Evening star., 1925-09-20

high cheek bones and slightly oblique
eyes assumed "a menscin expression
from the dark circles as large as half
dollars tattooed under the lower lids
Their straight black hair was crude
ly hobbed just to cover their ears. and
their bodies were daubed with red and
black paint. They all wore earrings
If glisteninG she'll and clutched
feathered arrows with hows and war
clubs.
Behind them the women closed in
timidly. wearing neither ornaments
nor clothes. the younger ones in mod.
eSty covering their faces with their
hands. but peering at me through
their fingers. Brown children came
shyly out from the ferns only to scut.
tie back again when | glanced toward
them.
Then. with sweeping gesture of
welcome. the chief emerged from his
'ocas. or wigwam, dolled up in full
dress uniform-a iaguar skin sus-
pended from belt of woven grass
and 81, multicolered hea dsdress of par
rot feathers. I presented him with
n string of beads and then began the
distribution of tobacco.
The Indians accepted greedily all
offered. and each claimed an ex.
ira allowance, through my interpre.
ter. for wholly fictitious sick or ah.
sent relative. | had to give the
women and girls their share of to-
hacco. too. for they are inveterste
smokers. preferring n pipe made from
long slender nut. hut sometimes
smoking cigarettes of corn husks.
Even from this first day my gifts
did little to make me feel at ease
among the Cara1as. The wilderness
seems to cast n weird. menacing spell
over strangers. crYStallizing in the ir-
responsible deviltry of these wild hll.
man animals. who give nothing in
return for all they take. and have no
compunctlon about seiZinr by force
what YOU fail to distribute gratis.
BY brihinc them with presents for
my safety. had only paved the way
for greater peril when the presents
gave out. They were Unsuitable They
wanted my clothes and gun and rice
and blocks of sugar and even that gold
tooth: they wanted also the things
hey didn't Observation-Disclosures watch.
camera. field glasses and compass.
was never even quite sure that
they might not want my own person
As n tidbit for their leader. since 7
had heard unpleasant tales of their
former cannibalism. This dainty
practice In dietetics. ] was told. had
died out. and I am now convinced
that it has. but at first | wa; dubious
about II.
SO felt that I must quickly estab-
lish myself as being of superior
powers. TO hold them in awe when my
tobacco failed The opportunities soon
developed. / had settled down among
them as if for an endless stay. and
was rapidly learning their language.
ma king notes on their customs, and
acquiring the specimens of their
weapons and handicraft which are
now on exhibition at the Museum of
the American Indian in New York.
My guide had told them my name
was " "Kromjuo,' India n for godfather.
and it struck me that | might wisely
try 10 make this term. which Of
course. they did not understand actu-
ally significant of my relationship tn.
the tribe. The steps by which | at
t8ined the position came almost su-
tomatically, and I never foresaw that
| was infringing on their duly &C
credited medicine mans own particu-
lar bailiwick. nor how malicio,lsly
Jealous of my rivalry he would he
come.
one morning we walked into AN al
ligator's nest while we were fish.
ing with how and arrow along the
river. The eggs in these nests are
covered over with vegetation and
layer of earth. The warmth of the de-
cayipg vegetation helps hatch the
eggs: the earth conceals the nest so
that an unwary foot may break into
1t. whereupon the old alligator living
like log In the stream will dash
ashore to the attack.
That is what happened. The vicious
reptile launched himself with splash.
ing fury through the water at such a
pace as to carry him well mp onto the
beach. He had luckless Indians
leg in his crushing jaws before | had
realized what was happening.
While the victim shrieked and strug-
sled. dozen arrows raped futile
tattoo on the creatures armored side.
1t would have heen just one more
Jungle tragedy Of common sort. II
] had not used my rifle with lucky
accuracy. This was the first time L
had fired the gun: but the shot didn't
impress them SO much AS my success
in setting the Indians leg binding it
In splints, and later fitting him out
with homemade crutches.
Ordinarily. among the Caraias.
broken leg means death, which the
'paCi" or medicine man speeds up
with a well aimed war club. Thus the
pompous. monkey-faced person. who
bore fittinEly the name. by the wav
of Guariba. or "Howler monkey" was
doubly outraged. Firstly. | had
achieved cure which Medicine Man
Guariba could not. and secondly had
deprived him of this death blow privi-
lege, which he seemed to exercise with
morbid satisfaction.
When. later. my rattleSnake serum
cured one of the tribe from a casca-
vel's normally fatal bite. my stock as
a rival medicine man rose still higher.
Meanwhile I had quite uninte1tion-
ally won the loyal esteem of old Rob
Tux Gaguar) the chief. While stoop-
ing at a brook to drink, | had ha nded