The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-12-29
AMONG CURIOUS PEOPLE,
QUEER INDIAN TRIBES LIVING NEAR
THE 0RlNoco RIVER

CecuAlar HAbAfa ana Custgma OF Sauth
American aborlzinss Thsy Wear
seant ciothing How the Iadisns
Fish-Exqatsite Head work.
HTwelve hundred miles from the mouth
OF the 0rinoco River was as far as ex-
tended my explorations toward the
sources Of that great stream, 2 said En-
sign Roger Welies, who has JUS returned
from the region mentioned. He j. the
only white man that has penetrated these
wflds, at all events since the days Of the
early Spaniards.
"The Orinoco Is one of the biggest
rivers in the world, as you may see BY
giancing at map OF South America II
Il dotted all along its course with numer-
Gus small islands, and its upper waters
are obstructed by many cataracts. Dur
ing my long journey toward III sources
my canoe had often been cart lagb ever
land around impossible falls. BY the
time one reaches the Rio Meta, which
Is the largest tributary OF the orinoco,
navigation Is further interfered with by
the wild and savage Indians who use
poisoned arrows, so that traders who
buy and sell goods along the stream
anchor the sailing scows out in the
middle Of 1t at night. keeping guard
with rifles against possible surprise.
In that part Of the country and be-
You'd toward the interior, whittier pene-
trated, nakedness Is the rule among the
natives, neither men nor women wearing
anything besides loin cloth of the most
restricted dimensions. Here Is one of the
loin cloths, which represents the height
OF fashion AS to dress among those people,
You see 1t Is but a rectangular scrap OF
beadwork fastened by a string. This bead
work, however, Is very beautiful, being
done in an exquisite pattern. Two hun-
bred miles beyond the mouth OF the Rio
Meta the Infrida River enters the Orinoco.
started up that stream with my canoe
londedlwith trinkets for exchange with
the natives, who live in a condition Of
extreme sayagery, although they are
amiably disposed and usually harmless
They go entirely nude, save for the loin
cloths, as have described, and get their
subsistence by hunting and fishing,
chiefly by the latter. essesi
al was much interested in their method
OF taking fish by the use of the bow and
arrow. For this purpose they employ arr
rows six feet in length, made of reeds
tipped with iron. While canoe is pad
died gently along in the shadows a
marksman stands ready with his arrow
on the string OF the bow. As soon as a
large fish is seen, II the approach can be
made within range, the arrow is let fly,
and rarely fails to strike the prey. These
Indians hunt with blowguns made out Of
young stalks OF a certain kind OF palm,
from which the pith Is removed. Thear-
rows employed as projectiles are simple
splinters of reed, sharpened at one end,
hn ~ L
enough silk cotton obtained from another
kind of palm to fill up the bore OF the
blowgun. The arrows are about ten
inches long and very light. They are
~, $500 tha4 fnfnoils md DEADLY
swoorari poison. Used BY one 81 these
naked savages, the blowgun is weapon
OF great accuracy and effectiveness, even
! small bird on tree beng brought down
by the skilled sharpshooter with reason
able certainty at the first try.
"These primitive aborigines dwell in
huts built OF palm leaves mostly. Each
family has It's little garden patch. which
is chiefly devoted to raising the root from
which cassaya Is made. They depend
upon this root almost entirely for food,
apart from what they get by hunting and
fishing. 1t is prepared by grating to. be-
gin with. The crater employed is OF the
most primitive possible description, being
simply plank with lperforations, small,
sharp pieces Of flint being inserted In the
holes. Being reduced to sort OF meal
by rubbing ON this Crater, the cassava Is
pressed to get the watefsout Of it, because
the root Is as watsry as the potato. Then
1t is sifted and formed for cooking into
what looks like an enormous griddle cake,
typo or three feet in diameter. The cake
is baked on fiat piece OF earthenware Of
corresponding size.
"An Indian will go OF for weeks
hunting with no other food than guam
tity Of cassava prepared in this fashion.
myself was obliged to live uron it al
most wholly for months. At first did
not find it pRlatable, but after aShila /
acquired the taste, and became quite
fond OF it. The chief trouble was that 1t
was cooked on the bare ground, and al
ways contained a considerable percentage
OF dirt. However, one must not be too
particular about ones diet when travel-
ing in the wilds. These sayayes are quite
cleanly, so far as bathing is concerned,
but their habits n living, otherwise, are
not such as to promote the virtue which
is next to godliness.
matrimonial methods are extremely |
simple among these natives. When
young man and young woman wish to
marry they go to housekeeping together,
and that is all there is OF it. Often a
youth OF one village will WOO and win |
maiden OF village hundreds Of miles
distant along the river. As rule they /
seem to enjoy as uninterrupted q domes-
tic felicity as civilized couples Obtain. |
The Indians are gradually Fetirsng toward |
the higher sources OF the OrTncco be-
cause OF the harsh and dishonest treat |
ment which j they receive at the hands Of
the white men and half-castes Of yene-
zIiala.~-s
..Cassava is an important food of the |
poorer classes all through Venezuela, be- |
ing ground by machines In factories. |
Among the curiosities which obtained |
from these savages are a plumber of inter-
esting musical Instruments, such as red |
flutes and drums made out Of kind OF |
lockwood. "-Washington Star.