Post 16 Local wildlife and living in the tropics

Humming Birds

In one of the lower branches of a mango tree in our yard we found a tiny nest about the size of a small egg-cup, but not quite as deep.  It was neatly made with what looked like cotton and spider-web. In it were two very small eggs smaller than my little fingernail, while the minute mother humming-bird sat in it like a majestic queen.  

When we approached she darted here and there with her tiny wings going so fast that they could scarcely be seen. It was the noise of the wings that made the hum, and the bird hung in mid-air like a helicopter.  

Finally the eggs hatched and the two little birds had bodies about the size of my little fingernail, and their heads were the size of a sweetpea seed.  They started to get fluffy down on their black bodies and were growing nicely when suddenly they disappeared overnight, nest and all.  Possibly a tree snake had eaten them as Jim later killed a 6' green python which was hunting birds in the vine on a trellis next door.

Well Incident

Jim was the proud owner of a waterproof torch, which was good for the tropics, keeping the humidity from the batteries. Unfortunately, one night as he was using its light while drawing water from the well, the torch fell in. It shone up through the water, but evaded all attempts to net it.  

The well shaft was 25' deep and at the time it contained about 10' of water. The next morning Jim decided to go down the well with two ladders, one of which was suspended from the top. 

I was quite upset about the adventure, realising that a snake could bite him, although he had assured me that nothing more than frogs and lizards could be seen swimming in it! However, all went off uneventfully and the torch, still giving a glimmer of light, and my husband looking cleaner and cooler, emerged from the murky depths.

Chum 

When Jim made his trip to San Ramon I had not gone with him as I was pregnant and going through a time of nausea and vomiting; the heat and humidity of the wet season, as well as the poor variety of food, making life a bit difficult.  My companion at home was a little black-and-white puppy called Chum. 

We had wanted to get a puppy, and hoped that Sixto Roca, our landlord, would offer us one from his mother dog when she gave birth. 

However, he decided to move to Santa Ana with all his goods and animals, so when we saw the procession set out on their two-day journey of 33 miles to Puerto Siles on the River Mamore, we said good-bye to our hopes.  Much to our surprise, a few days later the mother dog returned from Puerto Siles and gave birth to 8 puppies in our yard under a woodpile.  We chose the only black-and-white one, and he became our family dog for many years.

Living in the Tropics

Learning to live in the Beni was a slow continuous process.  January proved to be a month of heavy rain, with the sky continually overcast, making the drying of washing a problem as well as the airing of clothing in the sun to prevent mildew. 

To our surprise and dismay we had discovered that the clothes hanging in our corner wardrobe were covered in green mould, and so they needed constant attention. 

The kitchen dresser made from palm-tree palings (astilla) also had gone green with mould, so Jim designed a cabinet with the top deck opening separately and having two wire-gauze doors and two similar windows.  It was of solid cedar and well-made, so that cockroaches had no chance of getting into it, and of course it stood on legs which also helped to keep out the ants that lived in the earth floor.

The wet weather caused a lot of disruption in the plane services and as our small radio had ceased to function, we did not get much news of the outside world. 

The radio operator at the airport suggested to Jim to give our radio a sunbath, so after pulling out its entire works and giving it a good drying-out in the sun, we again heard the B.B.C. news and a devotional programme from H.C.J.B. [spell out] 

NOTE: 

HCJB, known as “the Voice of the Andes” was the first radio station with daily programming in Ecuador, and the first Christian missionary radio station in the world. In the past the station was known worldwide for its shortwave transmissions. It was founded in 1931 and broadcast worldwide on powerful shortwave transmitters until 2014 when it ended its shortwave services and now broadcasts on FM.  

As with all countries having a governing body over broadcast operations, the call letters HCJB were obtained through the government of Ecuador, beginning with the internationally allocated prefix for Ecuador's broadcast stations (HC). 

Station co-founders Jones and Larson advocated for, and were granted by the government, call letters that were an acronym indicative of the stations' agreed purpose. The result was Heralding Christ Jesus' Blessings. 

In Spanish (one of the original broadcast languages of the South American station) the call letters represent Hoy Cristo Jesús Bendice.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HCJB#:~:text=HCJB%2C%20known

Throughout this blog story it is clear that the radio station HCJB provided wonderful encouragement in very remote locations to many, including Jim and Joy.

Gardening

Any attempts at gardening were most disheartening due to insects and the heavy rain and humidity causing everything to go mouldy and rot. We tried making a table garden about 4' off the ground, but with similar results, and even the leaf-eating ants found their way on to it.  

However, about this time the Lord answered prayer for our needs when, quite unexpectedly, a woman called to sell us some long snake-beans, small cauliflower leaves and tiny lettuce leaves all of which lasted us for three days.  

Following that, we were able to buy something from her each day for quite a while. At the same time we were able to buy a bottle of milk each day. This had to be boiled, but we enjoyed the cream, as we did not have butter. 

NOTE: This blog is a description of life in San Joaquin 75 years ago. 

Since then the creatures sharing life with the people of San Joaquin are significantly reduced due to the clearing of the jungle for farming. Life in the Beni is nothing like what is described here.  

There are now 4X4 vehicles everywhere. And motorbikes by the thousands. There is a thriving market, stores dotted around the town, and around the plaza streets, plus hotels and accommodation. 

The township of San Joaquin has great internet, so electricity is not a problem. The wells were mostly filled in when town water was connected a few decades ago. 

There are still some folks living in adobe homes with palm thatched roofs. But many of these were impacted by flooding in the last decade. Mostly, the town has lovely tiled floors and walls, red tile roofs and cobblestone streets with deep gutters to direct the copious storm water in the wet season. It’s a very pretty place.

The town plaza is beautifully designed and a lovely area for everyone to congregate under the trees. The basic layout of the town is unchanged and easily recognisable. The continuous wide verandahs line the streets with connected houses, giving shelter from rain or sun. 

At the time that Jim and Joy are writing, the local folk had their own small farms,  out of town. Everyone was more or less self-sufficient in food without a market culture existing. 

This is what made it difficult to procure food until Jim and Joy were well known and trusted.