Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-31

the stacks and scatter the grain about and
turn on a herd Of cattle, and by shout
and prodding they keep the cattle in a
circle and constantly going. When they
think the threshing completed they throw
all in the air on a windy day and let the
wheat, barley or whatever the berry may
be fall to the ground and the chaff blow
away. But much OF the grain is trampled
into the earth and never recovered. The
entire proceeding, from the preparation of
the soil for the seed to the marketing of
the grain, excepting alone the stacking,
which is always well done. appears like
baby play In comparison with our methods.
Their root crops are better handled.
Nearly everything is grown under irrI-
cation. The irrigation systems are remark
ably well done, One plant, very old, 1 was
told. which 1 think would have puzzled a
modern American engineer to initiate, was
very ingeniously handled by the Indians.
The water was taken out of a river at a
point where the banks were perpendicular
and diverted into a tunnel which was con-
structed parallel with the river, but on a
lighter grade, for a distance Of two miles,
until good, open dltching ground was
reached. At distances of about 100 yards
there were openings made in the face of the
wall which allowed the excavators on the
work to enter the line and prosecute the
work of the tunnel from many points of
attack. 1t must have taken years to con-
struct that tunnel.
Rocky Roads to Travel.
At one point on my road 1 had to cross
a stream. Rio P~rovidencia It was called.
Why that and not Rio Diablo 1 cannot I'M
derstand. From the point where l began
the descent to the stream TO the top of the
bank on the opposite side was a distance
of certainly not more than one mile across
yet my pocket barometer showed that from
the first descent to the water was more
than 5000 feet, by zig-zag route. Then
had to make the same ascent by the sam,
sort Of roadway on the opposite side to get
on the plain again. The entire formation
was volcanic and interesting.
My entire journey covered a distance O.
over LOCO miles. all made on foot, horse anS
muleback and on top Of a diligence, ans
from sea level to over 1900 feet altitude
Scenery from the densest Of tropica
jungles where ones vision, owing to tn,
dense growth OF vegetation. is not NOR,
than fifty feet and the rainfall is NOR,
than 800 inches per annum. to the other ex
IRENE Of dry, barren wastes on the par
aHnas ana the nights are terribly cold.
OmeiaI and Primitive Feasts.
was favored with the hospitality Of Gen
eral Plaza, liberal president OF the republic
at a banquet and enjoyed the courtesies O
the archbishop and bishops who are jus
now engaged in a great struggle with tn
government for having passed a com
pulsory civil marriage law at the last con
gress, I also Toasted on parched corn an
machiqui with the lonely Indian when
could md nothing else. This machiql
stun is a great game to play at. 1t is
sort Of flour made from pounding whea
barley. corn and other grains betwee
stones. Then when the Indian goes on
trip he is pretty well laden with cargo su,
pended from his shoulders and forehea,
so that his arms and hands are free. H
always has conveniently suspended frol
somewhere somehow a pouch Of corn {