The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-12
HAIRLESS INDIANS OF CHACO
ABOUT THE CURIOUS
TRIBES OF THE INTERIOR.
Forests and Pastures Of Interior Bsa-
xil-How Cattle Take the Place of
Horses as Riding Animals.
Copyright 1899. by Frank c. carpenterl

i am now on the Paraguay, winch HOWS
1900 miles from it's source in Brazil before it
loses itself in the Parana- The Paraguay
has a network of tributaries above Asuncion
up which you can sail for thousands of
miles. on some of these rivers you can go
in canoes so close to The tributaries of the
Amazon that you can carry your boat a
short distance and go out to the Atlantic
through that mighty stream.
The Parana proper, which 1 left about
three hundred miles south, at the town of
Corrientes, extends more than thousand
miles further north, bounding South Para
quay and running on into Brazil. 1t is
navigable for small steamers during part
of its course. but il has four hundred miles
of rocky rapids, and in the future it may be
one of the great picturesque routes of the
world. 1t has waterfalls which are said to
surpasS those of Niagara. These are on the
borders of Paraguay and Brazil. and are
known as the Salto Guayra. They are /
am told, far more grand than the falls of
YgvaZu, which are sometimes called the
Niagara of South America
1 have already written how in coming to
Asuncion L sailed as far as from New York
city to Omaha on large river steamers.
can go just as much further by steam into
the very heart of this continent, or further
than from Philadelphia to Salt Lake City.
The limit Of steam navigation is now Guy
aba. Brazil the capital of Matte Crosse,
and the metropolis OF vast country of
undeveloped resources.
The first man to penetrate this region by
steam was an American. His name was
Capt Thomas J. Page. He was commander
of the steam launch Alpha, of our navy,
and upon this little ship in 1859 he pushed
his way inland 200 miles from the At
lantic. To-day Brazilian mail steamers go
over the same route twice a month and
there are steamers leaving here weekly for
Cuyaba. The Paraguay river for half the
journey is everywhere twenty feet deep,
while it's average depth is said to be forty
five feet.
IN THE HEART OF BRAZIL.
In going from Asuncion to Cuyaba you
pass through a region which is most pictur-
esque. Crossing the boundary of Paraguay,
you enter the great province of Matte Gros-
so, which is an empire in itself. AS you go
north the Paraguay river narrows the seem
cry becomes wild, and you steam in and out
among mountains upon the bases of which
grow fern trees and giant palms. The banks
are covered with wooded mass of vegeta-
ton. The trees are tall and bound together
with vines and creepers. You could not make
your way through them with an ak or a
knife.
There are all kinds of wild birds, and you
get many shots from the steamer. There are
alligators everywhere, and If you rise early
you may now and then see tigers swim
ming across the river.
Further north. if you throw dynamite
cartridge into the water the dead fish will
soon rise on all sides of you and you can
within a few minutes pick up enough to
half fill your boat. Here and there you pass
farmhouses cut out of the woods. At some
OF these the boat stops for fresh meat. TAX
ing the beeves on board and killing them
there. There are frequent forests of palms
scattered along the river.
About two days ride above Asuncion, just
over the Brazilian line, a forest-covered
island thirteen hundred feet high, springs
up ahead OF you and seems to stop your
progress. AS you approach it you see that
there is a channel at the west side wide
enough for the beat TO go through This
island is known as the Mountain Gate. The
land about it is said TO be so unhealthy that,
as one of the authorities states, even the
trees are pot-belied and dropsical. Some
of the human beings in the neighborhood
certainly are.
AS you proceed further the animal life in
creases. Deer are frequently seen and among
them some almost pure white. The birds are
Of the most gorgeous plumage, the toucans
being Respondent in brightest reds and
blues. The aligators now become more
numerous, and you are frequently APP
preached by Indians who have tiger skins
for sale. \ good skin will bring from So to
$40. In addition TO this, there is sometimes a
bounty paid for such skins. There is one
man on the river who has made quite a lit
tie fortune by killing tigers. He has killed
1913 and has received in the neighborhood OF
$500 for them. He got SO apiece for the
skins and the cattle owners paid him a
bounty Of s. per tiger.
Other things offered for sale are parrots
and monkeys. The prices are low, and you
can have them almost for the asking. You
can also buy bows and arrows, Indian bask-
cts and hammocks. The hammocks are ex-
pensive. Some are made of the brilliant
feathers of tropical birds and cost as high
as 500 apiece.
ASUNCION TO MATTO CROSSE.
The province of Matte Crosse is one of
the largest in Brazil. Ii is as large as one
sixth of the whole United States. not in
Guiding our outlying possessions. 1t forms
the southern central half of the country.
The greater part of il has never been ex-
plored, and it is wild to-day it was
when Sebastian Cabot made his way up the
Paraguay river only a few years after
America was discovered.
Matte Crosse is a land of gold and dia-
monds of vast pastures, of impenterable
forests. of rubber and cacao, and. in fact,
in its possibilities. one of the richest lands
OF the globe.
This territory is to be reached only by
the Parana and Paraguay river systems.
II has no railroads connecting it with the
rest Of Brazil. and its people rely for their
supplies upon the steamers OF the Parana
system Every bit of imports is brought
over 200 miles by river boats, and the Off
Gals, who as a rule come from Rio Janeiro,
must travel a thousand miles further.
Leaving Asuncion on your way to Matte
Crosse, you first pass Villa Conception, the
biggest city OF north Paraguay. There Is