Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-10
BY G. NJ. DYOTT.

with that of two other camaradas had
been put at our disposal by the Bra
lillian government so long as we hao
need of them.
The original plan was to send him
back after our Investigations had been
completed and we had turned our faces
northward to Para. It was evident that
the trying situation was getting beyond
him and 1t would be unwlSe to detaln
him longer.
NV plans were seriously upset by the
news because had counted on leaving
him at the base camp while l followed
I'M Col. FaWcett'S trail. Some OF the
camaradaS were beginning to grumble.
They had come through weeks OF ex-
cessively hard work and that always
gives the microbe of discomfort chance
to get hold.
Joao Clirnaco and his companions
were responsible for much OF the trouble
my men complained about. It ne re-
turned it meant that new canoes would
have to be found at once for us TO de-
scend the Xingu River. -Four canvas
boats were not equal to the task and the
bark canoes were too fragile for open
river work.
Found Large Canoes.
Searching for canoe more suitable
for our purposes, Joao Climaco went
downstream the following morning
where we were told large canoes cou!o
be had from a neighboring tribe. He
expected to return in two days ana
then set out for Baikari Post.
At 3 pm. we we're surprised to see
him in his canoe hot-footing it back up
the Kuluene. He went straight to his
camp on the opposite bank and sent
word over that some Indians were COM
ing up the river in canoes and we would
have no difficulty in bartering for one
of them.
We put in an anxious and wearisome
day. A further influx of Indians had
taken place. Our sandbar Swarmed
with them and We never had mo-
ments peace. 'Putzinga," meaning
gifts, was the word on every ones lips.
We were unable to do stroke OF work.
Films and photographs had to remain
where they were, in wet boxes covered
with nildew. Repacking at the Anauqua
camp up river had been postponed and
although the need for attention was
worse than ever we could do nothing
but postpone matters again until more
opportune moment presented itself.
MY thoughts were pulled in all dl-
rections - photography, radio. stores,
canoe-mending, Watching Indians and
the greatest problem of all, my return
to follow Col. Fawcett's trail in two
days time Every possible obstacle
seemed to intervene to stop me from
doing the most important piece of work.
Camarada Rebels.
The camarada I intended taking,
Verissimo by name, openly rebelled
against running into such a death trap.
Sootfed his fears by saying that !
would take another man to keep him
company. When I told Aloique of my
decision he retaliated with the state
ment that he also had decided to take
another AnauQua Indian, Matuala.
Among the few useful Indians who
had collected was man called &C.
tomagu, an Aura Indian. His tribe
was not at all friendly with the Anau-
uuas and he repeatedly told us that
tomagu would point to Aloique as he
sat of by himself with other members
of his tribe and then shake his fists
to and fro following his sign of disap-
proval by others, indicating the killing
of man.
of petty worries, there was an Arlau-
qua Indian, recent arrival in our
midst. who made himself particularly
obnoxious. His name was Quack Quiro
and he had arrived all smiles with a
basket of farinha under his arm as a
peace offering. 1t was of good quality,
and as fair exchange gave him knife
and ornaments for his wife and child.
He complained that this was less than
what he was accustomed to receive, SO
rather than argue ! gave him additional
presents.
AS the afternoon wore on he was on
hand asking where the kitchen was
and when did we feed, or words to that
effect. BY way of answer, gave him
back some of his own farinha and before
we got through he and his wife had
consumed most of it. Quack Quiro was
o particularly Objectionable type His
sleek appearance coupled. with an in
quisitive manner and face that was
as silly as any one wished to see proved
an aggravating combination.
II box was opened he would come
running up to the spot to see what 1t
contained and with a stupid grin would
intimate that he knew it was full of
knives which We were concealing from
view. He never lost an opportunity of
telling us that he wanted another knife
or two. and when we told him that no
more was coming to him he indicated
with a gesture the ever-increasing
crowd
No Gifts for Crowd.
We shook our heads. There was
nothing for them either.
"Oh, yes" he would insist. land If
you don't give, they will help them |
selves"
As every new canoe load of Indians
arrived on the sandbar this fellow
would stalk across and give them an
Official welcome. Then he would come
over and inform us and laugh as If to
say, Just wait and see."
On several occasions he babe us good |
by and We sighed with relief at the
thought of his going away, but it was
only a bluff. He thought that If he
gave up his vigil we might be more
careless about opening boxes and then
ne might catch us in the act and so
demonstrate that we had presents con-
cealed therein.
To let him know that our boxes did
not contain all his imagination sug-
gested. / went down to the beach and
opened one that knew held only straw
and some old batteries. He was close
al my side when the lid opened and
gave MIN every opportunity to view its
contents. At the same time I took ont
heavy 20-pound dry battery and
thrust it into his arms as a present. He
was so astonished that he let it drop
on his bare feet with tkud. His face
was study / shall never forget. He
thought there was some trick or pos
slbly an evil spirit in that case because
nothing I could do would persuade him
to take it again.
Murder Is Planned.
In the late afternoon news reached
me via the cook, Jose, that one of our
Indians who understood Anauqua and
also spoke some words of Portuguese had
overheard Aloique talking to his COM
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