Evening star., 1926-08-01

evidently two parties which, finding
each other bent on a common mission,
joined hands.
Day after day we pushed on up
stream, moving too quickly for Jack
to get a chance of prospecting the
likely spots. AS regularly as clock
work we marched" like a, company
of troops; the discipline of the saw
ages, though of a rough-and-ready
kind, was evident from the manner In
which they obeyed their chiefs.
We white men left them strictly
alone; we felt like guests at q hunt
ing party. They knew the country,
and had their own plans of attack,
with which we must fall In IL we were
to hope for success.
Night after night we had to exer-
else the greatest care SO as to foil,
peacefully If possible, the infinite
variety of tricks by which the Jivaros
attempted to obtain possession Of our
equipment.
Our powers of diplomacy were
strained to the utmost limit. 1t be-
came more and more obvious that
what we carried with us were a
greater attraction than anything the
Huambizas could have. Our heads.
too. would make just as fine a set of
trophies as any others.
After many days of padding no
sign Of the Huambizas had yet been
seen. During the morning of one day
we were padding along I'm the usual
formation, Indian file, when suddenly
conmotion started among the lead
ing canoes, followed by trombone
concert" Something which had been
picked up out of the water was being
handed round for inspection.
On pushing up to the front of the
column, we found that the center of
interest was indeed worthy of atten.
tion> 1t was a. piece of charred wood.
So at last we were in touch with the
enemy. After a lot of talk 1t was
decided that we should push on and
try to find the probable point from
which it had drifted.
Padding ahead for the remainder
of the morning, we halted on very
long sandbar for a midday rest.
There was feeling of war In the air.
The Jivaro party seemed to have set
tied down at last with q will to the
prospect of attacking their long
standing enemies. There remained
but one stepping stone to be crossed
before they would reach state of
white-hot zeal for the attack--the
omens must be read.
The meal over, the Indians disap.
peared into the forest which came
down to the edge of the sand. In a
few moments they were back, each
man carrying a branch from a tree
which bears small green berry.
Some of the berries they stripped
from the twigs, and the branches
themselves they planted in the sand
in long, straight line parallel with
the river.
Tuhuimpui strolled up to me un.
concernedly. "We are going to make
1t rain," he said simply. II hope you
will not bring down enough to drench
our cargo" said with mock solemni.
ty. Never fear" came his grave
answer. only light shower" To.
night it shall rain and thunder and
blow, but before we summon the
storm we shall build you q house"
l was taken aback, to say the least
of it, for 1t seemed to me that he had
very little hope of success, for all the
effect row of branches would have
on a clear sky, the same sky which
had smiled on us since we turned up
the Santiago from the Maranon. In
difference to his gravity, however, ]
said nothing more.
The berries which they had pulled
the Jivaros put into snails' shells and
threw into the river with a good deal
of tornfoolery in the wAy of chant