Page 259 - Demo

259stretcher and Caroline to a raft, and the others to canoes. Together, they oared and punted their way along the Amazon river to their village.The chief met them, who immediately took the party to the basic dwelling of the village doctor: a mud and straw affair with a plastic tarpaulin over it.The Reverend explained that the villagers accept only what they find useful from the mission%u2019s gifts, and nothing else. The tarpaulin covers, they found to be a blessing when the heavy rains came. These people, the group learned, were the Matis people, also known as the Mats%u00eb. Their common name was the Jaguar to western people. This sub-section was of the main tribe of around three-hundred and fifty remaining people of their collective tribe; the village numbered just sixty-five people in total, with nearly everyone aged sixteen to thirty-six years of age. The doctor was old, but happy to help. He had learned English well from the mission%u2019s work, and as soon as he looked at Caroline, he looked up and said, %u201cWho has poisoned her with the rotting fungus? It is forbidden to kill in this way.%u201d%u201cI don%u2019t understand,%u201d John replied.The doctor looked at him.%u201cThere is fungus in the forest that causes this, but only if the oil from it is first rubbed onto the skin and then broth is made from the fungus and fed daily to the victim.%u201d%u201cOur servant, Helena, prepared her food and fed her,%u201d John replied.The doctor%u2019s eyes widened and he said, %u201cHelena? Tight cunt? Tight arse?%u201dJohn nodded.%u201cShe%u2019s from our tribe. All females here have the same. Your females? They have easy-access cunts and arses?%u201dJohn nods.%u201cHelena left the village and preferred city life. She must have taken a supply of fungus with her. Again, this is not allowed. She is pretty but was always a bad person. We are pleased she left,%u201d the doctor said. He pointed at Caroline. %u201cShe is being eaten alive by the fungus spreading through her body.%u201dThe Undertaker