The Hickman courier., 1873-07-19
Colonization in South america.

| dians, are given by q correspondent
writing from Brazil
Ny-In1eT0 DIR. Tiper secureu rrom INC
Bolivian government the privilege to
prosecute his explorations up the river
Purus, and in consideration of the good
to accrue from it being opened to the
world, special privileges, commercial
and honorary, were decreed to him. To
fulfill his obligations heRurchased a
vessel, and, equipping her.csailed from
Boston, November 13, 1870, taking with
him his wife, woman fully imbued
with the faith and spirit of her husband,
and company of twenty-five persons,
rs assistants and colonists. After a
stormy passage of thirty days, they ar
rived at this port, December u, 1870. |
Perfecting his arrangements here, he
sailed for Mano on the Amazon. Ar
irving there, he remained until March
25, when, having disposed of his vessel,
he transhipped his company and effects
| and sailed in the steamer " Araman" "
for Itichie, and arrived there early in
April. By arrangement with the Boil
Wan government, twenty canoes were to
be in readiness TO take himself and par
ty upward on their journey, but, to the
discontinue of his people, not a canoe
was to be seen, and no arrangement for
his comfort made. In addition, the in
habitants urged them strongly to desist
from farther advance, IN this, to the
white man, terra incognita. Influenced
by the disappointments,a and intimidated
by the highly-colored reports of the ma
tives of the danger ahead, his people
determined to abandon the enterprise.
and then and there left him to prose-
cute it alone, they returning to Para.
Nothing daunted, and. firm in his deter
mination to Z" do or die, he set sail in |
a common ships boat, accompanied only |
by his wife. Three days after leaving
Itichie they came up with a fotilla of
Indian canoes, and found them peace
able and friendly, and succeeded finally
in securing a boats crew. With these
Indians, the Pamaries, they travelled
one month, until they arrived at the
Il
himself. during the journey, in making
soundings and charts of the river, ana
| Mrs. Piper acquired knowledge of the
language. They were now 800 miles
from the mouth of the river. and COM /
ing into a new country, their Indians
fearful of passing beyond their own ter
ritory, left them and returned to their
own homes. They were thus left alone
again. The same day, however, some
of the Hipuana Indians coming down.
MIR. Piper secured thei Friendship and
assistance, and again succeeded in Sc
curing boats crew, and was by them
taken up into Bolivia. Their chief. Co
cannanni, accompanied them with twen-
ty canoes for four days on their journey.
They were the first white people ever
seen in the country, and their white
skins, blue eyes and brown hair excited
to the highest point the surprise and
curiosity of the natives. To satisfy
themselves that this white color was
not paint, they brought vessels of wa
ter and washed their feet.
Arriving at the river Accurie. in Bo-
livian territory, they went on shore. and
Mr.. Piper built, by the aid of the In
dians, house, in which he remained
until the next year. During this time
he occupied himself in surveying the
river and taking soundingsat at all stages.
Having satisfied himself of the richness
of the country, aud the practicability
of steam navigation, he returned to
Para in 1872. He remained here ar
ranging for steamer and new com
pany of colonists, and on the 7th of
September sailed in his own steamer.
the Pioneer, and in December reached
the last settlement in the Paras, and we
might add, the terminus of civilization
and steam navigation on that river.
Here Mr.. Piper left the HEAVIEST portion
of his equipments, storaE ETC., and
sailed on the oath of December up the
river, with the intention of establishing
settlements in Bolivian territory. and
the company, aided by the Indians, |
were to commence opening roads into
the interior of the country. Meanwhile
the steamer was to make monthly trips ,
from Hitiana to the settlement of the
lower river, having regular steam COM
munication with Manaos and Para.
Thus far the programme seemed practi-
cable and no extraordina risk was
supposed to exist in the execution of
this laudable industry. The steamer
was expected at Hytaunian on her re-
turn trip about the 23d of February,
1873. Up to April we entertained no
fears of their safety. The April steamer
from that locality brought the report
that the half-wild Indians had been
seen in clothing which they could not
well obtain by legitimate means, and
fears were for the first time entertained
for the safety of Mr.. Piper and his par
ty. Later on we received news that In
dians had come down the river stating
that Mr.. Piper and his party had been
murdered by the Ipurana Indians, their
effects carried off and the steamer sunk.
The "Sudelegado" of the district
(Manaos) had these and other Indians
lately armed, arrested and an investiga-
ton made, which went to show that the
steamer had been attacked near the
mouth of the Acre river, within three
days of civilization, by great number
of Indians, while fast to the bank of the
river. The people on board were
butehered, and the steamer was carried
off to lake at some ditance, where it
is still supposed to remain. There are
many ether versions of the case, all
conflicting with each other and only
corresponding in the assertion of the
sorrowful fact. -
HE who follows truth carries bis star
In his brain. J..