The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-12

glish and Portuguese are taught, and
In it's orphan asylum there are 800 boys.
The town was founded in 1922, being
laid out in Portuguese style, with a
very pretty plaza and park. 1t is sit
-uated about two miles from the river,
and you can ride to it on one of the
tame COWS or you may go on a street
car drawn by mules.
WHERE BOYS WASH GOLD.
The country surrounding Cuyaba Is
rich agriculturally, and am told there
is much gold in the hills about the city.
The cathedral is said to stand over a
gold lode, and on the edge Of the town
there are mines which are still worked
by the Portuguese. I have met several
Americans who have been mining gold
in this part Of Brazil. but so far none
Of them have struck it very rich. 1t
does not need very sharp eyes to see
that. gold exists, but after a heavy
, tropical rain the boys go out and search
for grains Of gold in the street. 1t is
said that they are often well paid for
their trouble. There are also diamond
mines not far off in the interior, but 1
am told that the best diamonds have
so far been found much further north.
| THE CHACO.
In going to Matto Crosse you skirt
one of the least known parts of South
America. This is the vast region known
as the Chaco, lying west of the, Para
quay river and south Of Bolivia. The
northern part of it belongs to Para
quay and the rest to the Argentine Re-
public. The part belonging to the Ar
gentine lies south of the Pilcomayo
river, and comprises a territory bigger
than California and Massachusetts,,
and enough to make three states as big
as Ohio.
The only settlements in this vast re-
gion are along the Paraguay. They
consist of here and there an estanc1a
or farm and a few scattering villages.
The chief town in the Paraguayan Cha
co is Villa Hayes, which is in sight
from Asuncion, and which has now
about ninety-one families of foreigners
| They are chiefly Swiss, French and
Italians, who are engaged in raising
sugar cane and sweet potatoes ana IN
manufacturing brandy.
There are two large rivers Which run
through the Chaco The Pilcomayo
winds about like a corkscrew from the
Bolivian Andes to the Paraguay river.
1t is full of rapids and can never be
navigable. The Vermejo or the Yer
| million river enters the Paraguay fur
ther south. 1t is at just about the bot
tom of the country. It's waters are
so red that they discolor those of the
Paraguay for some miles. The YER
mejo is about 1000 miles long and is
navigable for only short distance.
Just what these countries contain in
the way of resources Is yet to be dis
covered. I have met men who have
travelled over parts Of them. They
tell ME that the forests have much fine
timber, and that there are good pas
lures scattered among them. The land
will hardly be developed before rail-
roads are built, and today there are
not, I venture, $4,000 white people In
the whole territory.
HAIRLESS HUMANS OF CHACO.
The inhabitants Of the Chaco are
thus almost altogether Indians. There
are said to be more than 1000 of
them. They are among the most curt
Gus of the Indians of the world and
some tribes are practically unknown to
our enthnologists. Some Of the Chaco
Indians go naked from one years end
to the other, and some are SO opposed
to any covering that they will not even
allow their hair to grow. They pull out
every hair on their bodies except those
On their heads. Their faces, arms, bos-
oms. legs, and, In fact, all parts Of their
bodies. are kept as hairless as they
We're when they were born I have
heard it often stated that the people
of certain tribe are naturally hair
less. It is said they are born SO, and
the hairs never grow except on their
heads. This has been often reported,
but until / see an Indian grown to Or
der to test the matter I shall continue
to doubt whether the reports are cor
rect. ss
Some of these Indians are fine look
ing Take the TOBIAS, for instance.
have seen many Of them during my
travels on the Paraguay river. They
are as fine looking as any of the In
dians Of North America. They are as
straight as our pine trees and as proud
In their bearing as any Indian chief
OF the West. They have high cheek
bones, copper-colored skins and
straight, black hair.
The TOBIAS commonly wear no clothes
except when they come in to the pres
ence Of white people or cross over to
Paraguay to trade. At such times the
women wear white sheets draped about
their bodies.
At home they have nothing except
blanket about the waist, that Is. when
they are IN full dress. The men are
satisfied with band tied about the
head. have many photographs OF
them. but all are too nude for publica-
ton.
THE INDIAN WOMEN.
The youngest women are very fine
looking, and the young. braves are
among the noblest Of their race. Both
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