The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-06

where women marry on time only. They
do so in other towns. but here IL is the uni
versal practice. Among the 1900 people of
Hquitos is only one regularly married
couple, the German vice consul and his
wife Yet folks live in peace and happiness.
year in. year out; the city's newspapers
contain not line of scandal. Lawyers are
busy with property disputes only. and the
police blotters record few crimes or offenses
of violence. There are no shootings, poison
mysteries, stabbing ARRAYS, no parents cry
Ing for runaway daughters, young men
with love escapades to their credit or dis
credit. Sunny-faced children are every
where about the houses, streets and public
squares. They attend school regularly and
enjoy the benefit OF religious instruction.
or their mothers and fathers they speak
with love and respect, and though never
punished, the youngsters seem to compare
favorably with the youth OF our great
American cities. .
The RockefeIlers. Morgans and Goulds of
Yquitos are Shareholders. law or no law.
They buy Indians at stated rate and use
them principally as domestic servants. Put
the bondsmen and bondswomen are es-
teemed no less than free people, and the
educational institutions OF the town are
open to them, while their children grow
up with those of the masters on the basis
Of perfect equality.
SITUATION OF THE TOWN.
I Journeyed to Yquitos a Brazilian
steamer carrying the mail over the vast
route Of the Aamazon river, and we went
up stream some 3.125 miles ere the capital
of Peru's interior wilderness hove into
sight
Ten years ago Yquitos was but a strug-
Cling village. Then came the discovery of
seemingly inexhausti. e India rubber de-
posits in the nearby forests, and mer-
chants, traders and adventures from all
the Americas, and. In fact, from all the
world, focked to the spot
AS our good ship sailed into the harbor
her passengers got a most favorable i'm
preston Of the metropolis of the caoutchouc
district. From the distance all seemed
white houses. green lawns and flower beds.
but subsequent investigation proved that
a great deal of dirt and neglect is mixed
up with this idyll.
STRANGERS MADE WELCOME.
The day being a Sunday, all Yquitos had
turned out to offer as boisterous welcome.
The edge of the rocky plateau wherein the
town is built was black with people watch
ing the approaching steamer and waving
hats and handkerchiefs. For several months
past one of the customary revolutions had
kept the harbor closed and the people were
fairly mad for news from the outside world.
AS toiled UP the steep embankment I
was surprised by the great number of gayly
dressed women in the crowd. Nearly all of
them were young and good looking and, like
their children, becorningly arrayed in multi
colored southern style. On close inspec-
tion the city looked the overgrown village
1t fs-houses built in Irregular lines of all
sorts Of material, heaps of dirt alternating
with flower gardens and green patches, and
empty lots full OF debris. The public build
ings were shanties, dignified by ''highfalu-
tin I" signs in golden letters.
Some 800 PAGES from the entrance to the
town stands the only church. small dilap-
idated building. fianked by two brick
towers, rent from steeple to base by in
Vulnerable cracks and clefts. Such build
ing would be condemned as dangerous In
any halfway regulated community n
Peru ''manana' is trump-we will attend to
1t tomorrow The church stands in a. wide
square, slxirted by lawns and flower beds,
and services closed Just as | was passing
by Crowds of women and children issued
from the several portals. followed by the
gray-haired priest and some choir boys.
These were the only males in the throng.
WIRELESS TOWN.
Probably not one among the several hun
dred women seen would be called beautiful
in New York or London. but nearly all the
younger persons were good looking, having
well modelled faces. fiery black eyes and
abundant. glossy hair.
On better acquaintance 1 noticed that
xbofr nile xto cfo
their teeth of exquisite shape and white
ness. while vivacious and pleasing style
was common to ALL. OF whatever walk of
life.
l remarked to the captain of our ship that
the men of Yquito must be a goddess lot,
seeing that they allowed their women and
girls to go to church unattended which is
considered highly improper in Peru. where
no woman, married or single. Is allowed to
walk the streets alone-husband. brother or
female servant always marching In their
wake.
Why" laughed the captain, these ladies
have no husbands In our sense of the word
They are married, yes, but temporarily
only. No one marries here in the regula-
ton style. The only couple who received
the blessings of the church or state is the
gentleman and lady presiding at the Ger
man consulate"
The Kaiser's official representative cor
roborated the above and the pastor of the
Dig Catholic congregation showed me the
registers, proving that not single mar
Rage had been celebrated In church at
Yauitos during the past fourteen or fifteen
years.
The reasons for this state of affairs are
purely economical: morality, or the reverse,
does not enter into 1t at ALL This is the
consensus Of opinions expressed by the au-
thorities and the people themselves.
Men go TO Yquitos for the sole purpose
OF making money. No one even pretends to
enter this wilderness TO make a home. A
town of 1900 Inhabitants and not single
house built TO outlast few years of usage.
no places OF amusement or resorts of any
kind. government house. no public insti-
tutions only abodes to dress and sleep. eat
Tag houses and saloons. such is the big city
Of Yquitos. enjoying a healthy situation
and every natural advantage save that of
being close 10 the South American centers
OF commerce.