Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-26

|
an earthern vase or jar that once held lime OF
potash 10 this day potash is eaten with the
coca. 1t is made by incinerating the root of a
| weed which is Indigenous to the soil where
| the coda grows, or from the bark of species
OF wild bean, of which the Indians are very
| fond.
The whites and cholos (half-breeds) seldom
use coca at all except som times as an infusion
IN cases OF debility. The infusion is made in
! the same manner as tea. except that the first
wafer Is thrown away, being too strong and
| bitter. Ihe second sleeping is not disagree
able to the taste and is extremely exhilarating.
A species of wine is also being made for medici-
| nal purposes-comparatively new invention,
whose benefcent effects remain to be proved.
EFFECT OF COCA LEAVES.
The increase of ones powers of endurance
| by the use Of coca leaves, especially in the
| higher attitudes, is something marvellous.
Aside from relieving sirroche, the distressing
| difficulty OF breathing incident to exercise in
| the thin air OF the Andes, it Is said to COM
pletely abolish all sense of hunger or fatigue
| 1t is an undoubted fact that an Indian, when
well supplied with coca, will travel from fifty
| to seventy-ive miles day, carrying on his
| back the load of a llama almost without food
! for days together. Indeed he considers food
as of secondary importance. or rather as third
on his list of necessities. diluted alcohol COM
| ing next to coca. All the Aymaras and
Quichuas. male and female. use incredible
|
their allowance of food is extremely small, the
menu being limited to but two or three edibles
| from ono years end to another That the
| women consume even more than the men is
perhaps no more than fair, since the former
do all the hardest work and earn most Of the
money.
The laborers Of this country are universally
| Indians, and all employers must furnish a GER
tain amount of coca to each man or he will
not work at all. In the mines the least allow
| ance per diem is five ounces for every man and
| eight ounces is sometimes given Thus sup
| piled an Indian will work willingly and well
| from o'clock in the morning until D. m
| taking nothing to eat in the meantime He
generally has food of some sort before begin
| ming his labors, and after in the evening he
eats whatever he can get.
THE INDIANS THREE CUBS.
His first cud is accumulated in about two
hours, from 4 to 6 o'clock, taking it leaf by
leaf. stripping the central stem between his
teeth, and from time to time adding few
grains of potash. This alkali causes burning
sensation on the lips, but is soon incorporated
with tho cud, serving to neutralize the acidity
OF the leaves and at the same time aiding di-
gestion by provoking an increased flow of sal
iva.
At 10 o'clock am. the employer gives him
half an hour Of rest. He then throws away the
mornings chew, rinses his mouth with alcohol
and industriously begins the accumulation of a
ocSouu Suu. again, AT l:5U O'CLOCK, another
rest Is given, which the employs in making a
third chew. At $3.50 the same performance is
repeated.
de still has little coca left for the evening
and IL the days allowance has been generous
enough he will keep himself awake and garru-
lous all night. Many Indians get credit against
coming wages for a greater amount of coca
than the employer feels disposed to furnish
gratis, and II they can add to it some 40 per
cent Oh alcohol their bliss is complete.
COCA INToxICATIoN
Strange to say, the most inordnate use of
coca Is not followed by delirium tremens
nervousness or any other effect that NAV be
noticeable on an Indian even after he has lived
on 1t for two or three days. taking little or no
1000 and enduring excessive fatigue. When
ever opportunity offers he will eat the back
numbers of omitted meals in one gigantic bean.
thus showing that no serious disturbance of the
stomach has arisen from mis- coca intoxication
Neither does its habitual use seem to affect
longevity unless it may be to prolong it.
one never meets a tOothless or bald headed
indian, though 100 years is here considered
their average span of life. There is a cheer
ful Methuselah in Chuquibambilia who claims
TO nave Just turned his one hundred and forty-
second year, and the parish priest supports his
statement by the church record of births
This aged Indian does not look any older than
his great-grandchildren. and declares that for
more than ninety years he has not tasted water
or any hquld whatsoever but chicha the native
lntoxlcant made from fermented corn: that he
mas eaten coca three times day ever since he
was ten years old, and has seldom had animal
food except on Sundays. sometimes having no
meat at ali for months together, but subssting
entirely ON corn, barley and quinua.
ANTIQUITIES.
On this subject Mr.. Stevenson writes: "In-
stances are not rare of Indians who attain 40
and even more years o: age, yet retaining full
possession of the bodily and mental powers
On examining the church register of Barranca
found that within an interval of seven wears
eleven Indians had died whose united ages
amounted to 1,707 years, or an average of lO9
years each. The Indians retain their teeth and
hair to extreme old age, and it is remarkable
that the latter never becomes white and seldom
gray. In the year OF 1889 there was living in
the valley of Jauja an Indian who, according to
the baptismal register, was l47 years DID,
NO doubt the aperient qualities of coca tend
to prevent disease, and are most useful in
counteractlng the distractions caused by a
Diet OF farinaceous food alone. One cannot
ind an Indian anywhere in Bolivia or Peru who
has not his huallqui or pouch, of coca. The
leaves are retailcd in every little tienda in
quantities to suit the purse of the purchaser.
and on ''bcSgar's day Saturday handful of
coca is more gratefully received by the poorest
menulcaht imam II every lear were silver coin.
FANNIE b. WARD.
NoTE:-As the president still maintains firm
hold OF the telegraph wires and newspapers it
Is impossible to get any accurate news of the
revolutionary movements. That the situation
is not growing loss grave may be inferred from
the Tact that La Paz, AZ well as the rest of
Bolivia, is now placed under military rule-a
rather unpleasant state of affairs for travellers
and strangers, to say nothing of peaceful
citizens. A battle is known to have occurred
within the week near the southern border of
the republic instead of i'll the north as
expected, the in,
both ends of the country at once FBW,