El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-06-20

" UAQUI, Bolivia. June 20--During
my travels ON the high plateau
- Of the Andes have heard many
strange stories about the vast uneN-
plorsd country that slopes down to the
Amazon valley. In coming across Lake
Titicaca ] Travelled with an American
railroad contractor who is building a
line through the heart of Bolivia lie
has been taking vacation OF Two
or three months. and has uJst returned
from gold prospecting tour IN lne
regions Of the Madre de dos, one OF
the high tributaries Of the Amazon.
The Madre de Dlos rises on the other
side Of the great mountain wall that
skirts the northern side Of Lake Tit
caca- 1t flows in a winding course
into the Benz. and on into the Mamore
and Madeira coming out through the
latter stream into the Amazon pelOW
the city Of Nana0s- The region where
fl rises Is wild, and much Of that
through which il flows is known only
To the indians. ar Avanr Travelled
or foot down this river He started
out from CuzcO. NJ an altitude Of over
two miles above sea level, with a guide,
an interpreter and eight indians, ana
he descended to regions that are less
than a half mile above the sea The
mountains he crossed were more than
5000 feet high. and his way led from
the glaciers and perpetual snow down
into a tropical jungle. with crocodlless
observation-disclosures palm trees and rub
Der.
Tells Of Game and CannibaIs.
As we sat in the rude hotel here
at Guaqui this morning Mr.. Avant told
me something Of the animal life OF
That region. He SAYS that the country
swarms with game. The woods are full
OF wild turkeys. that look like pea
cocks. each bird having topknot ana
very bright plumage- The uesh IS e1-
ri
turkey Another bird Of the same
species is called the pabogiL This Is
rv-ice as big as the largest American
turkey and its flesh tastes about me
In talking Of the indians 8Ir. AvaDt
said that the most OF them are not 1
friendly to foreigners. They are saw
aces. who dress almost altogether In 7
bark. and their chief weapons are bows |
and arrows tipped with poison Some ]
of the tribes are supposed to be canni- /
balls and all are n very low state OF /
A Trip Through the Jungle.
It was at Lima that, met w. Bell !
Taylor Of Boston who had Just come !
down from the coal mines in the high /
Andes near CsrrO de Pasco, and had a I
chat with him about an expedition ne /
had recently made from Ambato, Ecua- l
dor. down the eastern slopes OF Lne 4
Andes into the Amazon valley. his /
rriD took three months. and during ]
mis- time he travelled on foot and in /
canoes for more than 400 miles J
through the wilds- II took him nine /
DAYS to reach CanelOs, on the Rio /
during which time he walked I
and had men TO carry his cargo Each /
o. the carcSdOrcs carried - rounds.
The whole way was through the /
Jungle At CauelOs the party took /
,auoes and noated down one or ne |
Amazon tributaries to the mouth Of the /
Ucavalf. which is one or the sources ]
Of the Amazon The Ucayal flows into I
the AIarauon. and the latter goes down j
into the main stream Mr. Taylor VS.
fled Tuuitos the chief rubber port OF I
the 710ue- Amazon. and then came ]
back overland through Peru he De
scrlbes Iuuitos as a city of $4,000 in
habitants and as one Of high prices I
It cost him IS a day there for his food I
The Head Hunters. I
Among the most interesting stories
told me bv Mr.. TAYLOR were those about
the JfvarOs indians These saVages are
head hunters who kill their enemies
and preserve their heads as trophies
Of v5r. 7 nave 1een many Of these
heads during my travels and have made
photographs OF them I was once Of
Tered a head for 500 in gold, but re
fused il for fear that the ghost OF the
lead nan might haunt me for the rest
Of nv life. This head was about as
big as my fist. The bones Of the skull
had been removed and the skin so
sarefulfv shrunkeu that none Of the
features was lost The skin OF the
-aee was black and the long hair which
lung down from the skull was Of the
iams raven hue The nose was almost
leeroid in shape, and the lips were
sewed together with long cotton
strands that hung down like a ma
crane fringe
SIr. Taylor told me the story OF how
hess heads are cured, as he got It from