Continuing our way through a thicket, which was so densely overgrown with lianas [Footnote: Lianas are climbing plants which have thick, woody stems, and which wind themselves about other plants for support. They are particularly plentiful in the Amazon region of South America] that we had to clear a passage with our hatchets, we again emerged on the seashore beyond, and found an open view, the forest sweeping inland, while on the space before us stood at intervals single trees of remarkable appearance. We approached to examine them, and I recognized them as calabash trees, the fruit of which grows in a curious way on the stems, and is a species of gourd, from the hard rind of which bowls, spoons and bottles can be made. "The savages," I remarked, "are said to form these things most ingeniously, using them to contain liquids; indeed, they actually cook food in them. When the gourd is divided in two, and the shell or rind emptied of its contents, it is filled with water, into which the fish, or whatever is to be cooked, is put; red-hot stones are added until the water boils; the food becomes fit to eat, and the gourd rind remains uninjured. Now suppose we prepare some of these calabashes, that they may be ready for use when we take them home." Fritz instantly took up one of the gourds, and tried to split it equally with his knife, but in vain; the blade slipped, and the calabash was cut jaggedly. "What a nuisance!" said Fritz, flinging it down; "the thing is spoiled; and yet it seemed so simple to divide it properly." "Stay," said I; "you are too impatient; those pieces are not useless. Do you try to fashion from them a spoon or two while I provide a dish." I then took from my pocket a piece of string, which I tied tightly round a gourd, as near one end of it as I could; I then tapped the string with the back of my knife, so that it penetrated the outer shell. When this was accomplished, I tied the string yet tighter; and drawing the ends with all my might, I divided the gourd exactly as I wished. "That is clever! It certainly makes a capital soup tureen, and a soup plate, too," said Fritz, examining the gourd. We made a number of gourd dishes, and I filled them with sand, and left them to dry; marking the spot that we might return for them on our way back.