The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-21


Eastern Peru and Bolivia.
~ FRANK G. CARPENTER.
Guaqui. Bolivia.
~ URING my travels OH the high
plateau OF the Andes, have
heard many strange stories
about the vast unexplorcd country that
slopes down to tho Amazon Valley. In
coming across Lake Titicaca Travelled
with an American railroad contractor
who IS building line through the
heart OF BOLIVIA. lilo has boon taking
n vacation OF two three months and
has just returned from gold pros
pccting tour III the regions of the
Nadro de dos ono of tho high tribu.
taries OF the Amazon. The Madre de
Dios rscs on the othcr side of tho
great mountain wall that skirts the
northern side of Lake Titicaca. II
flows IN n winding coures into the
Bent, md on into the Mamorc and
Madeira. coming out through the latter
stream into tho Amazon below the city
Of Manaos. The region where 1t rises
IS wild, and much Of that through
which It flows is known only to the
Indians. Mr.. Avant Travelled on foot
down this river. Io started out from
EuEco. Mt an altitude of over two miles
above sen level, with guide. an in
'erprcter and eight Indians and he
descended TO regions that are less than
tains ho crossed were more than $1,000
feet high. and his way led from the
glaciers and perpetual snow down into
tropical jungle. with corcodiics. boa
constrictors. palm trees and rubber.
AS we sat in the rude hotel here at
GuaQut this morning Mr.. Avant told
me something of the animal life OF
that region. Hc says TINT the coun-
try swarms with game. The woods
gro full OF wild turkeys, that look
like pencocks, each bird having top
knot and very bright plumagc. The
flesh IS excellent, and It tastes like our
wild turkey. Another bird OF the same
species Is called tho paboEil This is
twice as big as the largest American
turkey, md It's flesh tastes about the
same.
I asked rs to wild beasts, and Mr.
Avrnt replied that no saw droves of
pcccaries. or wild hogs and also tapirs
and taguars. The taguars came
around the camp at night and were
now ana then 10 be seen rs the party
MADE It's way through the woods.
Much Of tho Journey was along the
banks OF the streams, and tho party
did not lack for fish. Whenever they
wanted & fish dinner, all they had 10
90 was 70 explode = dynamite cap In
7hc water, and moment later the
surface would De covered with dead
'ish from ono such explosion they
took out 500 pounds. Some of the
fish were as long as your arm, and
wero OF a delicious flavor. Among
othcr Inhabitants OF tho streams were
alIgators Of various kinds. One had
II" scales and its enormous head WAS
more like that of n fish than OF an
alligator The skin was OF a blush
cast. with a few spccks hero and
there. These reptiles are said TO be
dangerous, and the natives would not
SO into tho waters where they 1.-Two.
IN talilin: OF the Indians Mr.. -\vant
ra!d that the most Of them are not
friendly to foreigners. They are saw
ages who dress almost altogether In
bark, and their chief weapons are
bows and arrows tipped With poison.
Some OF the tribes arc supposed to be
cannibals, and all are in a very lew
state of civilization.
il Was ut Lima that I met W. Bell
Taylor. Of Roston. who had just come
down from the coal mines IN the high
Andes, near Ccrro &c rasco and had n
chat with him about an expedition he
had recently made from Ambato.
Ecuador, down the eastern slopes OF
tho Andes Into the Amazon valley. His
trip took three months. and during
;h!s ,l:ne h travelled on foot and IN
canoes for more than 1900 miles
through ;hc wilds Ii took him nine
days 10 reach Canclos. on the Rio
T3obnnzo. during which time he walked
md had mon 10 carry his cargo. Each
OF the carsodorcs carried seventy fyc
pounds. The whole day was through
Inc jungle. ~ Canelos the party took
canoes and foated down ono OF the
Amazon tributaries 10 tho mouth OF
The Ucayali, which Is one OF the sources
OF the Amazon. The ucayali flows into
The Maranon. and the latter goes down
jnto the main stream. Mr.. Taylor
visited Tquiios. the chief rubber port
OK The upper hnia2on, and then came
back overland through Peru. lie dc
:scribcs 1Quitos a. city OF 5000
Inhabitants. and as ono Of high prices.
II cost hin 50 n day there for his food
alone.
Among the most interesting stories
told me by MIR. Taylor wcrr those
about the .ivaros Indians. Those say =
ages ara mead hunters, who kill their
enemies and preserve their heads IA
trophies OF war. ] have seen many
OF thcse heads during my travels and
have made photographs OF thcm.
was once offered a head for 500 iu
gold. but refused st for fear that tho
ghost Of the dced man might haunt
me for the rest of my life. This head
was about rs big as my fist The
and the skin so carefully shrunkeu
that none Of the features was lost
'rne skin o; the face was black, and
The long hair which hung down from
Tho skull was OF the same raven hue
The nose was almost nerroid In shape
aud The lips were scwcd together with
long cotton strands that hung down
like q macrarne fringe.
Mr. Taylor tod mo The story OF how
'hest heads are cured, as no got 81
IRON the natives. He says Il is Z
drying process. Nftor k!llini; r. ma,
hey cut Ms head on close 10 tn,
shoulders. AND as soon as they react
camp they open ID ard take out the