some way we found,
scattered here and there among the other trees, a number of trees of
great height, and from two to three feet in diameter. The trunks were
round and strong, and the bark of a light colour, and not very smooth.
Their summits did not spread wide, but their appearance was especially
beautiful, from their long, thin leaves, which grew in clusters of three
together, and were of an ovate shape, the centre one rather more than a
foot in length, the others a little shorter.

"These are seringa trees," said Uncle Paul, pointing them out. "It is
with the sap which proceeds from them that I purpose to manufacture our
shoes."

I stared with astonishment, for I saw that he was not joking. He now
took the pots, to which strings had been fastened, and secured two or
three to each tree by small pegs, which he took out of his pocket.
Above each peg he made a deep incision with his stone axe, and almost
immediately a milky substance began to ooze out and drop into the pots.
Taking some himself, he bade me taste it, assuring me that it was
perfectly harmless. Its taste was agreeable,--much like sweetened
cream, which it resembled in colour.

We went on from tree to tree, cutting deeply into the bark of each, and
hanging up our pots till we had exhausted all we carried. This being
done, all hands under his direction set to work to build a hut; and he
then bade the Indians search for a nut of a peculiar palm which was
required for the operation.

These preliminary operations being concluded, we returned to the
settlement, where Uncle Paul set us to work to form several lasts suited
to the size of the feet of the different members of the party. He made
a pair for Marian; but the rest of us, he said, must be content with
shoes of the same shape for both feet; and though very rough, and not
very well shaped, they would answer our purpose. We had not time to
bestow much labour on them.

Next morning we again set out, carrying this time a couple of large
bowls, which, Uncle Paul said, would be required. On arriving at the
hut, he placed one of them on the ground, and then piled up inside the
hut a number of the palm-nuts collected on the previous day. Having
surrounded them with stones, he placed the bowl, in the bottom of which
a hole had been made, in an inverted position on the top of them. We
next went out to collect the pots we had hung up on the seringa trees.
They were all full of juice, and were brough