2l8 DICK SANDS, THE BOV CAPTAIN. " And thcrc, madam/' he saîd, addressing Mrs. Weldon, "wc can ofTer you evcry essential comfort, though you may not find thc luxurics of your own home in San Francisco." Mrs. Wcldon rcixratcd her expression of gratitude for thc profTcrcd hospitality, owning that she should now be cxrccclin^ly glad to rcach thc farm, as shc was anxious aixiiit hcr littlc son, who appearcd to bc threatencd with thc .symptoins of incipicnt fcver. Harris could not dcny that although the dimate was usually vcry hcalthy, it neverthelcss did occasionally producc a kind of intermittent fever during March and April. '* But nature has provided the proper remedy," saîd Dick; and pcrceiving that Harris did not comprehend hîs meanîn^, hc continucd, "Are we not in the région of the cjuinquinas, thc bark of which is notoriously the medicîne with wlîicli attacks of fcver arc usually treatcd? for my j)art, I ain ama/x'd that vc hâve not sccn numbcrs of them alrcady.'* " Ah! ycs, ycs; I know what you mean," answered Harris, aftcr a moincnts hésitation; "they are trees, how- ever, not always casy to find; tlicy rarely grow in groups, and in spitc of their large leavcs and fragrant red blossom, thc Indians thcmsclves often hâve a difficulty in recogniz- ing thcm; the fcature that distinguishes them most is their cvcrgrccn foliagc.'* AtMrs. Wcldon's rcqucst, Harris promised to point out the trec if hc should sec onc, but addcd that when she reached the hacienda, shc would bc able to obtain some sulphate of quinine, which was much more cfficacious than the un- prcparcd bark.* The day passcd without furthcr incident. No rain had fallen at présent, though thc warni mist that rose from the soil betokened an approaching change of weather; the rainy season was ccrtainly not far distant, but to travellers
- This bark was formerly, reduced to powder, known as " Pulvis Jcsuiticus,"
hecause in the year 1649 the Jesuits in Rome imported a large quantity of it from their missionaries in Soulh America.
