The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-11
FAR UP In THE ANDES
EXPLORATIONS IN ECUADOR BY A
SAN FRANCISCO CIVIL ENGINEER.
Found Snakes that Bark, Interesting
Mixture OF Races and a Land I'm
known to White Men.
San Francisco Chronicle.

from an exploring expedition among the
mountains of Ecuador, read an entertain
ing paper on the subject Of his travels at
the recent open meeting OF the Sierra Club.
Mr.. Kerr was for many years connected
with the United States Geological Survey,
and achieved some prominence in the no.
table explorations of Mount st. Elias. AS
mining engineer of a New York company
owning valuable hydraulic properties in
Ecuador. he has spent the greater part
Of the last two years in that country.
On his last visit he was ava about six
months. living almost all Of that time in
the depths Of the equatorial forest that
covers the western flank of the Andes.
There they opened up for travel an OBJ
scure trail, used only by the natives Of
the country, across the Cordillera or spur
of the Andes, thus connecting the two
principal hydraulic fields owned by the
company. With but one other white man
as companion he journeyed for months
among the Indians, negroes and semi-cfv-
ilized half-breeds who inhabit that portion
Of Ecuador. His party were never exactly
in danger, though once, owing to a report
which had been spread among the Cayapas
Indians that their land was to be taken
from them, they were treated with open
signs Of enmity.
On July 26 last Mr.. Kerr took passage at
Panama on a small English steamer which
plies between that port and Guayaquil. At
Tumaco, on the border between Columbia
and Ecuador, the voyagers disemba rked,
and, procuring canoes, proceeded up the
Mira river TO an island on which the town
OF Tumaco is situated The next river to
the south is the Santiago, and between the
two rivers at high water is a deep and mar
row interior channel the nHGCQR Q of which
Is considered preferable TO the journey by
sea-:
stopped for the night in this channel. The
vegetation was dense and thick and the
parasitic vines and creepers stretched COM
pletely across the stream. Many varieties
of parrots. monkeys, insects and tree liz
ards conspired to make the night hideous.
In the midst of the serenade, and rising
above all the other sounds, there was a
harsh noise like a dogs bark.
A SNAKE THAT BARKS.
I'm great uneasiness my companion, Mr..
Nelson, thrust his head out of the leafy
canopy Of the canoe and asked quavering-
ly what it was. Only an eqqui snake 1
answered. When he ventured out in the
morning he muttered disgustedly: What
an internal country, where even the snakes
bark
Il never encountered before such a
wealth of vegetable and insect life as in
The depths of these topical forests. Many
md v~ariegated colored moths and butter
lies; humming birds fitting from flower to
lower; even the snakes, toads, lizards and
rogs were clothed in the prevailing bright
lues. The snakes were generally about the
size Of the rattlesnake, with fiat heads and
arge fangs. many OF them being venomous.
Fhe boa here does not reach the same
great size as upon the Amazon. The largest
We saw were about six feet long and three
inches thick. On the smaller streams one
,pecies of snake called vejuquillio had an
Incanny way Of dropping from the over
hanging trees. Now and then one would
all into our canoe.
w proceeded by way of this inland
)assage until we reached the mouth of the
Rio Santiago, and thence up this river
sight miles TO Borbon, where the company
lad established a warehouse. This point
vas made the base OF supplies for our in
THE natives along the Santiago river
ire all descendants OF negro slaves brought
n by the early Spaniards to work the gold
)lacers, and there are now several thou
and of them living along the river Iapsed
tlmost TO barbarism. One might imagine
himself in the African jungle, rather than
n South America, for the negroes are as
black as the ace of spades, with perfectly
lat noses. Except for some remnants of
typical Africans in their customs and modes
If life. They are stolid, ignorant, supersti-
-ious and without strong feeling or graft
sude.
A MIXTURE OF RACES.
"A more interesting study to the eth
nologtst could hardly be imagined than that
presented by the various peoples inhabiting
he republic of Ecuador. Besides the ne
sroes there are various races and tribes of
indians, those in the vicinity of Quito, on
he other side of the Andes, called the
;erranos, differing markedly from the In
1ians near the coast. The latter, called the
cayapas, ave an interesting history.
"At the time ancient Peru was con-
quered by the Spaniards the Incas were
trying to subjugate a more northern tribe
called the Chimbus. Tshodgh not in all
aspects like the Peruvians, their govern
ment. manners and customs were very
Chimbus people fled to the forests of the
santiago, river, where they remained I'M
work the placers on that river, when they
were dislodged by the negro slaves and
retired TO the Cayapas. a large tributary
lakes its name. Degeneration followed.
but they have remained pure of blood, not
mixing with the tribes of the country.
| Hence they bear a strong resemblance to
the ancient Peruvian type, have customs
very similar to those attributed by Fiske
and Prescott to that people. and Alto
saw. They have a Governor and are left
almost entirely to their own devices by the
rest of the country the different Indian
| tribes, half-breeds and negroes have so
| .ntermingled that 1t Is quite impossible to
determine their original character.
The Seranos preserve the bodies of
| their dead by a process Of embalming,
known only to themselves. They have a
special custom of preserving heads. They
take the bones out very carefully and re-
| duce the head to the size or an orange.
Some time ago there was great demand
| for these desiccated heads among muse
ums in various parts of Europe, and the
traffic grew until IL was suppressed by the
government, upon its being discovered that
l the Indians were numbering each ether to
| supply the market.
IN THE BAMBOO COUNTRY.
ION the 18th of July we left Borbon and
| proceeded by steam launch up the Rio
Cayapas. Grasses, ferns and bushes OF the
| general class umbelliferae lined the banks,
and the trees and vines formed a perfect
canopy of verdure. While lost I'm silent
| admiration of the scene a sharp bend OF
the river brought In view the house of the
Governor of the Cayapas Indians. 1t was a
bamboo, thatched-roof structure, and a
pretty picture. standing among the dark
vegetation.
"A judicious presentation of beads and
buttons procured US a cordial reception
from his excellency, and he detailed a
guide for us on the upper river. At night,
after the usual supper OF the Indians, con-
| sisting of plantains and dried fish, the
| women occupied themselves in weaving
| cloth out OF the p~lantain fibre, afterwards
embroidering Ii with blue and red cotton
try work. The men lolled in hammocks OF
| struck miner chords from the marimha OF