The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-04-21

or other aborigines, except the disfigurins
ace-marks of their black tribal tattoo
They also preserve q reputation for making
feather fabrics, hammocks, and pottery
likewise cultivate cacao bananas and
sugar-cane To some extent, gather caout
chouc, and for the rest of their subsistence
depend upon hunting or fishing.
The AraraS, who ruined them. did not
settle on those lands from which the former
occupants had been driven. Fierce and
solitary savages, they cared for nothing
but war; had no object in life except plum
der, massacre, and destruction. None oi
their aggreSSionS were made in mass.
Strong bands OF warriors would issue from
densely-wooded lateral valleys on the
Madeira's right bank, make more or less
effective foray, and retreat to their forest
Businesses.
Those strongholds are not only inaccess-
ible to any force likely to be brought
against them, but the climate is deadly.
and those inhabitants who would defend
such sites have lost nothing Of their
ferocity, courage, or power To combine
against a common enemy. This not only
secures them from invasion, but prevents
any KIND OF peaceful intercourse, so that
these perfectly wild Araras are almost un-
known to any strangers who could de-
scribe the manner OF life which they lead
when at home and left Ia themselves.
What has been said of Muras applies in
great measure to the Caripunas also. We
had come in contact with this tribe and
spoke OF it as being far advanced towards
a state of complete disintegration. Nova
days, this people scarcely make any mar
ketable articles. Men and women go about
in condition OF nearly complete nudity,
and they have given up every attempt,
however imperfect, To provide themselves
with any kind of food except such as is
spontaneously produced.
At the same time Caripuna sticks two
red feathers in his noStrils, runs n CAPT
bara tusk through the lobe of each ear.
twists q coil Of plated hair round his
head, and is satisfied that everybody must
regard SO conSurnmate q creature with
admiration. He is not OF the least use on
earth, and through the operation of natural
laws covering such cases as this. these
unfit beings are disappearing with con-
siderable sWiftneSs.
AS for treacherous, nlan-cating Parentin-
tins they still retain possession Of the best
caoutchouc tracts on the Madeira and
make the business Of gathering this gum
too dangerous an occupation for those en-
gagged in il to follow within their territories
mo es Christianos" f"They are not Chris
tians" our piouS crew told us, with aver
| sion. Truly they are not, being without
doubt unmitirated ruffians and villains of
| the deepest dye, who have assimilatcd
every form of vice with which circum-
stances brought them in contact For
meriy the Portuguese Government dealt
with them according to q fire-and sword
policy that they at least understood. even
If il cannot be said TO have effected any
| marked improvement i'm their manners
Now, under Brazii's patcrnal rule. these
Indians do pretty much as they choose
except for such retaliations as local au-
thoritics may be ahlo 20 visit them with
! On account Of many crimes.
Somehow or other Jesuit missionaries
once managed TO do good in this land: but
after their departure those populations
among whom they labored largely relapsed
| During the iGth 18th, and 18th centuries
| mission stations established by that order
| now mostly in ruins-studded tracts of
country at present given up 10 wandering
and unreclaimed SavageS. No doubt cir
cums;ances formerly proved less destruc-
! tive 20 such endcavorS. BE this as il may
waste tracts had been cleared cattle and
other domestic animals reared in album
dance, plentiful crops of maize, cotton
mandioc, sugar cane, tobacco and Para
quay tea produced; while the natives were
kept IN better order than they ever have
! been since.
IL is rule ali over the world. that ex
ceptionally miserable and debased Deoples
| invariably believe themselves possessed ol
| those qualities that most dignity or adorn
| humanity, and in multitude Of instances
| their collective names indicate an opinion
| that they alone are men Here tribal desig.
! nations, though conceived in this spirit
! have not generally so exclusive a significa.
/ ton. Wariike hordes or the Madeira cal
| themselves after some beast OF prey whose
! character they emulate and admire Those
! groups who belong " the mild ane