MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS 511 



the consequent destruction of the vines by wrong 

 tapping methods. 



" Generally the rubber milk or latex begins to flow 

 soon after the commencement of the rainy season 

 (December) and continues for several months. Tap- 

 ping here simply consists in climbing up the vines or 

 supporting trees and slicing off pieces of the bark at 

 intervals of 9 in. or a foot. In a short time the latex 

 has exuded in the form of thick cream (a thin fluid at 

 mid-season), which soon coagulates. 



" This is then picked off and rolled into small balls, 

 when it is ready for barter. A certain loss of weight 

 occurs some 5 per cent. on the voyage to Europe. 

 A native may collect from 12 to 24 ozs. of rubber per 

 day, this depending on the amount of latex flowing. 

 The chief collecting centres are the villages of Mako- 

 pira, Mwanga, Mipeme and Mbico, from three to four 

 days' march from the coast." (Mr. J. Stocks' Report 

 to the Search Syndicate, 1907.) 



With all these drawbacks the rubber of the Companhia 

 do Nyassa was awarded a Gold Medal at the Exposition 

 Universelle de Paris, 1900. (See Exposition Universelle 

 de Paris, 1900 : Portugal, Catalogue Officiel, page 95.) 



At the Colonial Exhibition, organised by the Geo- 

 graphical Society of Lisbon, in 1906, the Companhia 

 do Nyassa exhibited eighteen samples of rubber produced 

 in the Makonde district, the Gold Medal Diploma being- 

 granted for the rubber of the Territories. 



The great natural riches which exist in the Makonde 

 District in the shape qf Landolphias, and the desire to 

 prevent its rapid extinction owing to wasteful native 

 methods of collection, attracted the attention of Euro- 

 pean merchants. But the first attempt at pacific 

 penetration into the district received opposition from 

 the natives. It was not until 1913 that it became pos- 

 sible to commence the occupation of that extensive 

 district. The following phrases give an idea of the 

 difficulties of such an occupation . . . " Very dense 

 jungle, penetration into which is dangerous, and within 

 which the first Makonde settlements would be encoun- 

 tered . . . Leaving in the direction of Micumba, 



