The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-02-08

in its travel down the ages, which is con-
nected with the primitive existence.
A peculiar legend has ever prevailed
among the savage races of the upper ORR
noco relative to the Savaje. or Great
Devil which was supposed to be an
enormous monkey of great power and
ferocity. Early traditions likened him to
the modern Africa gorilla, who spread
CONSERVATION among the natives, as he
would Unexpectedly enter their villages
and carry off young girls to make them
his wives. There were women found on
the border of the llanos at the time of
Humboldt who claimed to have lived in
enforced concubinage with the savaje for
years, bearing to him children that were
half beast. They finally managed to
effect their escape and return to their
tribes to spread renewed terror by a re-
cital of their wild life and experiences.
This was all, no doubt, a pure fabrication.
but may have had its foundation in some
great animal like the iguanodon. now ex-
tinct. Modern exploration may yet I'M
earth the bones of some giant ape that
will correspond to the tabled savaje, and
this myth, which may have passed down
for a thousand years, Will be fully ex-
planned. This fable still lives among the
Venezuelan savages. showing the same
superstitious vitality as those ideas of the
Banshee and Brownies in other countries.
The timorous Indian children are still
terrified with the threat of being given
over to the ferecity of the savaje, while
the young maidens seldom venture far
into the lonely forests without ample pro-
lection.
Some Indian legends have their origin
in the curious manifestations of nature,
which are beyond the ken of the ignorant
savage. Such is a fact concerning that
curious flying flame. called the farol.
which makes fantastic Journeys across
the hot and feverish valleys of Aroa.
Yurucuy, and Rio Tucuyo. The early
Indians interpreted this as a visible man
Hesitation of one of their ancient and
powerful kings. who thus signified his
proximity, in the spirit. to give them
hope and courage. But the Spaniards.
equally superstitious. claimed that il was
the stalking spirit of the merciless tyrant,
Lopez de Aguirre, who was killed In this
region The phenomenon is easily ex-
plainable. as 1t is an infiamable gas
a noxious eNhalation of miasma, indi-
eating the tiisengagement of hydrogen II
Is observed over an area of 100 square
miles and betokens the insaIubrity of the
air.
As to superstition. the Orinoco savage Is
honeycombed with Il. ard il constitutes
the sum total of what might be styled
~ r-o- sa--1
affixed religiou-no such thing as worship
or prayer. but all of them entertain a
great dread OF evil beings. The horrible
dread of unknown evils hangs like cloud
ever their lives and their constant men
tai sunerings are melancholy in the ex-
IRENE Even in their so-calied religion.
instead Of consolation. they create new
terrors. while taking melancholy pleas
pre in self-infiicted suferinss.
There are many legends and traditions
of the Orinoco country which have orig
mated with the Spaniards. who enjoyed
the astonishment their wonderful hcfions
would create Strange to say. many OF
these most extravagant fabrications had
their origin among the early Capuchins
ard other friars and subsequently became
notorious as the conQuistadores would
say son cuentos de frsiies" lthey are
monkish tales,) Out Of this early period
vas born the fable about the Rsyas. or
headless men. az the upper orinoco. and
the claim that certain animals kept the
feast OF the new moon Though long be-
lieved by many. from faith In the ve-
r.,citv OF the monks such rerciless les
49, zoo -ry,ch IN retain vitality even
among the more ignorant and corfding-
II may be possible that the monks them
selves were imposed upon by the na-
tives, because when looking for wonders
and marveis, one easily imhfbes tho &c