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Updated: June 17, 2025
The leaves of the "bussu," with great clusters of the fruits of the catinga and patawa, were laid upon the raft; and then, Guapo, mounting himself on top of all, pushed out with his long pole, and ferried the whole across. The others walked round by the bridge, and were just in time to assist Guapo in mooring his somewhat unwieldy craft.
Next day the framework of the house was put up, and on the day after the walls. They grew wild, for the slopes of the Andes are the favourite soil of these gigantic grasses. They were set on end, side by side, and then tied to each other and to the beams of palm-trees. On the third day the "bussu" leaves were laid on, and the house was finished.
They were not pinnated like those already described, but what is termed "entire," that is, all in one piece, and thirty feet in length by full five in width! Fancy two or three dozen of these gigantic leaves standing up almost erect from the top of the thick trunk, and you may form some idea of the "bussu" palm.
The funnel was a long narrow cone, and to strengthen it, it was set within another funnel made of the thick leaf of the "bussu" palm, and then both were supported by a framework of palm fibres. Underneath the apex was placed a small pan which could afterwards be put over the fire and then cold water was thrown into the funnel along with the bark.
Leon now began to see what use he intended to make of the spade. He was going to dig a pit! That was, in fact, the very thing he was going to do, and in less than an hour, with the help of Leon, it was done the latter carrying away the earth upon "bussu" leaves as fast as Guapo shovelled it out.
Leon now began to see what use he intended to make of the spade. He was going to dig a pit! That was, in fact, the very thing he was going to do, and in less than an hour, with the help of Leon, it was done the latter carrying away the earth upon "bussu" leaves as fast as Guapo shovelled it out.
Had you entered the establishment about this time, you would have observed many odd articles and implements, most of them quite new. You would have seen boxes woven out of palm leaves, and bags made of the fibrous, cloth-like spathe of the "bussu," filled with the soft, silky cotton of the bombax, to be afterwards spun and woven for shirts and dresses.
The funnel was a long narrow cone, and to strengthen it, it was set within another funnel made of the thick leaf of the "bussu" palm, and then both were supported by a framework of palm fibres. Underneath the apex was placed a small pan which could afterwards be put over the fire and then cold water was thrown into the funnel along with the bark.
A balza raft was built out of large trunks of the Bombax ceiba, which, being light wood, was the best for the purpose. Of course these trunks had been cut long ago with a view to using them in this way. A commodious cabin, or "toldo," was constructed on the raft, built of palm and bamboos, and thatched with the broad leaves of the bussu.
Now for the thatch, that was the next consideration. "Master!" cried Guapo, pointing off into the woods. "Yonder's `bussu, very thing for thatch!" Guapo indicated a very singular-looking tree, with a thick, clumsy, crooked, and deeply ringed stem. It was not a bit like either of the palm-trees they had already cut down. Its trunk was not over ten or a dozen feet high, but then, such leaves!
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