The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-10
La Pax, Bolivia. June L. lsss.

Il z,
EREE~POI RTHS q ali ire
people OF Bolivia are indians.
The country Is more than one
sixth the Fize Of the United States
without Alaska. and these Indians
are HcattereG all over H. Some OK
them are savage. but The bulk. comprising
G population ApproxmattHg UiI1ion. De
long 10 two civilized tsfSes known as the
Qulclua fkeeeh- waht and Ayfnara. Tfge
Qulchna claim 10 be the descendants "
The old Incaz. They are found about the
northeastern shores OF Lake Tst.cacsa ara
In the states To the south If La Paz. The
Aymafas inhakIt tzkS nigh plateau. and
their villages Of mud huts may be counted
By the thousands in this part OF BOLIVIA.
1hey are a people OK themselves. with
curious hsbita. queer customs and "a n'e
and character peculiarly their own. II 1
should say that slavery stili prevails in Bo-
Eyia / suppose the statement would De
disputed IL Is true nevertheless. These
Indians are 10 q great extent slaves. This
& feEdal country. aud I;se men ami
women are bought and sold with the farms
or which they live. The fact that t8ey
could perhaps leave upon paying their
debts does not alter the matter. 1t Is
known that their attachment 10 their
homes IL such that they will not leave and
the proprietor does not hesitate to agree
TO deliver his human goods with the prop
srty. The most OF the lands here are
owned by the 6shoios or haif-breeds. who
have Spanish and Indian blood in them.
and by the whites who are the descend
ants or the spangaTds wac conquered the
country. Upon each farm there Is com
munlty Of these Indians. who throughout
the whole year give three days Of each
week TO their masier. and are allowed the
remaining days for themselves. They re-
ceivs no wages for working for the owner
cf the plantation, and are supposed to do
the work IN lieu Of the ground rent for the
SPOT on which they have built their mud
huts aud for the little patches which they
are allowed TO farm for themselves II
their master has use for only Il part %
the time. he has the right TO hire them out
te others, and II they do not obey him he
can, within certain limits. infict punish
msnt ups u them. They expect 20 be
whipped. and / have heard Il said here
tiat Indian. servants grnmbis when they
are not punished for "a long time, because
they consider fl IA sign that their master
mas ceased 10 like them. An Indian here
mas IN lew things any right that any one
else is bound 70 respect. and IL IL indeed
not an uncommon thing to see one Atruck
20 make him move faster or understand
more quickly.
inoian Heuds and Indian Fishts
Notwithstanding their ili-treatment. the
lhoians seem 10 stick to their masters
Tnoy are absolutely without ambition ana
seem 10 be content with their lot They
VIII woek for their masters for nothing
rather Than receive pay from a foreigner.
ana they VIII fight to the death the Indl-
aus or a nclghporing plantation with whom
tasy are angry or of whom they are ieal-
Gus. Feuds often exist between The Tndl-
ans OF the farms Of a nelghhorhood and
gun nights and sling fights are common.
Ina sling Is the natural weapon OF the Az.
mara. He has the skill or David. and ia
never AFRAID 10 attack his G0liah at such
times. He uses the sling TO stone HIS sheen
from stfaying from the dock and from be-
hina his hut often watches for his enemy
ana sends "a rock crashing through his
brain. lie considers his masters griey-
ances his own. and will engage in any baf-
tie 10 which be may be instigated by him.
j heard or a case OF this kind last night
A foreign merchant of La paz Ind bouEh,
small plantation with a certain number
of Indians adjoining the estate OF rich
Bolivian. The Bolivian coveted the for
el1nsr's property and wanted 10 force him
10 sell II cheap. He fomented feud be-
tween his Indians and those 81 the for
cigner. The crops OF the foreigners Ind
ans were pulled from the ground his men
were stoned and NJ last they came 20 him
and told him their situation lie IL sked
them what they were going 10 do about it,