River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-10-07

YROR many years the Miskito
Indians of Eastern Honduras
- have been raising the Mace
H DOMAIN cry to the Moravian
missionaries among their race
in Nicaraguan territory. Thanks prin-
cipaIly to the selfdenial offerings Of
the Bluefulds Moravian Sunday
schools. it became possible in the
spring Of last year for two Of us to
visit every Miskito village Of impOr-
lance fla this neglected and dark part
of Honduras, writes Rev. Theodore
Reinke I'LL the Christian Herald.
Bidding farewell to civilization at
the little town Of Puerto Cabo Gracias
Dios, at the northeast corner OF
Nicaragua, about thirty or thirty-fiYe
miles OF beach were traversed the first
day. Two days were spent in an IN
dian village at False Cape, where there
is a small, waited leaf-thatched meet
ing house, and where there are num-
her of Christians and candidates, all
under the care of the missionary sta
toned at Cabo Gracias a Dios. we
told these people our errand and called
for volunteers to accompany US. AIT
er several palavers, two men ana
three women were found willing to
go On their advice we adopted the
plan OF visiting the inland villages on
our way west and touching at the
coast villages on the return.
All this country is fiat and scarcely
above sea level A group Of villages
cluster about the mouth OF the Karuta
river which empties into the Carib-
bean at False cape From here it is
more than a days travel up river TO
the next group of villages, called LalIa.
We encamped the first night IN III
tic banana clearing, where the owner
0f our immense dugout canoe had q
thatched shed. On landing, q few
little monkeys we're spied, and great
was the delight among the natives
when one was shot. for their flesh is
priced In a short time the bare shed
was magically transformed. While the
women were busy baking and peellng
green bananas, and boiling coffee
around the fire. the rest were bringing
in the great banana leaves for beds on
the ground Each member of the party
had his own square cloth mosquito bar,
which affords some privacy in addition
to protection from bloodthirsty in
sects. These little shelters were
quickly hung in a row, and NINA
ture white city was the result. The
effect was quite striking in the lig@
of the pitch pine torches, which Haired
ftfuIly as we read from the Miskito
Testament stories from the life Of
Jesus.
Live on Little islands.
The Laka villages are widely scat
tered. To reach the first village of but
five houses, we had to tramp for two
hours and at last wade almost knee
deep in mud and water. The people
elect to live on little islands in the
midst Of these flats on account of their
cattle; but in the dry season the water
is SO low that all their food supply,
principally bananas, has to be carried
by ponies or women from the river
side.
Our hosts showed us a great deal OF
kindness. We were given the freedom
Of the largest house and were provided
with bananas, casava, eggs, fowl, and
cocoanuts. As far as we could dis
cover, these people had never come
in contact with the Gospel; but they
were glad to listen, and not only re-
ceived us Hospitality, but furnished us
with horses and guides, and did all
they could to help us on our way, with
no thought of remuneration. They
were far removed from traders as well
as missionaries. The housewives were
more industrious than their more civ
ilized sisters farther south A crude
native loom stood against the wall,
and samples of heavy cloth, or
canvas made from cotton which here
grows on plants the size of trees,
were in evidence. Hammocks made
of cord spun from the inner bark
Of the mahoe tree were plentiful.
The art of tanning leather and max
ing moccasIns is also known.
A seaward village was made the next
stopping place. An honest old man
who was our host begged us to appeal
to the English King for redress against