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Its silky fur was of a rich olive-green colour; and its fine large eyes expressed fear or joy now filling with tears, and now brightening again just like those of a child. During the summer our bark-gatherers continued their labour without interruption, and on account of the great plenty of the cinchona-trees, and their proximity to the house, they were enabled to accumulate a very large store.
It was near the end of the summer, and the cinchona-trees on the side of the river on which stood the house had been all cut down and "barked." It became necessary, therefore, to cross the stream in search of others. Indeed, numerous "manchas" had been seen on the other side, and to these the "cascarilleros" now turned their attention.
At length, all things being ready, Don Pablo and party set out for a day's work among the cinchonas. As it was the first day of bark-gathering all went along to enjoy the novelty of the thing. A "mancha" of the cinchona-trees was not far off, so their journey would be a short one. It was a very early hour when they set out, for Don Pablo and his people were no sluggards.
Presently Leon returned from the woods, and was shown the trap in full operation; but Leon, upon this day, was full of adventures that had occurred upon the hills to himself, Guapo, and Don Pablo. In fact, he had hastened home before the others to tell his mamma of the odd incidents to which he had been a witness. That morning they had discovered a new mancha of cinchona-trees.
Such was Guapo's account of these curious animals which are found only in the warmer regions of North and South America. Conversing in this way, the bark-hunters, at length, reached the cinchona-trees, and then all talk about armadillos was at an end. They went lustily to their work which was of more importance and, under Guapo's axe, several of the cinchonas soon "bit the dust."
Their home being now sufficiently comfortable, Don Pablo began to turn his attention to the object for which he had settled on that spot. He had already examined the cinchona-trees, and saw that they were of the finest species. Of the Peruvian-bark trees there are many species, between twenty and thirty.
His first thought was to leap down, and make for the cinchona-trees, where the others were; but the puma had entered the glade from that side, and it was therefore directly in his way: he would have run right in its teeth by going toward the cinchona-trees. He next thought of slipping quietly down, and getting into the woods behind him.
So it would be, did the cinchona-trees grow together in large numbers, but they do not. Only a few sometimes only a single tree will be found in one place; and I may here remark that the same is true of most of the trees of the great Montana of South America. This is a curious fact, because it is a different arrangement from that made by nature in the forests of North America.
It was yet early, the air was chilly, and the ants were not abroad; so that, after gazing for a while on these singular habitations, the bark-gatherers pursued their way, and were soon under the shadow of the cinchona-trees. In a few minutes the work began that work which was to occupy them, perhaps, for several years. The first blow of Guapo's axe was the signal to begin the making of a fortune.
Its silky fur was of a rich olive-green colour; and its fine large eyes expressed fear or joy now filling with tears, and now brightening again just like those of a child. During the summer our bark-gatherers continued their labour without interruption, and on account of the great plenty of the cinchona-trees, and their proximity to the house, they were enabled to accumulate a very large store.
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