The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1912-03-02

tempting Providence to venture among the ruth
less savages who inhabit the forests and lanos
watered by the Orinoco and its attuents So
great, however, was his desire to visit this little
known part Of the world that he determined, In
spite of the difficulties and dangers predicted. to
make at least the attempt to accomplish his long
cherished purpose.
He has always been glad that he paid no heed
to the horrible forebodings that volunteered
by well-meaning but 1lladvised people Had he
done So he would have deprived himself OF one OF
the most delightful experiences of his life. For
outside of certain discomforts 1nseparably con-
nected with roughng it in the wild, the entire trip
was OF agreeable surprises and unaloyed
pleasure. And, in lieu of bloodthirsty savages
seeking to transhx him with poisoned arrows, he
found the Indians all along his route to be not
only harmless, but hospitable and ob1ging. In
deed some Of the most pleasant recoect1ons he
has Of his Wanderings In the W1ds OF Venezuela
and Colombia is the kindly treatment he invaria-
bly, received at the hands of the children OF the
forest.
These observations says a writer in the Pan
American Bulletin. have been suggested by
work which has recently been published in Ber
lin on the Indians inhabitng the region between
the Rio Negro and the Yapura. 1t Is by DR.. Theo
dor Koch-Grunberg distinguished German tray
eler and ethnologist, and is entitled "Zwe Jahre
unter den Indianern" (Two Years Among the In
dlans). 1t has appealed to us In special man
ner not only account OF the mine OF 1nforma-
ton it contains regarding the manners and
toms Of the various tribes OF Indians which the
author visited during his two years peregrinations
in this comparatively unknown part Of the world;
not only on account of It's numerous and valuable
illustrations reproduced from photographs which
constitutes valuable aid to the right under
standing of the narrative, but also, and chiefly be-
cause the doctors experiences among the red
Of the regions visited were almost Identical with
own In other parts of the continent
1t was in August 1903, that Dr. koch-Grunberg
reached the little town of Sac Felipe the Up
per Rio Negro. Using this place as base, he
proceeded without delay to explore its western az
fuents the Icana the Tapes, the Curicuriary, and
their chief tributaries, and to study the manners
customs and languages Of the divers Indian tribes
that live on or near their banks. After spending
nearly two years among these people, some OF
whom never saw a white man before, he returned
to Manaos, the mouth of the Rio Negro by
way Of the Yapura and the Amazon.
He well equipped for his work, which for
him was ever labor of love. He had previously
accompanied DR.. Hermann Meyer during his ex-
p1oraton of the Xtngu in southern Brazil, and had
then learned to admire the many notable quail
ties of the unspoiled denizens of the jungle.
Outside Of young Brazilian, OF German descent
his sole companions during his long wander1ngs
among many tribes-some of whom he had been
warned, antropofagos (cannibals)-were In
dams whom he employed as porters and boatmen.
And these we're In most instances what are known
contact with civilization. But completely
did he from the first win the confidence and af
lection of these simple kindly people, that they
at once treated him one of their own and made
him feel at home wherever he went
And considerable and just he in all his
dealings with them that his reputation preceded
him from tribe to tribe. Everywhere he was
known and welcomed the friend Of the In
dams" and any service they could perform for
him was freely given. He lived in their malokas
communal homes) shared in their repasts and
festivities, took part in their dances and their
hunting expeditions, witness of their strange
marriage and burial ceremonies, and romped with
their children, helped to entertain friends and
guests. He had every opportunity Of fam1iarizing
himself with the peculiar manners customs, tradt-
tons, and superstt1ons of his hosts for they
ever willing to impart to him all the Information
in their power and assist him in his photographic
researches in every way possible.
Besides treating them with justice and kind
ness, he made 1t a rule never to accept any serv-
ice, however slight, without making some COM
pensaton for 1t. The remuneration offered might
be trihing but the effect was magical. They were
al-men, women and children-at his beck and
call every hour of the day night.
OF the Indians Of Cururi (cuara) the author
declares that they did everything to make his So
iourn among them comfortable and pleasant FOR
a few glass beads and f1shhooks they kept us lib
orally supplied with meat and drink Fowl OF