The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-17
APACHES OF THE AMAZON.
A Cruel and warlike Tribe Of Soutl
American SavageS.

American SavaSes.
The Jivaros are an interesting tribe
of savages who live along the banks of
the upper Amazon, in the midst OF
| wilderness, which is rarely visited by
white men. Most of the information
we have respecting these barbarous
people is furnished by naturalists, who
have ventured far beyond the limits of
civilization for the purpose OF collect
| ing specimens of the rare animal and
| vegeta BILE life of that tropical region.
The Jivaros are generally found along
| the rivers which offer the only means
of communication between different
parts of the country, for nature is SO
vigorous and luxuriant in that hot
| climate that trails or roads would be
covered with vegetation in few
| months.
With all their savagery, it is aston
ishing how skillfully they make ca
| noes. with no other tool than an old ak
or Ratchet which they obtained at some
| trading post beyond the Andes in re-
| turn for the cocoa bean, their only
| article of merchandise.
They cultivate the plantain, banana,
mango root, and live on them with the
game they get. Their staple in game
is a species of wild hog that lives in the
darkest and thickest places of the for
| est.
Hunting this animal is sport for the
| Jivaros. Men, women and children
take part in the hunt When hog is
sighted they give chase, and nothing
| ,,.d ha h,,pf
They crowd through jungles, squirm
| through brushwood, all the time keep
ing pace with their dogs. and going as
| fast as a white man could in the open.
| On all occasions the women remain at
work in the houses and plantations.
The most conspicuous part of Jiva-
! ro's costume in his earrings and neck
laces The former consists of four long
pendants of beetles wings of glistening
| green, gold and purple, strung SO as to
form pretty tassel, the brilliant scar
let and orange feathers of the re-
splendent toucan being used for fringe.
The necklaces are made of monkeys
teeth, and, as it requires five thousand
teeth to make this ornament for the
warriors neck, the slaughter of the
simians reaches large proportions.
The monkeys are killed with poison
Gus arrows. The savages move noise
lessly along like snakes in the grass,
and, at sight of a monkey, blow the
little shaft through long tube at him,
and in three minutes he is dead. If the
air be calm it is dangerous to be within
hundred yards of a Jivaro armed with
these miniature weapons, for he can
blow a poisoned arrow and kill at that
distance.
Poison is also used in catching fish.
The Jivaro takes large quantities OF
poison from the varvasco plant and
throws it into the river. Then, for
fully twenty miles further down the
stream, fish are gathered in canoes from
the surface of the water. They are
only Supplied by the narcotic.
The Jivaro cares nothing for sport so
long as he can get the food. Yet he is
never met without his lance poisoned
and ready for his mark. He carries it
above his shoulder swaying back and
forth with every step he takes. Even
when standing he keeps his right arm
moving, always ready to strike. The
Jivaro warrior is like sentinel in war
time He is taught when child that
he must be ever on the alert to defend
himself.
They have no religion and worship
nothing, though they believe in dreams
and have doctors or medicine-men
whom they regard with much venera-
ton If patient dies, however, the
doctor is suspected of being witch; the
second time he is declared one, and the
third time his own life is in danger, so
much so that his own brother will
assist in killing him.
When anybody is sick the family gets
great quantity of chicha, an intox'
icating liquor, which the doctor inbibes
freely When under its influence he
commences a series of hideous incanta'
tions which are supposed to be instru
mental in relieving the afflicted per-
son. These orgies are continued until
the patient imagines there is some i'm
provement and says so.
The Jivaros are redou bta BILE warriors,
and their cruelty in warfare can only
be compared with that of an Apache
Indian. They are dreaded by Other
tribes along the Amazon. and even the
Indians of the upper Andes region
entertain a wholesome respect for thel
prowesS.-Golden Days