Evening star., 1925-12-13

E-NU "s
Indians. In spite Of the evidence of
the heads I'd seen, / was beginning
TO think of the Shuaras as a mild,
childlike people. not addicted to blood
shed, when something happened that
made me change my mind.
My guides and l had spent the
night at the hut Of a half breed ira der.
AT dawn, when we We're just about
ready for getaway, l noticed with
feeling of horror that one Of the
guides was dipping the tip OF his lance
into the gourd of poison that always
hung, within easy reach, over his
shoulder. The half-breed trader was
standing nearby, and l remember that
my brain asked a lightning question:
Which is he going TO kin the trader
or me?"
When I looked back at the guide.
he was staring at the top of a nearby
chonta palm, but his fingers that held
the spear were taut. | was unarmed,
a carrier had my rifle, and there was
not time to jump for ii, before the
guide whirled around.
!; x x
WITH a quickness I was unable to
follow. he plunged the lance into
the half-breed's chest, piercing the
heart. Then, without a sound, he van
ished into the jungle that was all
about us.
Catch him. I yelled out. leaped
for my rife and was on the point
of sending bullet through the jungle
at the place where the branches had
barely stopped swaying. Then 1 felt
the steel grip OF Juanga on my wrist,
and he poured out stream of Span
ish.
Put down the rife The Indians
think your customs are crazy: like
wise, you think their customs are
crazy. Each seems strange to the
other. But it is a matter of custom
JOY killing some one at the break
of day. 1t bring good luck for the
rest of the trip
Useless to argue against centuries
Of tradition! ! followed the long line
down the trail. From that time on,
always kept to the rear, for safety's
sake. Several hours later the MUIR
derouS guide. whom / thought crazy
and lost in the jungle. quietly Joined
the column again. His face was serene
and elated. He had the air of pro
claiming: Look at me! I've brought
luck to your trip"
guide is characteristic of these Shu-
ara warriors. II is a trait that has
often been puzzle to travellers in
the regions Of the upper Amazon, and
sometimes cost them their heads. This
sudden mania seems to have nothing
to do with hate. revenge or warfare
1t is the kind of tropical brainstorm
which takes the form of an insane
desire to kill.
l had gone to the Oriente for the
express purpose Of seeing human
heads reduced, and it was beginning
TO look as IL l would go back to
clvillzation-if l could get back-with
this wish unsatisfied.
In the end 1 saw the whole process
by sheer accident. Ny guides and I
war party. There were so of them.
They had just had a great victory
and were half crazy with excitement,
yelling and dancing. On long
banana leaf lay a collection of severed
enemy heads.
Soon l saw the method by which
these were reduced and preserved A
sort of master of ceremonies first dealt
each head a vertical blow at the back
with a machete. From then on the
details of preparing the trophy are
AT length a wooden object, about
the size of small orange, but an ex-
act reproduction Of the original head,
was then produced, and over this the
tsantsa was fitted. The victor's fell
low warriors and his faithful wives
danced around him. The men yelled
and grunted and the wives sang weird
barbaric songs. This uncanny music,
| learned, was supposed to render
harmless the spirit of the slain enemy
When the tsantsa was bone-dry, a
potent liquid was rubbed into the
skin to harden and preserve it. And
here is the mystery. This liquid is
amber-colored, a connection made of
a number of herbs, but exactly what
they are Is Shuara secret.
Finally the wooden form was re-
moved, the slit in the back of the
head was sewed with fiber from the
chambira palm, and the trophy was
complete, an object of triumph and
superstitious veneration. Eventually
it would figure in a great victory
feast II the warrior who owned it
managed to escape the spears Of his
victims kinfolk.
After l had watched this unusual
process for some time, I sat down,
took out a pad and pencil to make
a few notes, and put on my glasses
That was mistake, as young war
rfor gave me q look, halted in his
dance, and let out q below that sent
a chill up my spine. If l never knew
what fear was before, knew 1t then
For ! realized in a flash what was
In this warriors mind. He wanted
q tsantsa with glasses on its nose.
He gave another yell, pointed. and
everybody wanted a tsantsa with
glasses on its nose.
At this critical juncture, while I
was attempting my best to appear un-
shaken, Juanga, my faithful guide,
sauntered up, with feigned indif-
ference. He carried q fine rifle and
sword machete. Holding up his
hand, he smiled in superior way.
The two little windows" he said,
do not grow on the nose like a tooth
with a root. They do not hold on
tight. like hair
He stopped, then took the glasses
off my face, and placed them on the
nose of the young warrior. Astonish-
ment was expressed in a wave of
cultural exclamations. When this had
subsided, the young fellow decided
then and there that he'd keep the