96 OUR SEARCH FOR A WILDERNESS, 



a foot or more; then the men have to work up to their 

 waists in water, chopping beneath the surface, prying the 

 pieces loose with their toes and tearing the chunks off by 

 taking long breaths and reaching far down for a few seconds 

 at a time. 



When we cross our asphalt streets and smell the tarry odor 

 and feel its softness under a mid-summer's sun, let us think 

 of the strange lake in the tropical wilderness. 



The table talk at " Headquarters," was often most amus- 

 ing. Torrents of Spanish eloquence and gesticulations kept 

 our English ears ever on the alert to follow the meaning, 

 and our sense of humor ever under strict control to pre- 

 serve well-bred gravity when such statements were made as 

 " Venezuela leads not only all the South American coun- 

 tries, but all those of North America as well, in literature, 

 art, science and commerce. When our General Blank 

 went to New York the greatest ovation ever paid any 

 general in the world was given him. New York remained 

 amazed! " 



Once only did I look amused and I have never quite 

 recovered from my mortification at thus disgracing myself. 

 Whatever the faults of the Spaniard may be, he never smiles 

 when he is not intended to; not even at the laughable mis- 

 takes which we foreigners make when we are learning his 

 beautiful language. I try to say in extenuation of my 

 unseemly mirth that the Spaniard has no sense of humor 

 and that we should very much prefer having him laugh at 

 our mistakes and letting us correct them. But all to no pur- 

 pose. I know that I did not behave like a well conducted 

 Venezolana, and nothing can alter that fact. 



The three Venezuelans had been put in charge of the 

 Pitch Lake, because their "Sister's husband's niece" 

 had power in the court of Castro. Among their regular 

 duties they included singing airs from the operas, reading 



