Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-07-26
CHAPTER v.
The Village In the jungle.

THAT night we spent at place
called Pena Blanca, which diff
fered In no essential from Ga
4 tun. We slept there in small
sheds, along with twenty or thirty OF
our ships companions wedged tightly
together. A dozen other similar sheds
adjoined. We We're all quarrelsome
and disinclined to take much nonsense
either from the natives or from each
other. Also we needed and wanted
food, and we had difficulty in getting
It A dozen incipient quarrels were
extlnguished because the majority of
the crowd would not stand for being
bothered by the row.
The next day was clearing, with oc-
cas;onal heavy dashing showers, just
to keep US interested. The country be-
gan more to open up. We passed
many grass savannahs dotted with
palms and tree something like our
locust. Herds Of cattle fed there. The
river narrowed and became swifter.
Along in the early forenoon we reach
ed holder shores in which the trap
rock descended sheer beneath the sur
face of the water. Directly ahead of
us rose mountain like a cone Of
verduTe. We glided around the base
of 1t and so came to Gorgona, situated
on high bluff beyond. This we had
decided upon as the end of our river
journey. To be sure we had bargain
ed for Cruces, six miles beyond. but
as the majority of our ships compan-
ions had decided on that route we
thought the Gorgona trail might be
less crowded. SO we beached our boat
and unloaded our effects and set forth
to ffrd accommodations for the pres
ent and mules for the immediate fu-
ture.
At first there seemed slight chance
Of getting either. The place was
crowded beyond its capacity. The Ho-
tel Franchise. shed and tent sort of
combination with muddy natural
floor. was jammed. The few native
huts were crowded. Many we saw
making themselves as comfortable as
possible amid their effects out in the
~.
had been there for over week, un.
able to move because of lack of trans.
portation. They reported much fever.
and, In fact, we saw one poor shaking
wretch, wistful eyed as sick dog.
braced against a tree all alone. The
spirit was drained out of him. and all
he wanted was to get back.
While we, We're discussing what to
do next our muslin clad eX-padrone,
who had.been paid and shaken by the
hand some time since, approached
smoking longer cigar than ever
This he waved at us in most debo.
nair and friendly manner.
BREAD ON the water" commented
Talbot after a short conversation. "He
says we have treated him like broth.
er and true comrade in arms, which
means that / did. You fellows, con-
found your spiteful souls, wanted to
throw him overheard dozen times.
And now he says to follow him and
he'll get us place to stay"
"Some native pigsty with fleas," I
remarked skeptlcally aside to Johnny.
"You conn.," begged the padrone,
with fash Of teeth.
We came bearing our household
goods, because we could nowhere see
any one to bear them for us. At that
we had to leave the heaviest pieces on
the beach. Talbot insisted on Juggling
his huge bundle of newspapers.
ssThey may come In handy" he an
swered us vaguely. well, they're
mine, and this is my back" he coun-
tered to Johnny's and my Impotence
with such foolishness.
The padrone led up through town to
the outskirts. There we came to a
substantial low house Of several rooms,
with veranda and veritable chimneys.
The earth in front had been beaten SO
hard that even the downpour Of yes
terday had not appreciably softened it.
To our summons appeared very suave
and courteous figure, that, 1t appeared,
Of the alcalde of the place
"My fr'en'," explained the padrone
in English, for our benefit, "they good
peepele. They wan estay. Got no
place estay."
The alcalde, a portly gentleman with |
side whiskers and great deal Of dig
nifty, bowed.
"My house is oil yours" said he.
Thus, although arriving late, we stop
ped at the best quarters in the town.
The sense of obligation to any one but
our. boatman was considerably relieved
when next day we paid what we owed
for our lodging. Also, had it not been
for Talbot and Johnny, am sure
Yank and would have taken to the
Jungle. There seemed to be required
so much bowling, smiling, punctilious-
ness and elaborate compltmenting that
In a short time felt myself in the pre-
else mental attitude of very small
shaking the bars of his cage
with all four hands and gibbering In
the face of some benign and Infinitely
superior professor. fairly ached be-
hind the ears trying to look sufficiently
alert and bland and intelligent. Yank
sat stolid, chewed tobacco and spat out
Of the window, which also went far
toward stampeding me. Talbot and
Johnny, however, seemed right at
home. They capped the old gentle
mans most elaborate and involved
speeches, they talked at length and
about nothing at all their
smiles We're rare and sad and linger-
lng-not bit like my imbecile though
~, ,I,N<r HOW nod