The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-25

Thomas s. Alexander went into the IN.
tsr1or Of Colombia year ago IN search OF
chronological specimens, and has ia'eiy
returned to civilization. bringing among
other things an account of some savages
who are at once handles and cannibas'
His party started from Cali In the Depai, :
snent Of Cauca and went down the mo
Hacha They were conducted from tr'oe
20 tribe of Indians by boods. or guides
When they reached the Ortequasas Mr.
Alexander found system OF wireless
telegraphy in use, he says;
"The tranSmitter was IA felled tree trunk
about 20 feet long and ~ fest IN diameter
Down the centre of il "A groove was cu'
about three inches wide by six inches de"p'
One end OF the trunk foated in the river
and the other end lay on sandbank
'The operator had a heavy stick aoou'
three feet long, on the end Of which was
hall of crude rubber weighing about twenty
I've pounds. He struck the end OF tho
trunk several times with this heavy ball
IT did not make much noise. but very
powerful conclsson or vibration oil the ar
could be felt. II was Just like the sensation
OF being in a tunnel when a shot Is hreo'
One felt the sound rather than heard H.
And the next tribe, several leagues
further down the river. could feel II equally
well and could read of the message as
telegrapher receives the dots and dashes
Of the Morse code over the wire. Evidently
these savages had code of their own by
which they could telegraph any message
they wished All the tribes in this region
we're constantly communicating with one
anot her by this wireless system,
Travellers among savage tribes in South
America. as well as in other parts OF the
world, have often been puzzled by the
rapidity and accuracy with which these
barbarian Marconis transmit news to one
another. Here Is one explanation, nj All
events. No doubt there are Others
AT last we got to the Yaris. who are
named after the river on which they dwell.
which is tributary Of the River Caqueta.
At 1850 o'clock one morning, while we were
having breakfast. we heard strains Of
weird, barbaric music which evidently
,ame from native reed flutes. We pushed
of our canoe from the bank and padded
out on river twice as broad az the Hud-
son at New York.
Around the next bend we met a num-
Der Of canoes filed with scores OF painted
Indians. They padded alongside. gave
is q warm welcome, and we're very eager
to help US with the canoes.
Never had we been received more cor
daily. Our TWO booas from the last tribe
went back and the Yaris took us up trib-
utary Of the river to their home.
The tribe numbers between two and
;hree thousand, and all the members of it
live In one enormous house. This house
10 moro than three hundred feet long and
,ver forty feet wide at the base, sloping
upward in triangular form.
The walls are made OF thin fern sticks
and leaves, delicately and beautifully
woven together and very solid. II is a
wonderful piece Of workmanship.
Inside the house is supported by great
number Of posts. between which ham
mocks arc slung for the men Of the tribe
to sleep in. On the floor. beneath these
hammocks, are small squares of bamboo,
on which the women sleep with their chill
dren.
Each family has its own cooking fire and
domestic utensils. and lives its own family
life in this vast house, surrounded by all
the other families.
We were conducted into this house,
and the Indians crowded around us-Inen.
women and children--all overlooking with
hospitality and curiosity. The first sight
that met our eyes in the house was long
line Of skulls suspended on the walls
There were skulls Of monkeys. pigs,
fishes, jaguars and many other animals -
and also. among the lot. there were eighteen
which were Enthusiastically the skulls OF
human beings. It was evident, too that
they were the skulls Of civilized men, for
some Of them had gold filings in the teeth
1T would be absurd to say that this sight
did not make us feel queer, but we were
not SO frightened as might be imagined.
because We had heard the story Of those
eighteen men from the other tribes along
The river.
They were eighteen Colombians who
1ad fed from civilization to escape being
pressed into the G overnment army to fight
The revolutionists. Four months before
,ur arrival they settled among the Yari
indians.
Being we'll armed with guns and re-
volvers. they cowed the tribe for while
and started to collect rubber. They we're
men Of the lowest and most brutal char
acter, and before long they began to fog
and shoot some Of the Indians.
One afternoon a baby cried in the big
louse and annoyed the leader Of the gang.
He coolly drew his revolver and blew it's
,ead of.
The Indians, who were sitting around
BUSY at their various occupations, did not
say word. They showed no trace Of emo
ton. Even the baby's mother suppressed
ler grief. But that night they arose from
sheir sleep and slew the eighteen Colon
bans.
Next morning, by wireless telegraph
hey invited the neighborng tribes to g
barrdcouchG-a feast OF white men. At @
bdrracouchn all tribal feuds are sunk. anc
the chiefs sit together in an enormous
hammock, which holds as many as forty
mon,
They do not eat human flesh for food
they have plenty of that OF all kinds. MOI
do they eat il because they like it, Tn,
motive is religious. or, rather, superstitious
They believe they will acquire he qualities
courage, strength, endurance, cunning
skilI-of the enemy who forms the dish.
The Yaris and all the other tribes ",
rsited hate South American white men
or they have suffered much at their hands
l.l. A II.