The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-07-17

these regions an abomination in the eyes of the
sarrapieros. They feed on the small immature
fruit of the trees in the months of October and
November, long before the beans are ready to be
gathered, and often focks of these devastating
birds may be seen wherever a large tonqua-bean
tree is to be found. According to Eugene Andre,
the English naturalist, no birds are more extrav.
agant than parrots in their method of feeding,
not SO much on account of what they consume
as of what they waste. Wherever these birds
have eaten the ground is strewn with fruit only
clawed and then awkwardly dropped. or perhaps
with just a small piece bitten off. Hence the
destruction before maturity of enormous quaint
ties of the valuable beans.
In Andres account of the industry In "A Natur-
alist in the Guianas'' he states that It is usually
about the beginning of February that the sar-
rapieros begin to organize their expeditions to
the interior to collect the beans. For two or
three months thereafter the Caura river presents
a scene of animation. Boats of every size and
description may be seen making their slow prog
ress up the strong current of the river. Here
will be seen a large bongo, or dugout canoe, of
several tons capacity, carrying an entire family
up the stream and laden with provisions for a
stay of several weeks. Again small skifs, Just
large enough for the two Woodworking paddlers
and their outfit may be seen making somewhat
better progress. Occasionally a fotilla of several
boats carrying a larger expedition, consisting of
10 to 20 men, is met with. Progress up the
river is slow and frequent stops at the settle
mentS along the banks are made for the purpose
OF laying in fresh supplies, resting, and having
a good time. Many of the sarrapieros are old
hands at the business and usually stop at the
places leading to the sarrapiales with which
they are familiar. They know every inch of the
ground and every tonQua-bean tree in the dis
trict. Cano Guayapo, Suapure, Temblador, and
La Prision are the names Of some of the settle
ments where most of the boats stop. A few of
the more energetic sarrapieros push on farther
to Cangrejo, but it is hard work getting through
the rapids OF Mura and Piritu.
AS soon as a party has selected a spot as a
center of operations, the men build the ranches
or huts which are to be their homes for perhaps
two or three months. II the fruit is sufficiently
ripe and has commenced to fall, they begin gath
ering at once. Otherwise they spend the inter-
vening time in locating the best trees and in
hunting and fishing. When the fruit begins TO
fall, everyone gets busy. Men, women, and chill
dren all take part in the work Of collecting. BY
daybreak the workers scatter through the forest
and no fruit-bearing tree is overlooked. After
all the fruit of the trees near to the ranches has
been gathered the men go farther into the for
ests, sometimes taking supplies with them and
remaining absent for a week or two. During
this time they sleep In the forest in their ham,
mocks, using ~plantain leaves or palm branches
as a covering to keep dry when it rains.
The fruit of the tonqua-bean tree. or ~sarrapia,
esemble a mango in appearance. has but little