome. In thnt tenn.
poury clearing nature seems 10 have
lavished MI her gifts. Fcstoons OF
glorious orchids stretch out in capri.
clous blooms, and wild tamarlnds. with
exquisite, plush-llke fruit. invite tho
touch. Countless butterflies hover
about fruit and flowers.
In the caravan every member acts |
now independently OF the rest No
sooner does he pitch upon n spot which
seems propltlous than down comes the
load on his head. A luncheon Of vans
md water refreshcs him, and going
from tree 10 tree, he makes gashes I'm
he bark and hangs his calabashes TO
'atch the sap. Then feeling fully sat.
SIZED with his labors. he casts himself
lown upon the ground. and lies there.
ieedless OF the crawling loglons OF In.
IecS.
Now and again he lazlly rises and
nakes the rounds OF his calabashes. 10
ee TINT all goes well. II he Is indus.
rous he Will thus collect three or four 4
'ennds OF rubber In day. The whole I
Hpvan VIII average perhaps two ,
'oinds TO each person. When the Gala. I
'rles are all full or night Is coming I
4 DE return march begins. The home. Z
omng Is marked by general congra. {
w'Nisns on the part OF those who /
hyed behind. while every proud I
vner OF a calabash or two Of rubber
counts terrible adventures, in the
hape OF spoofs lr1pards ana what
oi which have lof,iien him In the Il
crest. y
The rubber must then be boiled IN an Il
ron pot to make II coagulnte. Rolled r,
nto n ball, It Is then carried to the Il
radlng.siatlon TO be sold As the pay. h
nent goes by weight. stone or piece .,
{ Iron or lead Is often placed IN the NJ
entire OF the ball-whlch the white
IAN discovers by cutting up the ball =,
eiore he weighs II. The negroes seem >,
delight In the work when carried al
q thus in their own way. and In Brit. a,
b and French West Africa no ain. ~
ilb Is found In persuading them 10 ~
D 80. As a result. the rubber exports ~,
ON the west coast are increasing NJ
lth great rapldlty. A.