174 IN THE WILDS OF SOUTH AMERICA 



used to express the poisonous juice of the yucxi root in 

 making ^tmasM^Bi; blow-guns ten feet long, hammocks, and 

 fishing-tackle. Everything was • immaculately clean and 

 well arranged. On one side two small rooms had been 

 built of adobe, one for the chief, and the other for storing 

 baskets of mandioca, each of which held about a hundred 

 poimds. 



A walk aroimd the edge of the clearing disclosed an ob- 

 scure trail which zigzagged and wound through the forest 

 about a mile and then opened into an immense plantation, 

 which we estimated contained not less than a hundred 

 acres. The trees had been cut down and burned, and 

 yucas neatly planted in hills stretched to the very edge of 

 the clearing. Through the centre ran lanes of plantain 

 and banana plants, bordered by rows of pineapples, sugar- 

 cane, and cashews. The ground was carefully cultivated, 

 and there were no weeds; the stalks of uprooted plants had 

 been piled around the edge of the field forming a thick 

 fence. The reason for maintaining such large plantations 

 is that the women make a good deal of memdteea to sell to ' 

 the traders for cloth, matches, perfume, and trinkets. 

 The men clear the ground; the women plant and care for 

 the crops. From the juice of the yuca a very intoxicating 

 drink called casire is made, and of this great quantities 

 are consumed during the wild orgies which take place at 

 frequent intervals. Boiling and fermentation destroy the 

 poisonous effect of the fresh juice. 



We found the forest around camp to be all but impene- 

 trable on account of the underbrush and creepers. Also, 

 there were a number of windfalls where cyclones had cut 

 wide, clean swaths through the forest, leaving an upheaved 

 barrier that could not be crossed without the liberal use of 

 axe and machete. Small birds were abundant and travelled 

 in mixed flocks. Of the larger birds there was an unfail- 

 ing supply; guans and curassows strutted unconcernedly 

 about, or flew into the lower branches of the trees to look 

 at us with surprise or resentment; large tinamou ran about 



