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EXPLORING FOR CASTILLOA RUBBER 



minutes we were in dry clothing, had hammocks slung, and were 

 ravenously watching the cook prepare supper of jerked venison, bacon, 

 dago bread, and coffee. Later he made delicious chocolate, using con- 

 densed milk, and serving it in calabashes. Just here the supper and its 

 preparation suggests it let me say that the little camping stove was 

 all right, but three stones between which the fire was built were just 

 as good, while a candle box made a fine molding board. So, too, with 

 the hip boots of rubber they kept us dry a couple of times in fording 

 creeks, but it was so much easier to slop right through and dry out on 



PANAMANIANS. 



the march that we didn't bother with them after the first day or two. 

 It was lucky, however, that there were ample stores of rice and salt, 

 for the natives had neglected to clear and plant during the dry season 

 just preceding our visit, and the whole countryside was on the verge 

 of starvation. Not that they worried about it particularly ; they simply 

 ate what they could get, and contentedly waited for the next dry season 

 to come around. 



Our first night in camp part of us slept in hammocks and part on 



