220 EXPLORING FOR CASTILLO A RUBBER 



In one corner was a hole in the ground about two feet deep and eighteen 

 inches in diameter, to receive the rubber milk, and in which it was late 

 coagulated. ' Three stones as big as a man's head formed the fireplace., 

 with a bunch of dry sticks for fuel ; calabashes for gathering, the machete 

 for tapping, and the amole vine for coagulating, finish the tale of the 

 rubber gatherers' equipment. 



Although camp Rio Negro was headquarters, we were often obliged 

 to make other camps for a few days. For example, when examining 

 the upper valleys one thousand feet above sea level, a rubber gatherers 

 shack was our home for three days. Two things in particular were noted 

 on this trip. The rubber tree rarely grew on the tops of the "hog backs'' 

 or ridges but on the sides, and in the valleys. Nor did it grow in 

 wet lands at all. Then the seeding of the tree at that altitude was about 

 a month later than on lands from fifty to three hundred feet above 1 



sea. , 



There was much less game in the upper country, and, weary < 

 tinned meats, it was not surprising that we tried and enjoyed parrot 

 stew or that the monkeys should have been turned into rabbit stew- 

 not big, black, twenty-five-pound monkeys, of which we shot several, 

 but the little brown-faced edible monkeys. 



It is not to be supposed that all work was done on foot. Wherevei 

 it was feasible either horses or mules were used, and by following the 

 ancient Indian trails we were able to save ourselves much time and toil 

 The horses were small, gentle stallions and quite surefooted. 

 gentle and so thev were toward all of human kind, but when turned 

 out to' browse there were some very pretty stallion fights, with no harm 

 done however. The mules were small, but strong, and made mud: 

 troub'le because thev knew of the grass plains some miles distant, and 

 were in the habit of stealing away at night and making for them. As 

 the trails in some places were very steep, I chose a little mule called 

 Chiquita, and she proved to be a treasure. She could ford a swift run- 

 ning river and keep her feet, while the others were stumbling and half 

 swimming I verily believe she could climb a greased pole or slide down 

 a log chute and never miss her footing, if she so elected. The Scout. 

 the Pioneer, and the Prospector rode horses, while the Commodore, 

 who was a trifle over two hundred in weight, took the mula grande , 



Diking of the Commodore's mount, I thought he would have 

 trouble for that particular mule demanded the same treatment that the 

 other mules received. I saw him watch me when I leaned forward in 



