Hermanner Volksblatt. [volume] (Hermann, Mo.) 1875-1928, 1921-02-18

unknown forests OF venezuela
Nv by Theodore De Booy Of the
American Geographical society
and the Museum of the University of
Pennsylvania have brought to the
knowledge of ethnologists a ace Of
dwarf Indians that live In an eternal
fog, far more im%penetrable than that
of London, and whose members get
drunk regularly once a month. Mr..
DE BODY also has located a treasure
cave that will be Of equal interest to
the a~rchaeologist and to the seeker
of gold, deep in a wilderness that not
sven the Indians will penetrate.
In full sight Of the mountain at the
base Of which the cave Is located the
explorer was forced to turn back be-
cause his Indian guides and carriers
refused to continue the journey. One
Of their reasons was a lack Of food,
but the principal objection apparently
was a superstitious fear Of the spirits
Of warriors buried in the cave after
O great battle told about in their ira
ulliOuSs llt uOuIldJu 10 neal liz
border of Venezuela and Colombia.
1T is quite probable, almost certain,
In fact" says Mr.. De BODY in the mu-
scum Journal, that this burial cav
contains archaeological treasures of
the highest value. Our archaeological
researches proved without q doubt
the entire region had at one time been
inhabited by the Arhuacos, a tribe Of
which a small remnant still lives in
the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta.
The Motilones, which includes the
NacCas, were evidently comparative
newcomers to the region and had
either driven out the ArhuaCos OF had
killed them off, probably only a short
while before the Conquest. Research
es by other archaeologists have proven
that a similar occurrence took place
In the Goajira peninsula directly to
the n%orthward, and that the Goajiras
superseded the Arhuacos in this latter
region.
Treasures Of Gold Workers.
1.-THE burial cave, therefore, prob
ably contains Arhuacan specimens,
and as the Arhuacans were excellent
workers in gold and had quantities
of gold ornaments it will be seen that
the chances Of this cave containing
1 gold ornaments as we'll as burial OBJ
jects of other kinds are very good,
Two days before coming within sight
Of the peak In which the cave was
to be found, the Indians had shown
me certain regions where evidence
could still be seen of former clear.
ings. These clearings were Of cOnsid'
cradle age and we're only distinguish
ed from the surrounding woods by
the fact that the trees were not quite
as large and the underground OF
lesser density"
Mr.. De BODY landed at MaracaibC
and spent two days on horsebacb
crossing the plain to La Horqueta
one of the last outposts of civilization
In Venezuela. He had to pass part Of
this time over q narrow and gloomy
trail through q wilderness Astounding
with tigers, jaguars, wildcats, mon
keys and deer. Beyond this forest Is
a great plain and back Of that the
mountains with their heads lost ir
the fog. "While the altitude of these
mountains is not sufficiently high tt
make them snow covered" says the
explorer, "the fog and mists at time.
would almost make n think that the
SUBMITS were covered with snow"
In the days of the Conquistadores LIZ
villa, a little town along the route Il
La Horqueta, was the starting poin'
for raiding expeditions into the In
dian territory to the south Of the RI,
Negro. The town is filed with ruined
foundations Of houses and a quain
old church still stands. 1t Is sait
TO be the oldest in that part Of tn,
country.
Nine hours travel through tn,
Jungle from La Horqueta De Roo,
came to the settlement Of Machiques
outside of which be found member
Of the Tucucus Indians, who com,
down to the mountains to work oces
SionaIlv In ~aychanQp for haon irnn