138 NIMROD OF THE HEA; OR, 



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The cracks in the sides furnish light as well as air; the 

 overhanging thatch shuts ofE the sun ; and the houses, upon 

 the whole, look dean, cool, convenient, and not to be im 

 proved upon. There are usually two rooms — one for stor- 

 age, and one for residence. A pile of mats forms the bed. 

 The people knit very ingeniously. Examine a fine Panama 

 hat, and you may realize their skill in such work. The cord 

 hammock forms their luxurious lounge. Gourds are put to 

 the manifold uses of dish, vase, jug, and bottle, some of them 

 being of immense size. The rooms are adorned with spears, 

 broad-bladed machetes, or knives, and very excellent fishing- 

 tackle, nets, etc. 



In front of each house is a stage of poles, on which are 

 suspended stores of bananas and plantains. To save these 

 fruits from the depredations of the monkeys, they are cut 

 while green and suspended in the sun, that they may mature 

 in safety. The natives assured us that, should the banana 

 be allowed to remain on the tree a single day beyond the 

 time when it will properly ripen separated from the tree, 

 the mischievous neighbors will organize a raid, and strip the 

 orchard in a single night. The monkeys work strictly on 

 the co-operative principle. The gray-headed elders stand 

 sentry on trees near the dwellings, and keep sharp eye on 

 the movements of their tailless cousins, while the young and 

 active form a line from the fruit-trees to their hidden pantry 

 or store-house. Good judges of fruit ascend the trees, and 

 a stream of golden spoil flows steadily onward fast as. the 

 harvesters tear or bite it from the stem. If they are sur 

 prised or alarmed by the signal of the watchman, every fel- 

 low scampers to the woods with such a load as he may hap- 

 pen to have in hand, and he will only relinquish his grasp 

 to escape capture. Some assert that the mother will shake 

 her baby from her back rather than relinquish the fruit, but 

 I doubt this, in a place where bananas are so plentiful. 



