The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-01-02
Captured ana eaten.


many which run from the eastern slope
of the Colombian Andes about which
little IL known. Rising in the noun
famous districts of the upper attitudes
of Paste, III the State of Cauca, it runs
nearly 1000 miles, receiving in its
course the tributary waters OF more than
thirty streams. It's banks are partially
known, but the world is yet In complete
ignorance of the secrets contained III
the immense territory it drains. 1t
serves as the boundary between Coiom-
bia and Ecuador, and Colombia and
Peru, while the extreme confines OF
Brazil run up to it's mouth, 200 me-
tres IN width where it rolls into the
Amazou-where the Brazilians are anx-
ious to seize another slice OF territory
to add to that vast empire whose pro-
ducts, population, and above all, pro.
gress are not on a par with Its ambition
to obtain possession of the soil OF its
neighbors. In past times TINS same
spirit Of aggrandizement existed. and
| the Spanish authorities were so we'll
aware Of the fact that they kept
garrison ninety miles from the mouth
Of the Putmayo, which was always pre-
pared to prevent the Portuguese as
| cending the river in order to reach the
southern districts OF the former vice
royalty Of Santa Fe de Bogota.
"Within the past few years adyentu.
rous residents in Paste have endeayored
to turn the riches OF the river to ac-
count. It is navigable even in the up
per part by canoes. Aitor frequent
petltloning, Congress passed law per-
mitting the entrance of merchandise by
the river free of all duty, with the re-
suit that some portion of the imports
came by way of the Atlantic, we're car.
ried 1900 miles up the Amazon by
steamer, and thence by launch and ca
noe until they reached q market, within
800 miles, as the GROW flies, of the Pa
citic Ocean. Messrs. Reyes were the
first to engage in this enterprise. and,
by treating the Indsans we'll along the
= route, have been establishing very
fair trade, exporting ivory nuts, india
4 rubber, vanilla, cascarilla, shrsaparilla
J and other raw products i'll return to-
the goods brought i'll by them. Thei'
success induced young merchant ol
, Bnrbacoas named Portes to engage IL
the same enterprise, and in opmpnnA
forsst WnfoT rnef55s 55ssH Al14 ~
every foot of ground. They had ereote,
: house, made e small clearing, anu al
ready saw their way to profitable busi
ness when they were visited by n mum
Der OF JoYenetes Indians, who came on.
teEsibly to trade. They were received
we'll, and were apparently satisfied, but
suddenly they attacked and killed the
Colombians and afterwMd cooked and
ate them. The Indians have never
Vlslted the Putumdyo before, and nc
one has ever fallen i'll with them on the
Amazon. Other tribes have also made
their appearance in different places md
IL Is believed that some mere powerful
trlbes are driving the weaker ones from
the heart Of the unknown forest regions
or that they are voluntary emigrauts
who will murder and plumber whonoyer
opportunity offers. Residents on the
frontier also suggest that they may have
peen driven from their homes, wherever
they may be, by the aIavers, whose YES
sells asoended several of the tributaries
OF the Amazon few months ago IN
search of slaves and produce. This
supposition will appear exaggerated to
oil who are now aware that Indians are
captured OH all the interior rivers and
carried off to different out-of-the.wny
regions, where they are compelled TO
work on the plantations which have
beon established far away from anything
bearing even asemblanoe to civilization.
1t IS probable the death of Senor Portes
| and his friends will attract the attention
OF the Colombian Government TO those
long'neglectedr regions OF the KepuDlic."