The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-05-15

tinue the journey. I considered this the
most important of the lot, but so little
attention was paid to 1t by the re-
cipient that 1 feared my indorser was
discredited.
The Rule of Manana.
The principal obstacle to travel the
hustler will encounter. is not the bad
trails or lack of facilities. but the ap-
parent Indifference toward matters that
we may consider pressing business. The
officials retain the old Spanish feeling
of dignity, which is always coupled
with kindly courtesy. and the natives
have learned the lesson by contact and
are never in hurry about anything,
ABSOLUTELY never. II is a delicate mat
ter to press the officials, and maybe
dangerous to crowd the Indians.
/ had intended going through Tarapota
in day but the illness disconnected my
plans When able to walk about the
I town I felt it was time to move on to
the next stop. at Lamas, a days ride. I
gave the necessary order for the napo
(guide) TO interpret. But the napo had
the Spanish lazinesss and the native
stupidity, and during my illness was
having good time. posing as an in
terpreter" among the other Indians. and
was in no hurry to leave. I learned also
that the officials had concluded that nv
illness would result in my abandoning
the trip over the Andes. but in this they
reckoned without their host.
/ In order TO add to his own dignity and
Importance. the napo abused the privi-
ieges as interpreter, by exaggerating
10 the natives the position of the Amer
/ lcano. had no means Of knowing
the nature OF the yarns he told in his
Indian dialect, but could see from the
curiosity and actions of the Indians and
his behavior toward them that I was
being represented as n character enti-
tied to as much consideration as the
President. There was certainly a differ
ent bearing when we were together in
the company Of those to whom 1 was
able to make myself understood
South American volapuk.
The Indians do not often speak the
| Spanish. each tribe using a separate dia-
lect, but all seem to know the Indian
universal tongue called the @Keecha'
as 1t is pronounced but sometimes spell
ed "Quincha" learned from the Inca.
to which have referred and may have
/ occasion to mention again as we reach
n
iards conquered and made Christians of
them. he has failed to make Spaniards
OF them.
Tarapota may be described as repre-
senting in reality one of those hidden
valleys of rare loneliness that one some
times reads about in the novels as the
abode of the fanciful characters depict
ed by romantic writer's. II is only one
Of the many beautiful valleys that may
be found in the land of tomorrow The
traveller wearied and sore from the tire
some toiling over the mountains, who
may be carried into its restful shades,
as l was. would be excused for imagia-
ing that this region. near the center of
the eartl,. may have been part of the
original garden of Eden.
The valleys are doubly secluded, In
the sense that they are in the very
heart of the South American continent.
being hemmed in from the outside world
by immense mountain barriers rising on
all sides Ike rugged. precipitous stone
walls, covered by a prickly cacti hedge,
forming natural obstacles that may only
be overcome by perilous climbing or
by creeping around and cutting a path
through the bush.
The valley Immediately around Tara
pota in outline is crescent shaped, prob
ably three leagues across. and in length
as far as the eye reaches, toward Moya-
banda Valley On either side are the
mountains, spurs OF the Andes, known
as the ''Cordilleras" or foot hills. their
sides covered with the luxuriant foliage
Of the tropics. Through the valley the
beautiful Mayo River flows toward the
Huaplagua by a long. tortuous course
through mountain goTges and rapids al
most impossible for even a Chasuta
canoeist 10 navigate in safety. Few go
down, and none attempt to ascend the
rapids. The Mayo receives a number Of
smaller streams from the mountains. OF
clear. cold water, tumbling down over
the rocks in sufficient volume 20 drive
machinery to consume the innunerable
products Of the rich soil.
In the rich soil of Tarapota, pine
apples grow wild. l have seen them
in The cultivated gcrdens OF the natives