I' ■ : I, 11,03.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



295 



I. \ I LORENCl \ 



["RAIL 1 HRi IUGH I ' IR ESI 1 iROWTH, 



rential rains the morning breaks bright, clear, and sunshiny. 

 Then in the early afternoon heavy thunder is heard, followed 

 by the roar of the rain through the forest, the water falling in 

 sheets from one-half to one and one-half hours. It also rains 

 regularly during the night. 



When night fell at " Li Ventura" we all went indoors, for 

 beautiful though the tropical moonlight is, fevers are most 

 easily caught after sundown and particularly if one sleeps out 

 in the open. In fact, native or planter will do almost anything 

 rather than thus expose himself. We did sit in the doorway 

 for awhile and drink in the glorious 

 view of tropical luxuriance, made al- 

 most as light as day by the full moon, 

 yet softened to a weird rich beauty that 

 the northern climes cannot equal. 



For the first time in my life I slept 

 under a gracefully draped series of mus- 

 lin curtains. As there were 

 a tropical nQ moS q U j tos 1 thought it 



HOME. , M 



rather unnecessary until my 

 host said that although the country was 

 a paradise, centipedes, small snakes, 

 and tarantulas sometimes dropped from 

 the inside of the thatched roof, and 

 while they were not as poisonous as 

 many thought 1 might not care to share 

 my couch with them. I slept under a 

 blanket, it was so cool, and awoke to 

 find awaiting me, at the end of a palm 

 thatched corridor, a fine shower bath. 

 Few planters have them, but Mr. Har- 

 vey's English blood, so it is said, im- 

 pelled him to build this before he had 

 a roof on his house. It was certainly a 

 great luxury, and one to which my 

 thought often turned when later I 

 awoke from a night's alleged sleep in a 

 passenger coach or native hut. 



The day was Sunday and we had coffee and rolls soon after 

 rising, and breakfast about 12, as is the custom of the country. 

 In the afternoon many neighboring planters rode over, on 

 horses or mules, and discussed crops, asked the news from the 

 outer world, and were most cordial in their invitations to me 

 to visit their places, and it was with the greatest regret that I 

 was able to avail myself of only a few of these privileges. 



It was during this social Sabbath that I renewed a pleasant 



■» 



LA JUNTA. 



CORNER 

 YEAR 



acquaintance with the two Fish brothers, Wisconsin Yankees 

 who were looking at land in that region and who, I believe, 

 finally purchased the " La Florencia " estate, said to have the 

 oldest cultivated rubber in that district. They were hustling 

 about, seeing things in a jolly breezy fashion that made them 

 most welcome, and they helped me exceedingly by giving me 

 excellent photographs of nearby estates that I did not have an 

 opportunity to visit. 



When first I struck " La Ventura" I must confess that the 

 languor of the climate, or else my own innate laziness, led me 

 to take things very easy. The ham- 

 mock in the family room was most in- 

 viting, and in spite of the fact that 

 " Loro," the green parrot, watched until 

 I napped and then climbed down from 

 the rafters and gave me a friendly bite, 

 I luxuriated — but only for a couple of 

 days, and they were far from wasted, as 

 I drank in lots of information from my 

 host. 



The second day we started out to 

 visit the neighbors. I wanted to walk, 

 but that was out of the question so I 

 had my second experience as a horse- 

 man. I was devoutly thankful that my 

 little mare was lazy — nor did I mind it 

 that she always managed to step on my 

 toes just as I prepared to mount. But 

 she did take advantage of me when she 

 chose to stop on a log bridge not more 

 than two feet wide and standing on 

 three legs try to bite a fly that she pre- 

 tended was on the fourth. We did not 

 fall off but had I started her with voice 

 or whip I think we should have. She 

 had a habit too of imagining she saw a 

 snake ahead in the trail and suddenly 

 I staid with her every time and am still 



•:<&■ 



m 



OF RUBBER FIELD ONE 

 OLD. 



leaping to one side 



just as much surprised at it as she was. 



Our first visit was to " Ixtal," where I had a chance to again 



thank Mr. Adams for his earlier helpfulness, and also to meet 



his right hand man, Mr. Stewart. It was to mv 



IXTAL." , , , , , . 



mind, the hottest day we had experienced when we 

 finally reached the ridge upon which the plantation buildings 

 were located. By that time I was getting to be somewhat of a 

 connoisseur in rubber trees, and so, after the noon breakfast, was 



