Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-02-11
$ Or Y r.


could we do for our living? That was now the
question.
1--WE went to neighboring planter, in the
nearest settement-for we were camping out in
the wilds, fifty miles from a house-and put
the thing plainly to him. He was a knd-hearted
man, in his way, as shareholders go, and he pit
led plight; though, like most Portuguese.
Americans, he hadn't the slightest idea what
earth we could want to go hunting beetles and
weeds for. He didn't even understand what
science meant. He regarded us as couple of
amiable but peculiar lunatics. Still, we were
white men, and he pitied plight. III tell
You what III do for YOU he said to us in Portu-
guese, III take you upon my estates to work
at the cocoa plantations
1--WE dehberated together. IL was hard
alternatives work, wholly unfit for Europeans
in that deadly climate. But it was all we could
get, and we managed IL this way: Every second
day Fred took his place on the estate, with
gang of slaves, and did his days labor, for
slaves rations and a few pence as wages; while
/ went out in the forest, usual, collecting.
Then, on the alternate days, took my place in
the gang while Fred went off with his gun,
after birds and monkeys In this way count
ed together as one man, and we lived between
us, one slaves food, eked out with what lit
tie we could buy with daily wage, after
keeping ourselves in ammunition and SO forth.
On Sundays and other days celebrated there,
however, we had a holiday together; and then
we collected with all our might and main, it
was the only time we could get out into the
woods both at once, and in hunting two men
abreast can do more in day than one alone
can effect in a fortnight. In the twilight, too,
we made some capital finds, can tell you, and
often we almost did ourselves out OF our nights
rest in order to make haste with OUR precious
collection.
1t took us eighteen months, all the same, I'M
der these altered circumstances, and with i'll
made powder, to gather together what we had
managed before in twelve. But at last with hard
work our collection ready, almost as good
as the first and in some respects richer.
"Then the question arose, how were we to
get it to the sea and ship it to England? Fred
was the stronger of the two, and there were lots
of boxes. So, in spite of his previous misfortune
we decided that he must take charge of it, with
friendly Indian to help him, and must see 1t
off from Bahia in the usual fashion. l was to
stop behind, and work on the plantation every
day alike, in his absence, saving my wages as
far as 1 could, and then, when he returned, l
was to 90 on to Bahia, with my cash in my
hands and await the arrival Of our expected re-
mittance, while he in turn worked on upon the
estate for livelihood.
'fI can tell you it was dreary long time while
Fred was away, and had to toll and mol, all
alone by myself, in that sultry climate, surround
ed bv natives who talked bad Portuguese
and without friend equal Of any sort
near me- Sometimes 1 almost despaired in the
hot tropical monday, working away under the
fierce sun, with the rest Of the gang by my
side. and not Christian soul to say God-speed
to me anywhere. The very natives despised mo
for mean white-a declasse gentleman. Night
after night lay awake by myself, and half cried
in my misery, and prayed for Fred to return,
and thought of one face 1 had left in England
That's Lady Spen~s portrait as she looked in
those days-not Lady Spence then, of course
but it doesn't do her justice. / wondered
whether I'd done right to away from her
like that, on wild-goose chase for sciences
sake, when ought to have stopped at home and
cast up accounts in the city.
"At last. however those terrible three months
passed away, and Fred returned from the coast
very weary and i'll, but ready to take my place,
and relieve me from duty. It with sink
inp heart I set off in my turn, though I was
worn and ill., for I couldn't bear to leave him
behind in such lonely slavery as | myself had
endured those three months without him.
"I got to Bahia in due course, with few
pounds in pocket which soon melted away, as
Won can easily imagine, with the expenses of life
in a civilized city, I was waiting for the mail
to arrive from England, bringing me in news,
and I hoped, too remittance, from our Lon
don agents. Fred had reported well of our
chances of success, for German professor, who
happened to be at Bahia when ne was sending
them off, inspected the things before they went,
and was enchanted at the variety and value of
our collection We trusted our troubles would
soon be over and we might begin in real earn
est collecting on own account, and making
the needful observations to complete our theory.
ebay after day passed, and the mail didn't
arrive Mails to South America, in those days,
were very movable feasts. week or two more
or less hardly astonished anybody. But my
money market was getting remarkably tight, and
every twenty-four hours to me was life and