220 
EXPLORING FOR CASTILLO A RUBBER 
In one corner was a hole in the ground about two feet deep and eighteen 
inches in diameter, to receive the rubber milk, and in which it was later 
coagulated. Three stones as big as a man’s head formed the fireplace, 
with a bunch of dry sticks for fuel ; calabashes for gathering, the machete 
for tapping, and the amole vine for coagulating, finish the tale of the 
rubber gatherers’ equipment. 
Although camp Rio Negro was headquarters, we were often obliged 
to make other camps for a few days. For example, when examining 
the upper valleys one thousand feet above sea level, a rubber gatherer's 
shack was our home for three days. Two things in particular were noted 
on this trip. The rubber tree rarely grew on the tops of the “hog backs" 
or ridges, but on the sides, and in the valleys. Nor did it grow in 
wet lands at all. Then the seeding of the tree at that altitude was about 
a month later than on lands from fifty to three hundred feet above the 
sea. 
There was much less game in the upper country, and, weary of 
tinned meats, it was not surprising that we tried and enjoyed parrot 
stew, or that the monkeys should have been turned into rabbit stew — 
not big, black, twenty-five-pound monkeys, of which we shot several, 
but the. little brown-faced edible monkeys. 
It is not to be supposed that all work was done on foot. Wherever 
it was feasible either horses or mules were used, and by following the 
ancient Indian trails we were able to save ourselves much time and toil. 
The horses were small, gentle stallions and quite surefooted. I said 
gentle, and so they were toward all of human kind, but when turned 
out to browse there were some very pretty stallion fights, with no harm 
done, however. The mules were small, but strong, and made much 
trouble because they knew of the grass plains some miles distant, and 
were in the habit of stealing away at night and making for them. As 
the trails in some places were very steep, I chose a little mule called 
Chiquita, and she proved to be a treasure. She could ford a swift run- 
ning river and keep her feet, while the others were stumbling and half 
swimming. I verily believe she could climb a greased pole or slide down 
a log chute and never miss her footing, if she so elected. The Scout, 
the Pioneer, and the Prospector rode horses, while the Commodore, 
who was a trifle over two hundred in weight, took the mala grande or 
big mule. 
Speaking of the Commodore's mount, I thought he would have 
trouble, for that particular mule demanded the same treatment that the 
other mules received. I saw him watch me when I leaned forward in 
