Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-21
Western Slopes of Valley Andes

Of the eastern Andes il is of the most
primitive nature. Some of the tribes be-
lieve in god. ard some have BELIEF
in future life, with the soul goiiiS
through series OF transmigrations much
like that of tile Buddhists. Certain tribes
have their own ideas of the beginning az
man. one of their ideas OF the creation
is that when the world came out of the
original chaos all mankind lived in
great cave. the entrance TO which W.
guarded by a tiger. The human race W.
kept in by the tiger, until one day tbs
hberato: of mankind. giant among hs
fellows. fought with the tiger and killed
him. Then mankind came out and popti-
lated the earth. After living in cave
SO long the human race had become Vet =.
dirty. When they came into the light It
day they realized this and decided IL
wash. They heated some water in a huge
earthenware jar Those who got tie
first bath came out white. and thus tho
white race was formed. Those who had
the next bath came out brown and forrli-
ed the brown race. The last TO bate
had only the dregs and the stains whit IA
were left In the Jar. and they founded
the blacks.
Some Of the Indian tribes believe in two
gods, one evil and ore good. These two
spirits fight for the control of MANKIND
Sometimes one cunouers and sometimes
the other. Others such AS the Conibo..
are sun worshipers. were the Tncas at
the time that Pizarro came: while Others
beEeSe that the spirits Of good people re-
turn to earth after death and live IN
1aguars or monkeys. while those OF the
bad go into reptiles or parrots. Nearly
every tribe has its witch doctors, and all
are honeycombed with superstition
Altogether the Indians of the eastern
Amazon are comparatively few Til.
tribes are largely scattered. and many NJ
them are rather families than tribes .,
Prof. Orton. one of the best authorities
on the Amazon, estimated that there are
not more than forty thousand people liv-
ing along that river and the Maranon.
and there are probably less than 160.00'
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 lao, co., dividing them into tribes that
range in size from few hundred TO
two or theree thousand. the largest being
the Huitotos. which are put at 10000. and
after that the Ticunas, numbering 1900
Enock fixes his estimate 1lO.Oo
more, and Classics the Indians into IT,
tribes, large number OF which have
but a few members.
None Of these tribes is equal to the
best type of the North American Indian.
The most of them are short. and they
vary in color from red to black. Nearly
all have high cheek bones ard all have
long, straight black hair and black eyes.
Some are very muscular, and 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 feath-
er work. formed Of the bright-colored
plumage of the birds of the Amazon VAL
d ley.
Several of the tribes are musical. The
Aguarunas have flutes of reed or bone
and kind of violin with three strings.
1ney also have drums Of tree trunks
which they use for sending their wire
less messages from one savage settle
ment 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 ferocity and
strength. The languages differ widely.
and there is no method of writing. Some
of the savages count on their fingers. and
expresses the higher numbers by move
meTlts of the fingers; but all are in low
state OF civilization and are sinking lower
by the vices and liquor brought in by the
whites FRANK G. CARPENTER.