The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-06-21

him. Then mankind came out and popu-
lated the earth. After living in a cave
sc long the human race had become very
dirty When they came into the light of
day they realized this and decided to
wash. They heated some water in huge
earthenware Jar. Those who got the
first bath came out white. and thus the
white race was formed. Those who had
the next bath came out brown and for
mu1ated the brown race The last to
battle had only the dregs and the stains
which were left in the jar and they
founded the blacks.
Some of the Indian tribes believe in two
gods, one evil and one good. These two
spirits fight for the control of mankind.
sometimes one conquers ard sometimes
the other. Others such as the Conibos.
are sun Aorshipers, as were the Incas at
the time that Pizarro came: while others
believe that the spirits of good people re-
turn to earth after death and live in
jaguars or monkeys, while those of tho
lad go into reptiles or parrots. Nearly
eS cry tribe has its witch doctors and all
are honeycombed with superstition.
Altogether, the Indians of the eastern
Amazon are comparatively few. The
tribes are largely scattered. and many OF
them are rather families than tribes.
Prof. Orton one of the best authorities
on the Amazon, estimated that there are
not more than 1000 people living along
that river, and the Maranon, and there
are probably less than 100000 on the
eastern slopes of the Andes.
The Royal Geographical society of Lima.
Peru, recently estimated the number of
savages in those regions at something
like 10000, dividing them into tribes that
range in size from few hundred to 1000
or 5000, the largest being the Muitotos,
which are put at 10000. and after that the
Ticunas. numbering 1890. Enocks fixes
his estimate as 10000 or more. and clas-L
SITES the Indians into 112 tribes. large
number of which have but few mem
bers.
None of these tribes is equal to the
best type of the North American Indian.
The most of them are short, and they
cary in color from red to black. Nearly
all have high cheek bones and all have
long, straight black hair and black eyes.
Some are very muscular. and a few are
brave. The majority, however, are cow
ardly and so afraid of the whites that
they have been practically enslaved by
them in the work of rubber gathering.
Some of the tribes wear no clothes
whatever. Others have clothes of bark
cloth, and some wear short skirts made
of the bark OF tree. Not few make
beautiful hammocks. also exquisite fenth-
er work, formed of the brigh -c6lofed
plumage of the birds of the hN1azon val
ley.
Several of the tribes are musical. The
Aguarunas have flutes of reed or bone
and a kind of violin with three strings.
They also have drums of three trunks
which they use for sending their wire
less messages from one savage settlement
to another
None of the tribes associates with any
other tribe. There is no union of gov
eminent; and the chiefs are generally
chosen for their superior ferocty and
strength. The languages differ widely.
and there is no method of writing. Some
of the savages count on their fingers and
express the higher numbers by move
ments of the fingers; but all are in low
state of civilization and sinking lower
by the vices and liquor brought in by the
whites. FRANK G. CARPENTER.