The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-07-04
CHlLD--LIFE ON THE AMAZONS.

Mr. Herbert H. Smith. lcriting in the july
Scribner of"An Indian Village on the Ama-
sons," thus describes rery interesting phase
of tropical life:
Child life here is an exceedingly curious
study the little quiet creatures are so diff
| ferent from our romping American boys and
girls. They get few caresses and give
none mother-love is mechanical there is
nothing of that overflow of tenderness, that
constant watchful care, that sheds such a
halo around our homes. The babies vege-
tate in their steady brown fashion, seldom
crying or laughing, but lying all day in
their hammock cradles and watching every
thing around them with keen eyes. AS
soon as the little boys and girls can toddle
about they are left pretty much to their own
resources, tumbling up the back stairs of life
on diet of mandioca meal and fish. The
parents seldom punish their children, for
they are very docile when they do the lit
tie ones pucker up their mouths and look
sullen but do not cry. Pleasure is express
ed by smile,-among the little girls very
often by broad grin, abundant show Of
teeth, but an articulate laugh is rar-
ity.
1t is interesting to watch !how the mental
traits of the race appear even in the young
babies If plaything is given them, they
examine it gravely for little while, and
then let it drop. Observe how different this
is from white baby s actions. A bright
little six months old at home has four dis.
tinct methods of investigation first, by
looking; second, by touching; then by put
ting the object in its mouth and finally by
banging it against the floor. The brown
mening just looks he does not investigate
, at ALL As the children grow older, the
same trait is apparent in almost every case.
An. Indian is content to hear or see thing,
without troubling himself about the why's
v and wherefores even such incompressible
!. pursuits as fossil-collecting, or butterfly
catching, or sketching, provoke hardly any
j.. curiosity The people look on quietly some
times asking question or two, but soon
l. dismissng the subject from their minds as
d something they are incapable of ofunderstsnd.
,r ing. With all the crowdng to see the lady
OF our party, hardly person asked why she
came. So, too, the babies are unambitious;
g they do not cry after pretty colors, or stretch
IN out their hands to candle. And men have
no apparent desire to better their lot. They
l. go on jdst as their fathers did; submit tG
to the impt sitions of the whites, little sullen
ly, but without thought OF rebellion ,unles
I'd there is white or halt-breed to lead them
10 The children do not care much for pla,
~ things we rarely see one with rag doll
the little boys delight in bows and arrows
in but they take them as part of their train
ing. Sometimes the people have dances, il
ba imitation Of the testa sports and we hes
them humming the wsltzes and quadrills
n which their quick ears baye caught froI
the musicians. As an Indian will paddl
,es steadily all day, while his wife at hon
a., ceases her monotonous cotton-beating,
ot the little ones have an ineXhausable gilt ,
patience. Where white child would FRI
yl- and cry, the brown one sits all day, perfec
ly still, but watching everything around hi
ru- To see little Indian boy in canoe, y,
re- would say nothing Of him was alive but b
eyes.