The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-07-08
SOURCE OF THE oRlNoco.
A Country Little Known, and Inhabitec
by Very Queer People.


A Country Little Known, and Inhab,taa
by Very Queer People.
"Twelve hundred miles from the
mouth of the Orlnoco river was as far
as extended my explorations toward
the sources of that great stream said
Ensign Roger Welles, who has Just re-
turned from the region mentioned. to a
writer for the Star. He is the only
white man that has penetrated those
wilds, at all events since the DAYS of
the early Spaniards.
1.-THE Orinoco is one of the biggest
rivers in the world, as you may see by
glancing at map of South America.
1t is dotted all along its course with
numerous small islands, and it's upper
waters are INSTRUCTED by many cat
aracts. During my long journey toward
its sources my canoe had often been
carried overland around impossible
falls. By the time one reaches the Rio
Meta, which is the largest tributary of
the Orinoco, navigation is further inter-
fered with by the wild and savage In
dams who use poisoned arrows, SO that
traders who buy and sell goods along
the stream anchor the sailing scows out
in the middle of it at night, keeping
guard with rifles against possible sur
prise.
I'm that part of the country and be-
yond toward the interior, whittier
penetrated, nalSedness is the ruls among
the natives, neither men nor women
wearing anything besides loin cloth of
the most restricted dimensions. 1t is only
a rectangular scrap of bead work fast
ened by string. The bead work, how
ever, is very beautiful, being done in an
exquisite pattern. Two bundled miles
beyond the mouth of the Rio Meta and
Inirida river enters the Otlnoco. l
started up that stream with tny canoe
loaded with trinkets for exchinge with
the natives, who live in coalition of
extreme savagery. although they are
amiably disposed and usually harmless.
They go entirely nude, save for the loin
cloths. as | have described, adj get their
subsistence by hunting all fishing,
chiefly the latter. ! was mich inter-
ested in their method of taking fish by
the use of the bow and arrov.
For this purpose theyiemploy ar
rows six feet in length mage of reeds
tipped with iron. While canoe is pad
died gently along in the shadows
marksman stands ready with his arrow
on the string of the bow. As soon as
large fish is seen, if the approach can
be made within range, the arrow is let
fly, and rarely fails to strike the prey
These Indians hunt with blow guns
made out of the young stalks of GER
tain kind of palm, from which the pith
is removed. The arrows employed as
projectiles are simply splinters of reed,
sharpened at one end, the other end be-
ing wrapped with enough silk cotton
obtained from another kind of palm to
fill up the bore of the blow gun. The
arrows are about ten inches long and
very light. They are tipped with the
famous and deadly woorlri' poison.
Used by one of these naked savages, the
blow gun is a weapon of great accuracy
and effectiveness, even a small bird on a
tree being brought down by the skilled
sharpshooter with reasonable certainty
at the first try.
''These primitive aborigines dwell in
huts built of palm leaves mostly. Each
family has its little garden patch,
which is chiefly dev oted to raising the
root from which cassava is made. They
depend upon this root almost entirely
for food, apart from what the get by
hunting and fishing. 1t is prepared by
grating to begin with. The crater en-
ployed is of the most primitive possible
description, being simply plank with
perforations, small sharp pieces of flint
being inserted in the holes. Being re-
duccd to a sort of meal by rubbing on
this CRATER the cassava is pressed to get
the water out of it. because the root is
as -" tho notato Then it is
e.;