Bloomington High School - Aepix Yearbook (Bloomington, IL)

Page 26 text:

22 THE AEGIS Along the roadside were little children with huge bouquets of flowers which they threw into our machine as we passed by. All too soon lunch time arrived and by the time we returned to the hotel, I felt as if I had seen enough strange sights to fill a book. Rafting on the Rio Grande Rafting is rather unusual sport, to a new-comer from the 'States and the Jamaican rafts are no less curious. When I learned that seventy-five were going on this trip I thought, of course, that there would be about seven or eight rafts provided for the whole party and that each raft fprobably made of rough hewn logsj would accom- odate ten or more people. But what was my surprise and wonder to sec the shore simply lined with little light bamboo crafts, about thirty feet long and three feet wide. The bamboo used in making these were very large, perhaps five inches in diameter, and running across underneath were several poles of bamboo bound securely to the upper part by thongs. At the very end of the raft was a raised seat of the same material, to keep the water from washing up over us. On this strange craft only three persons were allowed, the two passen- gers and a guide. Soon all had chosen partners and our guides were pushing us off shore. No sooner had the raft, on which I was placed, reached mid-stream, than I heard someone calling and on turning around saw that we were being signalled from land. I guessed what they wanted before we landed again. The girl who was with me was only seventeen and they thought we each should have the protection of a man. Much to our disgust, we were separated, starting again with our new companions. The guide on my raft was a mere boy, black as all the rest, and only looked to be about eight or nine, so they exchanged him for his grandfather, a gentleman of some years. Once again we were off, the last ones to leave. We sat at the rear end and our guide stood at the very front steering us with a long pole of bamboo. The current swung us along at a great rate and we soon rounded the bend and saw many rafters ahead of us. In about five minutes we came to the first rapids. As we approached them the raft went faster and faster and in a moment we were shooting gaily over the bubbling, foaming surface. The water must have been rather shallow there because we could hear the rocks scraping against the bottom. At the foot of the rapids was a huge rock and our guide gave the raft a sharp turn, but the strong current soon caught. us and carried us in our old path, heading right for it. Just as it seemed we were about to strike it, he struck his pole against the rock. Only a moment we lingered, and then swung on down-stream. lt was great fun and quite a sensation, nevertheless I took a deep breath of relief when we were once more on our way. The second rapids were more exciting than the first and on the third ones I really thought for a moment that we were gone. The raft gave a terrible lunge and we both got a good dousing of water. But that was all and we were soon wishing for more rapids.

Page 25 text:

THE AEGIS 21 money. They seemed to have formed a kind of partnership and as soon as their cheeks were bulging with coins they always deposited their earnings with one of the rowers in the boat. All of a sudden I heard a terrible noise and screaming on deck and before I knew it one of those wiry little apes was climbing up the railing at my side. In a flash he was over the railing again and in the water below, grinning up at the sailor who was shaking a broom at him menacingly. For a shilling sev- eral of the boys offered to dive from the hurricane deck, some forty or forty- five feet from the water, and we had a. fine exhibition of high diving. After we finished breakfast all of the passengers, who were going to get off, assembled on deck to have their passports approved. We spent all of that morning motoring over the island never ceasing to wonder at the things we saw. We passed mile after mile of cocoanut, bread- fruit, royal and date palms. The eocoanut palms were simply loaded with cocoanuts. I learned that there were over fifty different kinds of palms on the island. Everything was green with luxuriant vcrdure and the gorgeous color- ings of the tropical plants, flowers and vines were startling in their splendor. Even the yards of the poorest seemed like gardens. Nothing has to be cared for there, things just grow wild. I could not find a spot that looked scrubby or bare. In Jamaica it rains practically every day, so there is no chance for the plants to get dry or dusty. Our chauffeur told us that during their last rainy season in October, a lake was formed over a hundred feet deep, by the rain pouring down the mountain side. All of the houses in the mountains were little huts woven out of laths of bamboo and the roofs were thatched. Once in a while we turned in on some road that led along one side of a mountain and then we could see thousands of feet, down into beautiful, green valleys with their odd little houses perched high on the mountain sides. One tenth of the population of Jamaica are whites and the rest are Jamai- cans Cblacksj and Coolies fHind0osl whom the English have imported from East India, to work. They are a very proud race and do not mingle with the Jamaieans. Certainly the mutilated faces of some of them attest the enmity between them and the native race. However, for the most part, these swarthy people have fine features and faces. They also dress very differently. The men wear large, white turbans and soft white robe-like costumes reaching to their knees. The women and children wear bright colors and their skirts are full and covered with designs or stripes of color. The coolies make wonderful jewelry by melting coins and then molding and pounding them into the desired shape, and carving strange figures and designs on them. They, themselves, are covered with this jewelry, consisting of nose rings, ear rings, neck rings, ankle rings, chains, finger rings, and brace- lets. Their ear rings were a subject of constant Wonder and admiration, being very beautifully and delicately worked out and very large. You can buy eoolie jewelry in the shops and once I priced a pair of these ear rings. They were sixty dollars.

Page 27 text:

THE AEGIS 23 Then clouds began to accumulate in the sky and soon the sun disappeared behind them. On we glided down the silent, glassy river, winding among mountains covered with soft and feathery bamboo. There was not a sound. Everything wasistill save the gentle lapping of the waves against the side of the raft. It began to rain, a soft pitter-patter and the fresh, green banks seemed to give out a quieter radiance of their own. Here and there were brilliant hanging vines, spreading up the mountain side in their gorgeous array of colors. We passed a score of little black Jamaican boys swimming near the shore. As we sat there in a reverie silently drinking in the beauty of it all, we little noticed our increasing speed or the gurgling of the water as it rushed over the rocks. All of a sudden 1 came to the realization that we were dashing swiftly down, down another rapids and a pleasant little thrill of anticipation ran through me. However, this thrill soon gave place to fear for in an instant we began to whirl. Our raft wheeled completely around and then struck a rock with a terrible crash and splintering. The corner of our raft against the rock acted as a pivot and as the treacherous, whirling water struck against us, over the whole thing turned and i11 almost a moment we were all three of us in the water. As we went over I had the feeling that we were in rather deep water and I was greatly relieved when I felt bottom. Notwithstanding the shallow water it seemed to me as if l would never reach the surface and in my mad scramble to get my head above water it came into rather violent contact with the raft. The shock was so great that I gulped, swallowing about a quart of water, more or less, and sank down only to 1'ise immediately quite free from the raft. I clung to the side of the raft, gulping and spluttering, with water streaming out of my nose and mouth. As soon as I could regain my senses and strength, I tugged at the raft, but it was stuck fast. At the other end a black face emerged with gleaming white teeth. I sup- pose this Hdriver to destruction was in his element but not I. l am very fond of swimming but not this kind. Then Mr. -l arose holding a camera high in his right hand. We all pulled together and finally turned over the raft, Init the poor chap lost his balance and fell in again losing his fine camera. So in- stead of saving me, the purpose for which he had been sent, I had to turn life- saver and grab hold of his hand and help him upon the raft. Once more we started 011 talking and laughing about our unusual exper- ience. lt was still raining, Init we didn't take the trouble to put up our um- brella as before. After that we went over six more rapids very successfully. When we finally came to the end of our three miles, every one was waiting anxiously for us. They evidently thought that something must have happened, because they were just going to send some one back after us. However, I found that we were not the only ones that got a ducking-which was really a consolation. It causes me much mirth when I think of how they sent Mr. -l along with me for protection. I can 't help but think that if I had stayed with my or- iginal partner, our craft would have been more evenly balanced and our acci- dent would never have occurred.