232 



EXPLORING FOR CAST1LLOA RUBBER 



No incidents of special note occurred on the return trip. The 

 trails were so wet from recent rains that the many humming birds, the 

 gorgeous butterflies, and the rich tropical flowers, were hardly noted. 

 The swarms of horseflies that swooped down upon our patient beasts 

 could not be wholly ignored, however, and soon all became most expert 

 in killing them. As usual, a stray, starving dog appeared from nowhere 

 and silently attached himself to our party. Although we knew he would 

 crawl under our hammocks at night to give his fleas an opportunity to 

 emigrate to richer pastures, he was accepted without protest. He had 

 his virtues. Nothing could tempt him to steal, although starving, and 

 he would allow a wild pig to cut him to ribbons that the hunter might 

 get a shot, and he was after all the friend of man. 



During this ride a strange thing happened: Cruz asked what the 



TOWN BAKERY AT LAS MINAS. 



Americanos used the rubber for! It was the first time in the memory 

 of the Pioneer that any cholo (civilized Indian) had ever shown the 

 slightest curiosity in that direction. I doubt if he appreciated some of 

 the uses described, but the making of waterproof clothing caught his 

 fancy at once. For most of the Indians have a little bag made of cloth 

 and coated with rubber, mixed with gunpowder, if they can spare it, 

 to help the sun cure it. In this, or a purse made of iguana skin, they 

 carry flint and steel, a bit of cotton wicking with one end let into a bone 

 extinguisher, and tobacco for cigarettes. They are a quiet, anemic 

 race, very superstitious, and so fearful of spirits and tigres that if 

 overtaken by night in the forest, they climb trees, and tying themselves 

 to the limbs, remain until morning. They have a horror of gold, not 



