Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 65: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A POUND OF RUBBER. Mangeromas could tell friend from foe Pedro and his men had knocked down and seized upon eight Indians and three young women. These they quickly tied hand and foot and carried away into the jungle. They did not tarry after the purpose of their raid was secure, but made all speed to their canoes and hastily embarked. When morn- ing came they were far from the Man- geroma village and any possible pursuit. The next morning but one the captured Mangeroma braves were led out and chained two and two. They were fine-look- ing savages, tall and muscular and of a very light bronze color. They were almost naked, with bright feathers in their straight black hair. When they were lined up in front of the barracaos they were addressed by Pedro, who alone speaks something of their difficult tongue. ‘“ Men of the Great Forest,” began Pedro, ‘““ we have brought you here to work among the rubber trees. If you will work hard and do just as you are told you will be well treated and have plenty to eat. When the task is done you will be set free and your reward will be great.” When the task is done! Mother of God! Pedro did but jest, senhor, for this rubber work is never done. Those savages are all sullen dogs. They are fit only for extermination. They stood there with hard faces, straining at their bonds and said never a word. ‘‘ Answer!” thundered Pedro. When they made no reply, but looked at him steadily with narrowed eyes, Pedro motioned to a Peruvian caboclo to come with the whip. At the first switch of the heavy lash the youngest one among them stepped out of the line and spoke. “Why have you killed our people and carried us away?” he asked insolently. “ Because the world needs more rubber and we must have more men,” snarled Pedro. ‘““We know nothing about this work.” “ Deus!” laughed Pedro. “ But you shall learn! My caboclos are most excellent teachers.” Then did this naked savage thump his painted chest with his manacled fists and shout: 585 “T am Bi-to-ya, the son of a chief, and e: I will not cut the rubber trees, neither will I carry your loads nor paddle your canoes.” Pedro stood aghast before such brazen insolence. He was dumfounded. Then he bellowed with rage and with his fist struck the savage beast to the ground. In a thrice the young braggart was suspended by the thumbs and the whistling lash was marking his naked back. They laid on the whip well, but this savage made no sound. When he had received some fifty lashes Pedro asked him again if he would work. The answer was an insulting laugh and a taunt to go on with the beating. Pedro, wild with rage, seized the whip and struck the man senseless with its heavy butt. When those other savages saw what their chief had done they cried out in one voice that they would not work in the rubber, nor did the lash show them the folly of their obstinacy. for such laziness. Pedro chained them one and all to the mahogany trees, with their feet and legs in wooden stocks, and ordered them left without food until they should be starved to the work. There were three young women, as I have said, and two of these the caboclos passed fom one to another, as was their pleasure, or they won and lost them at cards. There was, however, one among these savage wo- men, 2 little naked bronze maid of the jungle, and she was a regular she-jaguar. The men could do nothing with her, and when Pedro attempted to talk to her of love in her own tongue she struck him in the face with a stick and laid a deep gash in his head. | Pedro ran from his tambo shrieking curses, the red blood dripping from his rage-contorted face. His cries brought up the men from their gambling and they quickly caught this devil-woman and threw her down on the earth near her people who were chained to the mahogany trees. But for the caboclos, who greatly prize these savage women, Pedro would have killed her then and there with his machete. But they thrust him aside, and two men held the struggling little bronze figure face down ‘upon the earth while another stepped for- ward with the whip. No one was looking at: Soumiebooks.-c But we have other remedies: