Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-26
GILLIAN INDIANS.
Camping With the Savage Arauca-
mans in the Mountains
HABITS AND SUGGESTIONS.



VALDrvIA. CHILL, August "a, 1891.
1nUR CAMP IN THE LLANISTA VILLAGE
" was arranged with the ladies' sleeping
tent in the center, the five other tents set close
| around 1t, the mules and horses tethered at q
little distance, where a wooded hillock served
as q breakweather, all under the shelter Of .
splendid grove Of pimento (pepper) trees,
whose dropping branches, covered with feath-
cry leaves Of darkest green and long punches
pink pepper corns, nearly touched the ground
on either side. Aguard Of armed servants and
muleteers was posted night and day and the
gentlemen took turns in overseeing the watch.
But our precautions proved to be entirely I'M
necessary. We were never safer in tho midst
Of civilization than here in the heart of Arau-
cania, in the unsurveyed wilds Of this distant
country, and had any outside danger menaced
us believe that the Indians, who considered
us their guests. and therefore under their spe-
cial protection, would have defended us with
their lives il need be.
1t happened that a storm came on-a three
days chilly drizzle, common In this latitude at
any time Of the year, where a wet season and
dry, which prevail nearer the equator, are
not so distinctly defined. Horseback travelling
in the rain through an uninhabite6 district
would have been extremely uncomfortable, SO
we were easily persuaded to remain in camp
oAsA VIC bAiCo CicuEcus uhNo CuIupco AL many
climes under diverse circumstances and pic
nicked with all sorts Of people, but have never
enjoyed such real camping OUT the intended
spirit Of which is q return to aboriginal life)
as here among ono Of the most warlike tribes
on the face Of the earth, whose ancestors for
centuries successfully resisted civilized arms
and Spanish cruelties and maintained their in
dependence intact, while all the other nations
Of South and Central America fell under the
sway Of the conquerors. The squaws insisted
on taking entire care Of the animals and kept
US plentifully supplied with cool water from
distant spring and brush wood for cooking
purposes. and every morning the carcass Of a
young sheep, freshly killed and dressed, was
brought as a gift from the chief. Knowing
that money was one OF the least desirable things
we could give these kind-hearted barbarians,
as they had no use for the currency Of civiliza-
ton, we ''got even." to their unbounded de-
light by presents Of trinkets such as toilet
articles, hand mirrors buttons cut from our
clothes, sewing materials, silk ties and hand
kerchiefs, &c. The articles that appeared to
give most heartfelt pleasure were a mouth
organ. u jewsharp and an accordion, which we
purchased for the purpose from the::muleteers;
my silver soap case, which the chief immedi-
ately filled with tobacco and hung around his
neck by string, and o rose-colored, berib-
boned jersey undervest, which thenceforth
served his highness favorite daughter q child
about twelve years old, as a costume complete,
reaching from shoulders to knees, and being
the only garment she wore.
TIE INDIANS IN STORM.
We noticed that when the storm first began,
heralded by skurrying clouds and muttering
thunder, the Indians appeared to be greatly
excited, for they knew there was going to be
another great battle IN the SKY between their
dead ancestors and the Spaniards who had
killed them. Believing the thunder to be the
latter's cry Of fear and distress they turned out
en- masse in the pouring rain to cheer the
wraiths OF their warriors. When the storm
began to abate they watched the skies with the
utmost anxiety, for they have one sure sign by
which to know which side has won the ghostly
battle. II the clouds move toward the village
the Indians have been victorious; but il they
move from it the copquistadores have won and
everybody Is sorrowful. In this instance the
clouds swept gloriously, full phalanx, toward
the town and all we're happy. feast was
spread, to which we were hidden, and dancing
and singing (or, rather, howhng) was kept up
all night.
may mention, en- PEASANT, that though we
attended the feast. for to have remained away
would have been construed as showing sympa-
thy with the defeated Spaniards and given
deadly onense, our appeutes were notvoraclous
Chlcha- home-chewed-of course flowed far
more abundantly than water and stewed puppy
figured prominently among the delicacies.
Thanks. however, to the horde Of living CANNES
that prowied around the squaiiing circle and to
our awkwardness-bOth real and simulated
we managed to dispose of all Objectionable
viands unnoticed amid the general hilarity.
The worst time came with the ceremony Of
drinking from those human skulls. Happily,
''squaws of any color are exempt from the hor-
rible duty, the sex being too insignificant to be
suoweo SUCH i""iiaaFity WIN INC ioros VI Arau-
ean." we sS" .,.Sna e.; ~ oua parry
INNS apnroacbsd being handed from month In
mouth around the circle; but subsequently
every one Of them assured US that though they
iiited the skulls ana pretended 70 swallow with
All .ha Arapoan;ans 90 axtrsn,.,,, s,u.;
tious and attach a sicnification TO eyarv dream
confidentlv looking for its fuifllment The
sinoino Of n certain bird ia re0urled as a had
omen and snonrs death, The twitcbing NJ the
mnsc,es of the left arm also foretells death and
sbouId II occur 70 ar Ar.ncanian wbe, ON ronta
% ,hn ss,S ~ hs,.is the whoia armv ,o,,sS
$50 bact n ons ~ th.m h.nn.ns - snS
sa,rn ",' ,hs iaft IN NJ n.th ~ trsi, = 60;
sas s;oLrass ~ ;i-Inck INT If Tho an;,n.i s,a,d.
or, ,ha r;,h. s;a i. ,.sana inra Esa n",'arn,.s
s;nS ~ % 49, =. oa. TLee r.,t;s
IT, j., .ha t;,.rai ,osnrr.o,;nn ~ .''a 800
.ha. en-. IN . da.h r"s *. 49, va N sn' noas
orannSs in tba Sar vest where 1he am .Isnns
snS S .h Az w 1870 die VIC SUI Sleeps
I'll "a al .h.p p;,a a,;raai" b. - ' ,ia
nd ~ 10 ta~a TUG VIZ ma ~ .hat .- iu say
~ y GOV 81. L;i,ad =. .oaa t nes'
.i.s an III. o,, ...e'.;ts hili,
o al . ~, ts. u.s. ,'s ia sn .,,.ant arg
T su;a WIZ ~ ~ doa ,nt sos a,iu,
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