THE ROMANCE OP RUBBER 



pleased when they arrive at this goal, for they can see 



at a glance that their experiment has proved successful. 



True, the sap has now ceased to flow, but it is more 



than likely that some fresh wounds would produce a 



further supply. And sufficient for the moment is the 



joy of finding in the hole beneath the tree a big lump 



of solid something, like the material of the toy which 



their guide made yesterday. It is scooped out of its 



semicircular mould, is found to be still soft enough to 



work, and is quickly rounded by hand into the form of 



a ball. 



* * * * * 



Many years have passed since this new kind of gum 

 was discovered ; but we are still living in the days of 

 Once Upon a Time when we pay our second visit to 

 the country where flourishes the tree of supply. In the 

 interval since our first visit, the aborigines have had 

 no communication with the civilized world. Yet they 

 have contrived to make their new material serve more 

 purposes than the original one of providing them with 

 playthings. They have found out that it is water- 

 proof, so they now smear it over pouches for holding 

 treasures which they want to protect against a tropical 

 downpour. And see the mere savage discovering a 

 new use for this product which is destined to put the 

 whole civilized world under a debt of gratitude to him. 

 He rubs a thick coating of the sap over his feet — and 

 lo and behold ! when it has dried and he wriggles his 

 feet free, he is the proud possessor of the first pair of 

 galoshes ever made. 



