Evening star., 1925-12-13

an ancient superstition, in connection
with various phases of witchcraft
ana sorcery, which had been prac.
ticed by their forefathers and which
/ was somehow connected with =
WOmanS lock of hair
| The superstition was to the efYect
| that, under the influence Of this di
VINE nectar drug, the spirits had told
Wltch-doCtor of their tribe that one
could impose witchcraft on a woman
| or, as they call it, pray her 10
DEATH If the sorcerer was able TO
| steal lock of hair from the victims
| head.
The head-reducing fiesta lasted -four
whole days. Mountains of food were
eaten and there was a perfect org,
or drunkenness on chicha, and toba,.-
| co juice and teas made from mysteri-
| Gus herbs and drugs. The tsantsa
! ceremonies We're, for the most part.
| litualstic dances. If properly per
formed, they were supposed To LAY
the spirit of the victim and TO preyel,t
| it from inflicting witchcraft on the
slayer.
| | WAS lucky in not having TO SLEEP
in the fiesta house after all this
| made orgy was over. No lesser per
sonage than the brother of the SLAYER
himself, painted from head to foot in
weird designs, offered to lead me tu
his brothers fortified house. for one
peaceful night. 1t was surely well
he led me. As he got near the place
| he pointed out perfectly innocent
looking spot, covered with vines, and
! said: Death trap
why death trap / wanted 10
know. Are the vines poisonous"
They We're not poisonous, but worse
! They were practically rooted in the
! air. The slayer had dug a grear
| pit, and in the bottom Of it hal
stuck poisoned spear heads, then
| points upward over this trap vines
| had been trained. When they were
| closely matted, earth had been spreaG
! over them, and tropical grass SEEDS
| sprinkled on this
1t all looked so natural 7 wanted
| TO examine the diabolical thing NOR
closely, and tried 10. Ny guide
lclutched my arn-I had almost slipped
into second pit.
why two?" ! easped.
My brothers enemies fall into nun.
Der one he explained. Their friend~
| they come to rescue and fall into
| number two. If they are not deaa
| from the poisoned spears. my brothe
! kill ALL"
That night had no fear of
| 'brothers enemies"
| - year alter EblllS INTO the rOlT
| try of head hunters ! found myself
on a windy ridge of the Andes. taking
| d last look al the distant sea Of greer
| that was the jungle land of thei
| home
When / reached civilized Ecuador
] was approached By various ca ger
! individuals in the larger cities / passe
| through Their question was always
| the same. What were the chances
J ftf
! Indians?
! There are men who cater to the
most grewsome of all tourist crazes
| "a craze which had led to n seCrei
! traffic. II is said that tourists in
| Ecuador have paid as high as $500 q
| piece for these reduced heads within
| the last year. Even fake" human
| heads. shrunken by bunglers ignorant
| Of the preserving process. have been
made and sold. Buyers OF such
| ''curios' have paid big prices, only
! to have their trophies decay in
| few weeks. only the Shuara Indians
know the mysterious preserving solu-
| ton.
Ecuador has passed a law which
makes II crime to sell or even buy
! shrunken human heads. Tourists are
| not allowed TO take them through
the customs. But the prices paid
by rich tourists have brought new
Kind OF bootlegger, or head logger
on the South American scene
] had my last glimpse OF Ecuador
as ] sailed out of the harbor of Guaya.
gull. With me. on the same vessel.
was the American friend who had
tried to persuade me not to start on
my adventure. / had never confessed
to him my innermost conviction that
it was only by the finest of split hairs
| that l came out Of the Oriente-not
| u reduced head
ICoDyrirht 1921