During my stay in Maskall I explore the area. On one of my excursions, I am scheduled to go on a boat ride with William, a fifteen-year-old Belizean river guide. I have to get him a spark plug first. His outboard motor won’t start.
We drive in our air-conditioned 4×4 on the dirt road between Bomba, the village of William and Maskall. It is a series of cavernous grooves. barely passable! We have two floors on the way. It takes two hours to drive five miles. Wild hysterical laughter echoes around us. Look, up in the treetops. The monkeys laugh at us! Torrential rains during the rainy season sometimes lead to serious road washouts. Make ships a much easier means of transportation.
William shows me his house, a cabin on stilts facing the sea. In Belize, it is not uncommon for a teenager to build his own house with the help of family and friends. William’s family gave him the land. Property is inherited, usually never bought or sold among the locals.
The Mayans disapprove of any material display of wealth. They think it causes envy. The idea of Cargo, or community service, is especially dear to them. Burden is an acceptable way for a person to spend excess wealth.
After replacing the spark plug, William’s little speedboat starts easily. Leaving Bomba Village behind, we cruise down the tranquil Northern River to the Caribbean Sea. Water lilies float serenely on the brown waters of the river and silvery shafts of light occasionally break through the greenish-green overhead canopy. The air is sweet and gently caresses my bare arms.
After a two-hour cruise down the North River, we arrive at its mouth in the Caribbean Sea. Braving the choppy waters for a short distance, we are finally greeted by a small open cabin by the sea. We relax, lounging on the crooked little pier jutting out into the sea and hammocks hanging from the surrounding coconut palms, while eating ripe, juicy mangoes. It’s a delicious afternoon!
My day of adventures leaves me hungry and tired. Back at Pretty See Jungle Ranch, I enjoy a tasty Caribbean meal of grilled sea bass, rice, beans, and salad with a slice of Carla’s coconut cake for dessert. Carla is the Belizean cook at Pretty See Jungle Ranch. Throughout the day, Carla sings the songs of the ancestors of her town and shares with me many stories about her culture and way of life.
Every afternoon Pedro, the night watchman, passes by my shack, whistling. He’s letting me know it’s time to turn off the lights. He’ll be shutting down the ranch’s generator soon. Pedro patrols the grounds of Pretty See Jungle Ranch every night with his loaded shotgun and a headlamp, placed over his head, to see into the shadows of the dark night. Pedro keeps us safe from wild animals like the jaguar. In the morning, Pedro will be whistling again as he walks past my thatched-roof hut and hands me a cup of fresh Belizean coffee garnished with brown sugar and rich cream. A new day in paradise will have dawned at Pretty See Jungle Ranch.
Tonight the Belizean night breeze is gently scented. In the distance the drums roll, rhythmically. I watch a giant zebra-striped armored bug as it crawls, out of the gauze netting that surrounds my bed. I listen as a lullaby of nocturnal sounds in unison sings me to sleep.