Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1915-12-10

the government officials, who visit |
them occasionally and tax them for
their cattle. The old man supplied US
with two boats and accompanied us
with his chief wife on the long jour
ney to Tansen on the inland side of
Lake Karataska. AS we were cross
ing the lake-so wide that in some di-
rections one cannot see the shore
the wind began to rise, and we were
in danger of being swamped.
Back of this immense Karataska
lagoon are four other large lagoons,
into one of which the Ibantara river
empties About it's shores there is
small Miskito population. A man OF
this neighborhood, who had the prom
Using name of Morning Star" owned
large dugout canoe, which he
agreed to lend US and to accompany
us on our way. His was the only
family at home in his little village,
everyone else having crossed the Kar-
alaska lagoon to attend a "Siko,' or
ghost-expelling drinking bout. Morn
ing Stars mother-in-law was q most
repulsive-looking creature-a good
model for a witch of Endor painting
but when we left her she said: Pray
for me-"
Down the Butuk River.
Fourteen hours of padding and SAIL
ing brought us through three of the
lagoons to the small settlements along
the Butuk river. We had great diff
Guilty in securing transportation down
river. A boatload of merchandise,
mainly rum, had been brought over
the route the day before, and almost
every man was suffering from the ef-
fects of its presence in this region.
In IL hours travel with the river
current, we did not encounter single
human being nor any habitation Of
man. The banks of the river, how
ever, literally swarmed with iguanas.
1t was the time of the year when
they lay their eggs, and wherever a
high sandbank stood out it was honey
combed with their burrows. Our peo-
pie caught them with their hands.
| Iguana flesh is superior to chicken,
though the eggs are not as good as
turtle eggs.
At the mouth of the Plantain river,
between Black river and Brewers
Lagoon bar, a few Indians of the
Paya tribe we're encountered. Most
of their people live far inland. They
resemble the Sunni Indians of the him
terland of Nicaragua, but have Ian
| ono oo r,,ifa dicfinof from tha
village at the eastern mouth of the
Rutuk river we were received
most cordially. Some relatives of our
party had their homes here, and we
were Toasted on milk and native rice,
besides the ubiquitous green ,ba-
nanas.
In about thirty-six miles of walking
after leaving this place, we saw only
one house; and at the little village OF
Uni, only four. Our host at Uni was
desperate-looking character, and the
houses and the rest of the people were
filthy and repellent. We were insulted
(according to the Miskito ccde) by be
ing called wild, and threatened with
divine wrath, if we did not stay tc
hold meeting. 1t seemed that Dana
Bias, our host, had heard somewhere
about the meetings that padres keep
, and got the idea that one of then
, would surely bring good luck to hi'
: place
} Half days march from the Krutf
river we reached the Kaukirra grouI
| of villages-the poorest houses of an,
? we had yet seen Here we discov
cred heather preacher, who actual,
, possesses part of an English Bible
: which of course he cannot read. 4
3 few families from Grand Caymans liv'
|, in this neighborhood, and raise cat
r tie and cocoanuts. They say that sine
3 the cessation of mahogany cutting, tn
!, Indians have no money.
Q Kruta was reached on Maund,
< Thursday, and we had a real mission
|. airy meeting on Good Friday. Tha
: night we journeyed on to Cabo Grs
cias a Dios and arrived there on tn
t morning of our twenty-ninth day, hay
n ing covered, as nearly as we can 81
Il innate, distance Of from $50 to A
It atlss.