BARK CLOTH. 



211 



The forest trees decrease in size and thickness ; as we descend the 

 canebrake takes their place. Some of the logs on the beach and snags 

 in the stream are larger than those we generally see. These large trees 

 are found in the upper forests as the exception rather than the rule. 



The general course of the Chapare is north ; its bottom is sandy 

 and muddy. There are no streams flowing into it, nor are there any 

 appearance of beds of streams to be filled in the rainy season. We 

 judged, therefore, the country on both sides of it, as far as we have come 

 upon it, is a dead level. 



After breakfast the men entered the woods, cut down some .trees, 

 stripped off the bark twelve or fourteen feet long and two feet wide, 

 rolled it and brought it on board. 



The common percussion lock shot-gun is the proper arm for the 

 traveller in this country ; the shot will keep him supplied with game. 

 In case of necessity, a ball carried in the pocket can be slipped in over 

 the shot, and answers all purposes, as the ball does execution much 

 farther than an Indian's arrow. The most serviceable and important 

 arms are double-barrelled shot-gun and a five-chambered revolver of 

 Colt's. 



The men pull irregularly. When they pull a moderate stroke, by our 

 log they make about two miles per hour ; but going with the current 

 they only pull half the time, because on their upward passage they are 

 obliged to pull incessantly, except when they stop for breakfast, or for 

 the night. The down trip is the resting one. They work hard when 

 they meet with obstructions, and overcome the difficulties. When they 

 find things in their favor, they slide through them as easily as possible. 



After supper they commenced manufacturing bark cloth by the light 

 of the firo. The end of the piece of bark was laid over the end of a 

 smoothly -barked log, and they commenced beating upon it with mallets, 

 beginning at the corner and striking diagonally the piece to the 

 middle, where the mallet was turned to the same angle at the other 

 corner. They beat the bark regularly along. The fibres spread out, and 

 the piece two feet wide was beaten out one foot more, to the thickness of 

 stout pilot cloth. After all is beaten out, it is rolled up. The cloth is 

 afterwards spread out in the sun to dry; the sap which has been so thor- 

 oughly pressed out from among the fibres by the beating, soon becomes 

 dissipated by the sun, and the cloth is left with quite a woolly feel, and 

 is painted in figures to suit the fancy of the wearer. By his own pecu- 

 liar process it is cut out to form a very simple garment, and the Indian 

 is dressed in a fancy-colored shirt, which reaches below his knees. 

 This, with a hat of grass from the river-bank, is his wardrobe, except an 



