122 CAMPS IN THE CARIBBEES. 



its breaking. With these he fastened the framework 

 together. 



By this time Meyong had returned with a back- 

 load of strips of thin white bark. They were about 

 six feet in length, and looked like great flakes 

 of slippery-elm bark. Upon examination I found 

 that they were the sheaths or layers from around 

 the terminal bud of the mountain palm. This bud, 

 which is much sought as a delicacy, and cooked 

 like cabbage, forms the apex of the stem of the 

 palm ; and this rare vegetable, forming only enough 

 for a meal for a small party, is only obtained by 

 cutting down one of the stateliest trees in the 

 world. It was from a fallen palm that Meyong had 

 stripped these layers, which he now threw upon the 

 ground. 



With his cutlass he shaved away the middle of 

 each, thus making the central portion so thin that 

 it could be spread out flat. Each piece was then 

 about four feet broad and six to seven long ; and two 

 breadths of four pieces each completely covered the 

 skeleton shape of the roof and made a water-tight 

 covering. The lower course was laid first, with the 

 upper overlapping it, like two rows of shingles. 

 Across each course was laid a pole, fastened at either 

 end to the poles projecting on each side underneath. 

 In less than an hour we had a good roof over us, im- 

 pervious to water. A few palm leaves were fastened 

 at the sides, and a huge back-load of small and 

 springy leaves thrown on the ground for a bed. Over 

 these I threw my poncho of rubber silk and a warm 

 gray blanket to protect me from the night air. Thus 

 we had house, and food at hand, all obtained from 



