The Washington herald., 1907-09-01


70 the popular mind are located In Africa
OF in the far East The new continent"
is commonly supposed TO be free of hu-
man relics of a thousand years ago. Yet
IN the heart OF South America, near the
southern border OF Brazil there exists
at present tribes of savages not as ad-
vanced in civilization as the red men met
by Columbus, or the prehistoric Virgin
ians found by Capt. Smith on these
shores.
A trip amcng these so-called Indians of
South America, made by ". A. Cook.
partly IN the interest Of the Bureau %
American Ethnology, IS described in a
recent publication of the Smithsonian In
stitution, under the direction of which the
bureau falls. Following the caption, ''The
Bororo Indians Of Malta Crosse, Brazil,
Mr. Cook tells Of people strange TO the
descendants of Europeans
Mr.. Cook made this adventurous trip IN
company with Senor Antonio Candido de
Carvalho, q Brazilian explorer Of large
experience and influence, and. with him.
collected many native implements. orna-
ments. and other objects which have
other chronological collections in the
United States National Museum.
Journey in Wilderness.
Air. Cook describes his journey through
the wilderness 10 a rough ranch belonging
10 Senor de CarvaIho, near Bororo
village. He says:
"As soon as our arrival became known,
rrra
shed, began to fill rapidly with our paint
ed friends Of all ages and sizes and both
sexes, who came 10 observe US. and 10 see
the marvellous things we had brought
them from our enchanted world. They
pour in upon us regularly at the break
OF day. and stay faithfully until the
shadows OF night begin to deepen; and
though coming and going constantly. we
always have our full complement, II we
open one Of our pack-mule trunks. our
visitors are on the alert TO handle what
ever may strike their fancy. If We eat,
every mOuthful OF food is closely scru-
tlnized, and whatever we may do is OBJ
served with the closest attention. They
recline on our boxes sprawl on our
table, lean against the posts, squat on the
ground. and hunch down around our pot
as 1t boils. always leaving a patch Of
paint wherever they sit or lean. Some
smoke others Iazily pick and eat the
kernels from a roasted ear Of corn, others
nibble the white cheese-like heart Of a
diminUtive palm that furnishes a consid-
cradle part of their food; the boys devour
bits Of fish roasted black, or shoot at a
stick or a stump with their crude bows
and arrows Just outside the door men
gossip. vacantly gazing, but never once
toward the one they address, or they ask
us few questions In the limited language
that we know in common The women
and children usually form an outer fringe
10 this group. Whenever there is prospect
Of obtaining beef, our congregation is az
once largely increased. They never steal
anything that is distinctly ours. though
they viii take anything We have bought
Of them II they have an opportunity.
Dress of Females.
The long. straight. coarse, black haIr
OF both males and females hangs IN q
tangled mass about their shoulders. ex'
cept above. the forehead, where it IS kept
chopped OF 20 form bangs. Nearly al
the single young plaster these bangs with
a sort Of red putty, made from the small
yellowish-red fruit of the burity palm and
fish oil. and the same paste is used tC
paint the entire body, Boys and girls
who are esteemed by their parents alsC
have the foretop arranged IN this way
and a few Of the latter who are regarded
with special favor have il plated with {
layer Of beautiful red feathers. One WOm
an was covered with white feathers from
head to foot, with a brilliant plume IL
her hair. All young men and boys veal
suspended from a hole in the lip, boTeC
during infancy, a kind OF chain called
nogodau, about six inches long. made o.
fiat oval-shaped bits Of shell, terminating
in a red feather. The older men have 4
plug in this hole. for II left open it causes
difficulty in drinking.
The village itself, according 10 Mr.
Cook, is just as strange. He says:
There were thirty huts in the villag'
that encircled IN a very irregular way
facing in every direction: a very larg
hut that stood IN the center was calle'
baehytu Bae Cby) is the name of tn,
ordinary family hut This baehytu is tn
bachelors hall, the headquarters of al
the unmarried men. the workshop wher
the men make weapons and ornament
and instruments. the dining-rOom, tht
town hall where most public functions
occur. and the club where visitors ar
received and entertained. The baehytu &
entered through an opening at each end
like a hole in q hay stack and within &
always damp, gloomy, and foul smelling
The family huts are mostly Ike a roo
resting on the ground, and strongly re
semble an old hay stack, with a hol
eaten IN each end, though OCCASIONAL!
the hut Is raised little. and woven palm
branch tongues form a basket-llke wall
Deep gloom reigns within these huts
They are made dark that they may b.
free from flies, and are dens OF rubbish
and filth. Stuck to the roof are bow
and bundles Of arrows, war clubs, flshinl
gear. and instruments and ornaments no
in use at the moment. The occupants o
this human lair are sprawled on palm
leaf rug. with a log Of wood, four inche
in diameter, for a pillow, and sleeping, o
gnawing an ear Of corn, a bit Of fish, o
vegetable, or sitting taiIor-fashion, MAX
ing beads arrows, or other objects. o
kneeling by the little fire, preparing food
When the filth becomes unbearable, o
disease Is prevalent. they do not trOubl
20 clean house. but simply abandon ant
burn the old. and build a new one on
clean spot Usually the entire villag
moves TO new place some distanc
away"
The Death Ceremony.
Their death ceremony is a weird under
taking Mr.. Cook paints it vividly:
a day or so after our arrival, q chi.,
OF seven or eight years. belonging 10 on
OF the leading families. died This CAV
US an opportunity to witness a strang
ceremony.
a loud, deep, prolonged hee-aw. hoe
ah-h was beloved by q quartet 0