The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1861-01-23
AbOrlgines of South America.
THE AMAZONS.

Karroodoom 10 the Amazon. is but step
in reading book of travels. The country
through which the latter great river flows
is inhabited by number of tribes who GER
tainly exhibit decided eccebtricities. The
Amazon Indians are socialists. You don't
believe il2 Read, then, this account OF
their domestic arrangements
They live in the matocca, building that
is both house and village, and necessa.
rily very large structure. 1t is the prop
erty o! The whole community or tribe, is
built by the labor oil all and is used as their
common dwelling. The building is raised
upon timber uprights, so smooth aud straight
as 10 resemble columns. he beams aud
rafters are held in their places by tongh
creeping plants, and the roof is a lhatch of
palm leaves laid on with great regularity,
and brought very low down at the caves, so
as 10 give The whole structure the appear
ance OF gigantic beehive. The plan is a
end, and as many as three hundred individ-
uals can assemble under the roof The in-
terror arrangements consist of wide hall
or avenue, extending through the middle OF
the parallelogram from end 10 end, while
on both sides of this hall are rows of parli
lions separated from each other by split
palm or canes closely placed. Each OF
these sections is the abode OF a family and
the place of deposit for their hammocks,
clay pots, caabasti cups, dishes, baskets
weapons, and ornaments which are the
property of each. The hail is used for
cooking and also for chlldren's play ground
and for festival ceremonies. The common
doorway is at The gable end, and the semi
circular section Of the buil1ing is appropri-
aied 10 the chief and his family.
The costume of these Amazons is not un-
like that of the South African Bushman,
mere strip of flexible bark around the mid
die of the person sufiicing. The ornaments
are principally made from The feathers OF
tropical birds.
THE WATER JEWELLERS.
Does everybody knew that Veuezula-
the little republic in South America-takes
its name from ''lhe Fairy City of the Sea-"
Venicel Such is the fact. When the
Spanish discoveries sailed around Lake
Maracaibo, they saw 10 their amazement
not only single houses, but whole villages
apparently floating upon the wafer. On
approaching nearer they perceived IN at
these houses were raised some feet above
the surface, and supported by posts or piles
driven into the mnd. This suggested Ye-
nice, and the discoveries gave 10 these su-
peraqueous habitations the name Venezuela
or little Venice, which vas afterward ap
piled 10 the entire province.
The "Water Dwellers," as the occupants
of these houses are called, have a good rea.
son TO live in this manner That reason
will be understood by the word mosquitoes.
Though too thick on shore TO rende: exis-
tence bearabe, these pestiferous insects do
not venture out over the waller.
Rare sror, for hunters On Lake Maracabio!
Docks and other aquatic fowl haunt its
waters in countless numbers. The natives
who have no guns; catch ,hen by sinpe
yet Ingenious contrivance, by which the
timidily of The birds is luled and their sa-
gaciIy outw iled. Al spot in tie water
frequenled by them, and of such a depth
that the water will not reach higher than
his chin, when Standing upright, the ''Wa.
Ter Dweller' floats a number OF gourd shells
of roundish form. When his decoys are all
placed, he paddles back 10 his dwelling
/ and awaits the issue The birds are AT first
| shy of these round, yellow Objects inlruded
! on their domain bu:, as the hours pass,
| and they perceive no harm in them, they
approach nearer, and even curously exam
inc the yellow globes, until no longer re-
garding them as objects of suspicion, they
swim freely about, or sill quietly on the wa
ter side by side with them Now the
J "Water Dweller" goes TO work. He draws
! over his head tightly fitting gourd shell
| like hose on the waller, only furnished with
| eye holes aud breathing hole Swimming
| where the water is 100 shallow 10 wade
| without frightening the birds, he makes lis
way toward them, keeping his shoulders
! below the surface aud advancing so slowly
and warily that he scarce raises ripple on
the placid lake. The unsuspecting birds
see the destroyer approaching without hav-
ing The slightest msgiving OF danger
They fancy that the new conner IS only
another of those inanimate objects by their
side-anoiher gourd shell, drifting out upon
the water to join lis companions. In a little
while the gourd has drifled silently into
their midst, and is seen approaching first
one individual. then another, as if it had
special business with each. This business
appears 10 be of a very mysterious charac-
| ter, and in each case is suddenly brought
to a conclusion by the duck making a sud-
den dive into the waler-not head foremost
according to its usual practice, but in the