44 RUBBER 



Sometimes they are found in groups, sometimes scat- 

 tered about amidst the many other varieties of trees 

 which crowd the forest. Some of the grants that are 

 being worked are in the lower valleys of the rivers. 

 But in a country where " inland " is a dense barrier 

 of virgin bush, with its face quite close to the coast, it 

 is a long journey even to districts which are said to 

 be " most accessible," because they happen to be nearer 

 than others to some place where there is a town or 

 village. Many of the most accessible balata-grants 

 are a two or three weeks' journey away from the 

 nearest centre of civilization. And it takes from four 

 to six weeks to reach some of the remote ones in the far 

 interior. 



The rivers, with their tributaries and creeks, are the 

 only means of communication with the grants. Owing 

 to the enterprise of Sprostons, a local firm, and, in 

 later years, to a Government service of river transport, 

 there are steamer and launch facilities on nearly all 

 the main rivers, but although the vessels can perform 

 marvellous feats in the way of shooting rapids and 

 manipulating falls, sooner or later the terminus of 

 each civilized, up-country service is fixed by long 

 stretches of disturbed waters, which cannot possibly 

 be navigated by big craft. 



To the majority of the balata-bleeders, the river 

 steamers are a great boon. But even when these 

 men are going to one of the grants not far removed in 

 miles from a steamer terminus, they are pretty sure 

 to have to rough it on the last part of their journey, 

 for nearly aU the grants are situated on the banks of 

 a tributary or creek. 



Here is a rough sketch of one journey in which use 

 can be made of the civilized travcUmg facilities. The 



