THE RUBBER FORESTS 31 



are now mature. These, the mature trees that were overlooked, 

 and the virgin stands farther from the rivers are the present 

 sources of rubber. 



In addition to the trails small cabins must be built to shelter 

 the hired laborers from the plateau, many of whom bring along 

 their women folk to cook for them. The combined expense to a 

 company of these necessary improvements before production can 

 begin is exceedingly heavy. There is only one alternative for the 

 prospective exploiter : to become a vagrant rubber gatherer. With 

 tents, guns, machetes, cloth, baubles for trading, tinned food for 

 emergencies, and with pockets full of English gold parties have 

 started out to seek fortunes in the rubber forests. If the friend- 

 ship of a party of Indians can be secured by adequate gifts large 

 amounts of rubber can be gathered in a short time, for the Indians 

 know where the rubber trees grow. On the other hand, many for- 

 tunes have been lost in the rubber country. Some of the tribes 

 have been badly treated by other adventurers and attack the new- 

 comers from ambush or gather rubber for a while only to over- 

 turn the canoe in a rapid and let the river relieve them of selfish 

 friends. 



The Compania Gomera de Mainique started out by securing the 

 good-will of the forest Indians, the Machigangas. They come 

 and go in friendly visits to the port at Yavero. If one of them is 

 sick he can secure free medicine from the agent. If he wishes 

 goods on credit he has only to ask for them, for the agent knows 

 that the Indian's sense of fairness will bring him back to work 

 for the company. Without previous notice a group of Indians 

 appears : 



"We owe," they announce. 



"Good," says the agent, "build me a house." 



They select the trees. Before they cut them down they address 

 them solemnly. The trees must not hold their destruction against 

 the Indians and they must not try to resist the sharp machetes. 

 Then the Indians set to work. They fell a tree, bind it with light 

 ropes woven from the wild cotton, and haul it to its place. That 

 is all for the day. They play in the sun, do a little hunting, or 



