748 



Popular Science Munfhhi 



The native boys climb with the agility 

 of monkeys, using their hands and feet 



How West Indians Walk Up 

 Coconut-Palm Trees 



TIII'^ xisilor to llic Wt-st Indies 

 (jften looks with longing at 

 the great biniches of coconuts 

 swinging at the summits of the 

 lofty palm trees and (juile out of 

 reach of ordinary mortals. You 

 may lliink that the natixes wait 

 until till' niit> ripen and fall before 

 gatlu-ring tlu'ni. or you may remem- 

 ber childhood tales of ix'tulant 

 monke\s throwing the nuts at 

 human l>eings below. Mut if you 

 express a desire for a few coconuts 

 and back up \our request with a 



few pennies, \ou will disco\er that the 

 colored bo\s neither wait for the nuts 

 to fall nor depend on monkeys to throw 

 them down. Instead the nimble darke\ •. 

 will climb up the smoothest and talle t 

 trees to gather the nuts, for the\' arj 

 c\er\' bit the equals of monkeys in this 

 respect. 



Instead of "shinnying" up as northern 

 boys climb oiu" trees or hugging the 

 trunk with arms and legs, the West 

 Indian negroes actually walk up the 

 trees. Clasping the smooth trunk with 

 their hands and placing the soles of their 

 feet against it they ascend the trees wit!.- 

 out the least ditticulty and descend 

 in the same manner. 



So prehensile can the toes become that 

 West Indian sailors climb ropes and 

 rigging as the\- do palm trees; it is not an 

 uncommon sight to see a black seaman 

 walk up the polished mast of his sloop. 



Manhole Ventilated with Electric Fan 

 to Cool Men Below 



WORKMEN employed in the con- 

 duits of a Los Angeles electric 

 company are enabled to work in comfort 

 while underground by the use of an 

 electric fan for \entilation. The man- 

 hole is protected b\" a portable railed 

 eiulosiire, to keep any careless motorist 

 from (lri\ iiig into it. and at the base of 

 tlie railing is set an ordinary- electric fan, 

 so arranged that the blades dri\e the 

 air straight down. This affords a cool 

 breeze that reaches the workman in the 

 hut and stulTy cell below the pavement 

 and .idds a great deal to hi- comfort. 



The til.uics of the elcilru- l:in suspetuud :{\ tlie 

 nianliole drive the air currents straiftht down 



