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 a local firm, 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, Sprostons' 

 steamers are a great boon. But even when these 

 men are going to one of the grants on the near side of 

 a steamer terminus, they are pretty sure to have to 

 rough it on the last part of their journey, for nearly all 

 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 travelling facilities. The 

 balata-bleeders leave Georgetown, the capital of British 



