Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-07
BY G. M. DYOTT.

BY G. M. DYOTT.
Joao Climaco, my camrada compan-
ion, was "all in" after his efforts in our
trek for Fawcett's last camp. He could
hardly walk and had to be helped with
his pack. We arrived at the banks OF
| the Kuluene, a fairly wide, smooth
running stream.
We pitched cur camp on high bank
in some trees and while my companion
retired to his hammock and kept guard
l went to investigate the lie of the land
| Standing in one of the canoes belong
| ing to the Kalapalos with Rapatzi and
Aloique the latter motioned to the OPP
posite bank
Would l like to see where the
! Caraibas went?" he asked
l nodded assent. AS we pushed off
from the shore 1 remembered my rife.
1t was unwise to travel unarmed with
vulture like Aloique, so back I went
to get it.
On the further side of the river we
I struck out across some open, sandy
| ground in the center of which was a
| tree. Around the base of this tree the
remnants of an Indian house still re-
manned. The tree had been hacked
about considerably with knives, but on
one side a succession of "Y" cuts were
visible. 1 pointed to the house and
| looking at Aloique I said:
"Caraiba?"
| At the same time I laid my head in
my hands and snored. In other words,
had Fawcett slept here?"
Aloique nodded, and holding up the
| first finger of one hand, held the tip
of 1t with his left Fawcett had stopped
one night in this place which at that
time had been occupied by Indians.
Aloioue then proceeded further afield
and we came to long neck of water
reaching inland from the river Here,
among some dense bushes, were con-
cealed two canoes which we were to
| use in our journey down river.
Cross Open Country.
Satisfied that they were both In
order, we proceeded to climb very high
bank. threaded our way through an OLD
Indian plantation and crossed more
open country on the further side of
which was dense forest. The faint
pathway which We were following dis
appeared within its Somber shade. We
stopped and Aloique broke the silence.
He pointed due east and said:
"Caraiba. Puc, puc, puc-"
At the same time he moved his hands
back and forth to initiate a man walk
ing.
UNI" he exclaimed in a long
drawn-out breath. He paused and looked
about as If to get his bearings.
It'll he said.
His brawny arm moved slowly over
his head east to west He placed his
head on his hands and snored. Then
one brown finger was held up.
"Um. It'll" Again his muscular arm
went sweeping around. and once more
his head was inclined on his hands.
The performance was repeated third
time.
| Five times in succession he went
through this pantomime until five fin
| gers were held up to view. There was
another ominouS pause.
| Indians never seem to hurry their
/ conversation. Aloique looked about him
as if his animal brain was thinking
/ how to express itself more forcibly. His
| eyes shot glances side to side, as if
! suspicious of the very shadows Then
suddenly he shouts:
"Suyss. Suyas. Suyas!"
| His arms thrust cut and pulled back
to his chest many times, indicating the
! unexpected arrival from all directions
of his war-like tribe.
"Caraiba!"
He relaxed and put his hands on my
shoulder, saying "Asu, and went
through the motions of a man telling
me to be seated. Then both hands
were extended in my direction, as if
offering food.
kline, kine," he said. and I found
myself sitting on the trunk of a fallen
tree. with Aloique, all smiles. souatting
down on his launches in front of me.
1t was all done very deliberately as he
babe me accept the imaginary food
contained in his cup-shaped hands.
Incident Is Dramatic.
Meanwhile his companion. Rapatzi
et ged around and I had trouble keep
ing both of them in sight. For a mo-
mept Aloique stood up. He took a stick
lying on the ground, and, creeping
around behind me, hid it in the sandy
soil at my back. During this maneuver
ne held his hand to his mouth to indi-
cate silence. Returning once more, he
| appeared to offer me food, and while
soft words of persuasion flowed from
his lips he leaped up in the air like a
mailman. The finale was reached in a
most dramatic manner.
"Suyas, bung, bung. bung!" he yelled.
at the same time hitting himself three
violent blows on the back of the neck
with his flattened hard.
"Caraiba!" he exclaimed. and COL
lapsed In a senseless heap on the
ground, as If he himself had been
killed
During the latter part of the per-
iormance Rapatzi Joined in He slipped
IN back OF me, and. grabbing the club
out of the sand, went through the mo-
lions of hitting some one on the head.
So this was the story of Col. Faw-
| cett. He had Travelled five DAYS beyond
this point, heading due east. The
Suyas had waylaid him, and, approa ch-
ing under the guise of friendship, had
killed the entire party.
Somehow or other, I didn't believe
the story in its entirety. We went back
70 camp, thoughts running through nv
brain mile minute I was glad that
| carried my rifle under my arm.
Had Aloique thought to get me of
| there all by myself?
| II he had, he and Rapatzi could have
staged just such business that could