The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1930-08-15
Continuation of
CHAPTER XIV,

Fritz brought one day, after ar
excursion to the opposite side Of
the stream beyond the Gap, q
cluster of bananas, and also of ca
Gao beans, from which chocolate
is made.
The banana, although valuable
and nourishing food for the ma
tives of the tropical countries
where it grows, is not generally
liked by Europeans, and probably
this variety was even inferior tc
many others, for we found the
fruit much like rotten pears, and
almost UNBEATABLE.
The cacao seeds tasted exceed
ingly bitter, and it seemed won
derful that by preparation they
should produce anything so deli
cious as chocolate.
My wife, who now fancied nc
manufacture beyond my skill, beg
ged for plants, seeds, or cuttings
to propagate in her nursery gar
den, already fancying herself in
the enjoyment of chocolate for
breakfast, and promised to make
a cacao plantation near home.
Let me have bananas also"
said she, "for we may acquire a
taste for that celebrated fruit,
and, at all events, l am sure l can
make it into an excellent pre-
serve"
The day before our return to
Rockburg, Fritz went again to the
inland region beyond the river to
obtain a large supply of young
banana plants, and the cacao fruit.
He took the cajack, and a bundle
of reeds to float behind him as
a raft to carry the fruit, plants,
and anything else he might wish
to bring back.
In the evening he made his ap-
~pearance, coming swiftly down
stream, His brothers rushed to
meet him, each eager to see and
help to land his cargo.
Ernest and Fritz were quickly
running up the bank, with arms
full of plants, branches and fruits,
when Fritz handed to Jack a
dripping wet bag which he had
brought along partly under water.
A CT o altering noise proceed
ed from this bag, but they kept
the contents a secret for the pres
ent, Jack running with it behind
a bush before peeping in, and
could just hear him exclaim:
"Hullo! | say, what monsters
they are. It's enough to make a
fellows flesh creep to look at
With that he hastily shut up
the bag, and put it away safely
out of sight in water.
Securing the cajack, Fritz
sprang toward us, his handsome
face radiant with pleasure, as he
a beautiful waterfowl.
It's plumage was rich purple,
changing, on the back to dark
green; the legs, feet, and a mark
above the bill. bright red. This
lovely bird / concluded to be the
cock described by Button,
and as it was gentle, we gladly
received it among our domestic
pets.
Fritz gave a stirring account Of
his exploring trip, having made
lis way up the river, between
plains and majestic forests I
If lofty trees, where the cries of
asst numbers Of birds, parrots, {
,eacocks, guinea fowls, and hun
lreds unknown to him, quite be-
vildered, and made him feel ;
,iddy. :
at was. in the Buffalo Swamp" :
continued he, that / saw the ;
plendid birds you call sultan
.ocks, and l set my heart on :
atching one alive, which, as they :
eemed to have little fear of my r
.pproach, l managed by means of :
wire snare. Farther on l saw ;,
grove of minosa trees, among :
7hich huge dark masses were
in a deliberate way. Guess !.
they were!" J.
"Savages?" asked Franz timidly. I
"Black bears, / bett" cried Jack. L
your words suggest to my d
lind the manner and appearance v
f elephants" said Ernest. l
Right you are, Professor" ex- u
laimed Fritz gaily, the words pro-
ucing quite a sensation on the I
hole attentive family. From fiji u
to twenty elephants were :
peacefully on the leafy Il
ougha, tearing down branches
18th their trunks and showing +
lem into their mouths with one II
.rk, or bathing in the deep wa D
,rs of the marsh for refreshment "
| the great heat. You cannot
the wild grandeur of the e.
;enei The river being YER broad "
felt safe from wild animals, in
nd more than once saw splendid al
.guars crouched OF the banks, b
Ieir glossy skin glancing in the r.
CT
While considering il it would
/. simply foolhardy to try a shot al
one of these creatures, l was bI
iddenly convinced that discretion cl
" " -- --1~- a-
.ging my canoe into the center ra