Gilpin observer., 1912-02-29

in the center Of the edifice is used for general
reception room for dances. and for the entertain
ment of friends and visitors. The chief or head
of this patriarchal community lives, with his fam
lily, in an apartment at end OF the maloka.
Everything is under his direction and nothing OF
importance is undertaken without his consent and
advice.
Notwithstanding the large number of people nv-
ing under the same roof. there is the greatest
peace and harmony Il have lived for months at
a time" declares author, "in one OF these
malokas and never have l, under normal condi-
tons. witnessed any disputes quarrels."
1t is however, the moral conditions of the
cupants of these communal lodges that impressed
him most deeply. These naked Indians" he as
serts, "are as decorous as 1t is possible for men
to be. Their morality is on high plane. although
several families live together in the same room.
The woman plays important role the
wife and counselor of her husband, but her in
fuence is greatly augmented when she becomes
a mother. She then enters upon her proper life
work. for the care and bringing up the children
committed entirely to her unfailing love and
devotion.
From the moment of birth until it is able to
walk one rarely the child without the mother.
The two are practically inseparable. The baby
here Is ever the object of the same tender affec-
ton as with US, and the older children. too. are
never without their mothers special solicitude I
have seen mother playing with and entertaining
them for hours at a time.
The Indian woman is far from being the stupid
beast Of burden pictured for US by superficial OBJ
servers. While, the husband devotes his attention
to the commonweal, the wife spends her time
within the limits Of the family circle. But along
with the chief duties OF the family she also as
sumes the chief rights. Her life Is indeed one OF
toll and fatigue. but she thereby expands her
faculties and brings her true nature to its full
development.
What however, excited the authors greatest
astonishment was their extraordinary honesty.
The Ehrlichkeit. he tells US. war verfuffend." Il
could have left all my trunks remain open and
they would have taken nothing. Even pieces OF
printed paper which had thrown away and bits
of stearin that had dropped from my candle they
always carefully placed on my camp stool.
Speaking generally. the author does not hesi-
tate to declare The property OF another 10 strict
ly respected Never will an Indian sell the small
est thing, while In his keeping, which belongs to
another without the owners knowledge and con-
sent. and never will he accept payment for an
other"
Regarding the cannibals against whom he had
been warned when he was in Manaos, he assures
US that they were all harmless and good
natured as all the other wild Indians with whom
he came in contact"
Having had such delightful experiences among
these simple. kind hearted people. we can well
understand that when the day OF parting came the
author found It dincult to tear himself away
from those at whose hands he had for nearly two
years received such unvarying kindness. and who
had contributed SO materially to the success Of
his expedition.
We are well aware that the account DR.. Koch.
Grunberg gives Of the copper-colored denizens Of
the South American forests Is wholly different
from that OF most writer's. But he Is not alone
In his favorable estimate Of them. Those .who
know them best. who have spent the longest time
among them and have had an opportunity OF
studying them at close range. will nnd our au.
thor's descriptions and judgments correct as well
as sympathetic.
But divergent as his experiences are from those
of the majority Of Travellers they neverthe.
less quite in harmony with those should expect
from one who was willing to treat the Indian as
a human being and not as q pariah . soul
less brute.