The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-09
ODD RACE IN ANDES
NEVER TAKE BATH
Dr.. Berry, Of Hopkins, Tells How
lncas Still Live With
''- Primitive Habits.

BALTIMORE. Dec S-YfndinA Of
. primitive race In the Andes II tald
In An interesting story related BY DR..
Edward w. Berry. professor OF PAL
| eontology. d..
sDr. Berry recently returned from an
expedition through seldom penetrated
districts Of Chile. Bolivia and Peru.
Tho expeditionist said: ...
ACROSS the desert 10 the Western
range and Bolivia with plateaus
higher than Pixies Peak. Here the
Incas live now with their civilization
of 1920 b c.
NO CHANGE IN METHODS.
There has been no change in their
methods of living for hundreds Of
years.
until Chile, Peru and Bolivia are
| united by q means of communication
there will be no educational progress.
Even in coast districts and cities the
indian population 10 greatly in sx-
Ecessi Of the white.
I'm . two-mile extent Of Bolivia
We estimated 90 per cent population
Of Indians, 30 per cent half breeds
and IA per cent whitea. I believe .
, more correct estimate would DO IN
per cent whites throughout the coun-
try.
They are very peaeeble-these ns-
tives. Perhaps it's because SO much
energy Is taken to live at that eleva.
ton that they have none left to fight
with. Anyway. their chest develop
ment. even that of the children.
would make the expansion OF our
star thletes seem Insignificant. They
use such small portion of their lungs
in breathing the thin air that they
at once suceumb to pulmonary
troubles If they leave their heights.
"They arc stolid. fatalistic, taking
life as II comes with neither JOY, nor
complaint. They seem to be beyond
physical suffering. 1 have seen them
work barefooted upon ice without
showing discomfort.
THEY EAT HORsEFLEsH.
''The natives live mostly on barley
snd frozen potatoes. They soak pota-
toes In water, trample them until they
are soft and allow them to freeze.
! after which they bury them til
needed. II q horse Is struck dead by
the sun, they cut 1t up into food. They
have a few eggs. which they keep
till they explode when broken. They
also have q little corn. This Is their
dietary.
There is no display OF affection
either between the sexes or between
parents or children.
Children change hands frequently.
II a father gets hard up he puts his
son on the market. The price Of q
prime young son Is not high. About
two dollars will buy fancy stock.
children submit complacently to
being sold. Even IL mothers felt Afec-
ton they never show II. / suppose
thei rsense OF loss would be alleviated
by the sure knowledge that another
child soon would take the place Of
the one to go.
"women apparently bear a child
every year from the time they are
thirteen till they're seventy. Senst-
bilities Of the men are dulled by the
mixture of cocoa leaves and wood
ashes they chew. 1t helps them to
work without remuneration In the
mines run by the Spaniards and to
put up with barbaric treatment"
BATHS UNKNOWN TO THEM.
These strange people never wash
Or. Berry declared the -Inca baths.-
often described, were reservoirs for
irrigation always skilfully managed
on the plateaus. Altitude and dry air
preclude bugs, files germs.
DR.. Berry sketched vivid picture
of night upon this roof OF the world.
with the sky SO near that II seems
to close In on every side; deep sha-
dow and blazing white ynder the
moon: gusty winds moaning like stray
spirits and the wild dogs bowling as
they hunt over the plain.
On such nights. he said, the men
don wigs and false faces and cele-
brate the harvct festival of the sun
goddess from whom they are sprung.
st. Paul, In Difference to Spanish re-
liuious Influence