The Putumayo, The Devil's Paradise

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iously down the steep, precipitous descents of the Cordillera Oriental, between the high, heavily wooded mountains, which rise almost perpendicularly to the clouds, it dashes

in a south-easterly direction more than a thousand miles through the great fertile,

upper course it flows through a rich mineral section. At its source, near Pasto, numerous goldmines ar

trip across South America, leaving the town of Buenaventura, on the Pacific coast of Colombia, on October 1, 1907, traversed

here but a small, crystal mountain stream, flows through it, rising in one of the numerous peaks that surround the valley on every side. A part of the valley is low and swampy, but the rest is good, rich so

but little, as it was out of our line of march and we did not have time to visit it; but I understand that it is an Indian village of approximately the same si

President in the eighties, when he was engaged in business here, the whole population is Indian, and amounts, all told, to probably five hundred. These Indians, although short and small, are tough and strong and are of an agreeable, reddish, coppery hue. The average height of the men seems t

ua of the aborigines of Peru and Ecuador. This language is spoken in a sort of sing-song, soft and melodious, which is rather pleasing to the ear. These aborigines ca

etimes, if the house is a large one, several families live in it together, each family having its own corner, fireside, and utensils. The furniture is very limited, and generally consists of benches of various sizes and, sometimes, a low table, all of which are carved out

t to the feet. Their long, black hair, thick and abundant, takes the place of a hat, and is prevented from dangling in the face by a gaily coloured ribbon or a piece of the inner bark of the tree known to them as huimba, which passes around the crown of the head just above the ears. The women invariably wear a red shirt, the lower extremity o

n since time immemorial the emblem of authority amongst the Incas. The chief's house is always distinguished by a decoration of palm-leaves over the door, for all business with the whites is done throu

ixed with the saliva. In this important operation the whole family, both young and old, takes part, seated in a circle around the huge pot of scalded maize, each one provided with a smaller gourd, into which they shoot the well-masticated mixture of maize and saliva. This operation concluded, the next step is to mix thoroughly the salivated maize with the other, and the whole mass is then deposited in the large earthe

f the River Napo, who are the original manufacturers. This celebrated weapon is a hollow, tapering pole, from two to four metres long, pierced longitudinally by a hole some three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter. The outside surface of the pole is wound around with thin strips of tough bark, over which is applied a smooth, black coating of gum-resin from the ar

causes death within a minute, for I have seen a large dog struck by one of these little missiles drop dead before he could run five metres. Like the bodoqueda itself, these little arrows reach the Incas only after passing through the hands of several tribes, and are generally carried in a small bamboo quiver, to which is tied a little gourd filled with cotton. It is interesting to note that although the

es of logs, laid transversely across the way, and skirted the edge of the surrounding mountains a little above the level of the valley, of which we would have had an excellent view but for the dense underbrush which interposed itself between the valley and us. On our march we crossed several beautiful little quebradas,

y received by the four priests here, as well as by the Padre Prefecto, the head of all the Capuchin establishments in the territories of the Caquetá and the Putumayo, who makes this place his headquarters. One of the f

urlier disposition than the Incas, although resembling them very much in appearance, customs, dress, and mode of living. It is believed that these Indians were brought here long ago by the Spaniards from the River Vaupes

t the cargadores[28] had probably gone to their homes to enjoy a last farewell feast before beginning the trip to Mocoa, which we afterwards found to be the case. The convent was scrupulously clean and fitted up

They were accompanied by a pretty little Indian girl, carrying their habío, who they said was their sister. The padre, however, suspected immorality and, as a precautionary measure, bade them

head priest, whom we had met at Sibundoy, and installed in the convent, where we found Pedro and the Indians. San Francisco is a little, triste place of some two hundred inhabitants, who claim to be whites, but,

almost perpendicular trail over huge, slippery rocks and rolling cobble-stones to the bottom of a deep, narrow ca?on, formed by another small, torrential quebrada. All the rest of the day we followed the course of this stream, which we crossed no less than thirty-four times. Occasionally the ca?on, always steep and narrow, became merely vertical walls of rock, rising from the edge of the stream upwards to a height of from fifty to a hundred

ver Patoyacu. Here we stopped at a tolerable rancho, Perkins and I utterly exhausted, but the two Indians and the girl apparently

was spent in a constant succession of long, steep, painful ascents to the tops of the mountains, and immediately afterwards long, steep, painful descents to the bottoms, where, crossing some insignificant quebrada[30] we would sit and rest a few minutes before

most perpendicularly to the clouds, are separated from each other by foaming, plunging quebradas, which, dashing themselves into spray against

ting a fire, for it had rained during the afternoon and everything was completely soaked. The fire, at last successfully started, was just beginning to flicker up and give out a little heat, when suddenly another heavy rain set i

long, steep descent of nearly 2,000 metres, the bottom of which we reached at about half-past four. Here we found the two small ranchos, known as Cascabel, and stopped for the night. These two ranchos were situated upon the left bank of the River Campucana, a good-siz

k, while crossing the river, we met Don Elias Jurado, Leonardo's brother, en route to Pasto-the first traveller we had met since leaving that city. Continuing our journey through the dense forest, at one o'clock we reached Piedra Lisa,[33] another dangerous rock, along whose sm

ze, plantains and yuca, and large tracts of practically virgin forest. At one of these huts we stopped to take a few minutes' rest; the people received us very affably and immediately brought out a large jug of chicha,[34] which we soon

e indefatigable Pedro had ascertained the whereabouts of the "restaurant," to which we immediately wended our way, for we were starving. After we had finished our dinner, which did not take very long, for it was composed only of a quantity of unripe plantains, a still larger quantity of overdone yucas, and a little

cargadores by Monday to take us to Puerto Guineo. After a pleasant conversation of almost an hour and a half, during which he supplied us with considerable information about Mocoa and the Pu

ion; and the country that gains his decision will then have to arrange the matter with Colombia. There are no Ecuadorians established as yet in any part of this vast territory, the upper half of which, as far down as Remolino, is occupied by the Colombians, while the Peruvians are in possession from there to the Brazil

confinement of political prisoners, but about a month before our arrival President Reyes had pardoned all but nine, who had been sent out of t

ived, was causing a general exodus to Pasto. A small traffic with the rubber-collectors of the Upper Putumayo and the neighbouring Indians is, however, still carried on. Agricu

elevation above sea-level is approximately five hundred metres. One very attractive feature of this vicinity is the complete absence of mosquitos and gnats. From Mocoa one can see, b

region would have an outlet not only for the important forest products such as rubber, ivory, &c., but also for the valuable agricultural staples, as coffee, cotton, yuca, sugar-cane, and the thousand other product

a red berry, resembling in shape that of a chestnut. This fruit, when crushed, gives out a bright red juice, which is used by the whites to

ir of knee-pants of the same colour and material, and in their food, which is more diversified and comprises not only maize, &c., but also yuca, plantains, and many forest products. Like the Incas of Santiago, they also profess Christianity and have a limited knowledge of Spanish. T

tience and spoke to him rather harshly. Instantly one of our Santiago Indians, who seemed to have taken rather a liking to me, called me aside and implored me not to offend the old Indian, who was a noted brujo or wizard, for, if I did, he would surely visit some fearful punishment upon me,

company, formed in Pasto, for the purpose of cultivating rubber on the Upper Putumayo. The manager, Don Gabriel Martínez, to whom Jurado had given us a letter of introduction, had, we learned, gone down in his capacity as corregidor to th

s and Pedro should go on with the five bultos that were ready and await my arrival in Guineo, while I remained in Mocoa to take down the other two bultos as soon as the cargador

ll. I did not fancy buying a canoe without seeing it, but, as both Materón and the Intendente assured me that it was large, well-preserved, and quite worth sixty dollars "hard," I began negotiations with the man, who at first asked one hundred dollars, but, after a

t to the Intendente, who showed me the order and informed me that he had already sent two soldiers to Guineo to arrest the boy and bring him back. As we had taken Pedro from the railway and had stayed several days in Cali

e then to see him come back in a couple of hours and, with tears in his eyes and in a voice trembling with fear, beg me to let him off. Upon investigation, I found that some wretch had filled his weak head full of bloodcurdl

ing bultos. Finding that they were intact-for the Indians often steal part of the contents of the bultos-I paid the two

sked what it was that he had done. He protested his innocence of any wrongdoing so stoutly that, convinced that there must be an error somewhere, I again went to the Intendente, but he was determined to carry out his orders, and I could do nothing wi

barrel of aguardiente, and our food and hammocks, &c., while Materón did the same with his, after which we to

our way along the level path, we frequently stopped to examine some strange plant, to pursue some rare butterfly, or to shoot some new bird, whose brilliant plumage or sweet notes attracted our attention. Just before noon we passed a "cave,"

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ense variety of the thick-growing plants and of the incessant activity of Nature in their development. The dense vegetation accumulates and piles up, forming, especially on the banks of the streams and rivers, opaque masses, perfectly impe

Putumayo. This cross is about six leagues from Mocoa and the same distance from Limon and Guineo. Some distance beyond, we stopped for the night in a couple of small ranchos built about a month before by th

mfortable, and in this garb we continued the rest of our journey. Soon the trail became worse and the small, shallow quebradas became rushing, brawling torrents, through which we were, in some cases, almost obliged to swim. The Indians, in

ot over two feet deep, but now a swollen, dangerous torrent. We experienced some difficulty in crossing several of its num

enemies, the moscas or gnats, which made me feel quite at home. But a still worse misfortune was revealed to us when Perkins, who was preparing some food for Materón and me, informed us that all the bread was spoiled, havi

the canoe to me, had a look at our vessel. We found it to be a good river-going craft, about nine metres long and something

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or it is light, easily worked, and very durable. When this cannot be obtained, however, various other kinds of trees are employed, such as caoba or aguano,[41] palo-rosa or lauro-rosa,[42] palo-maria,[43] catagua or a

n length, with wide, rounded blades, which facilitate rowing in shallow water. Oars such as are used in oar-locks would be quite useless here on account of the numerous stumps and logs in the rivers and

aborigines, and the convent and church were built by the Indians, partly for the convenience of the padres and partly as a sort of monument to their own importance. Like the convent, the church is of bamboo with an earthen floor and a thatched roof, upon which some vegetation was beginning to present

ame name. They are quite distinct from the Incas, and occupy the whole region of the Upper Putumayo, living in small villages of from ten to fifty families along its

m of pulling out the eyebrows, eye-lashes, &c., and cutting the hair short is observed by both sexes. The women are, if possible, uglier than the men, which is saying a good deal,

fteen centimetres in length and nearly one centimetre in thickness. They also generally wear upon each arm, just between the shoulder and the elbow, a sort of bracelet, made of

and women. The only difference between the men's cushma and the women's is that in the former the opening that admits the head is vertical and runs down along

eir ears, and most of their shoulders. These beads, which often weigh from ten to fifteen pounds, are only removed when the Indians go to bed, bathe, &c. Besides these they generall

abs of split bamboo or palms, such as the chonta,[48] the camona or huacrapona[49] and the tarapoto,[50] whose thick, almost hollow trunks, when split, form large durable planks, quite suitable for different purposes. T

, their arms, and many domestic utensils. As they generally eat with their fingers, knives and forks are unknown, while for spoons they employ certain shells or small gourds. As dishes they use the easily prepared fruits of the totuma or cuyera,[52] which, by the simple op

stles made of the leg-bones of different birds, fifes made of bamboo, and torches of the heart of the maguey or of chonta, impregnated with

its chief or gobernador, who has about the same powers as among those aborigines. In addition to the gobernador, there is a sort of

he priests and the Colombian settlers, a thing of the past. Their arms, which are now used only for hunting, consist merely of machetes and shot-guns, obta

danta or sacha-vaca[59] which lives in shady swamps; the chancho del monte or huangana,[60] which is a kind of peccary that lives in herds in the depths of the forest; the ronsoco or capivara,[61] a large amphibious rodent; the venado or deer,[62] of which there are several species; several kinds of monkeys, such as the guaribas, the cotomonos, and the maquisapas; the sloth[63]; the armadillo[64]; and various

ver, they drop a quantity of the crushed leaves and root of this plant into the water, which shortly assumes a milky hue and soon poisons the fish, both large and small. Directly the whole surface of the pool becomes covered with the dead bodies of the fish, of which the largest only are sel

?a. There are two kinds of yuca-the wild-yuca or yuca brava[69] and the cultivated variety,[70] both of which are very much used in the whole Amazon Valley. The former contains, however, besides its nutritive elements,

is process concluded, the next step is to take out a proper proportion of this mass and mix it with saliva, in the same manner as the Incas do with their scalded maize. The yuca thus prepared is then well mixed

ess repugnant and more hygienic way-that is, they add to the paste su

and put through a roasting process upon hot plates, but if it is the yuca brava, the poisonous sap must first be removed. To do this, the yuca, already pulverised, is wrapped up in a good-sized piece of llanchama-the tough, inner

many of the inhabitants of the Amazon, especially when they are travelling. It is eaten either dry with wate

palm. They often spend months upon the fabrication of a single hammock, first collecting the leaves, next extracting the fibres, then twisting them into long strings, and finally

st-days. One especially interesting ornament is the yacta, a beautiful crown, composed of a great variety of fine large red an

nsect, very common in these parts, of which, after a sufficient supply has been obtained, they make a similar string, which also encircles the neck. In additio

r a quantity of cascabeles, which are nothing more than strings of the dried fruits of the schacapa[71]. These cascabele

mbs, made of carefully arranged and polished thorns, tied together with eccentrical

eir substitute for coffee; from another bejuco they extract a narcotic known to them as ayahuasca or yajén, the effects of which are similar to those of hasheesh and opium; the leaves of the huitoc or jagua[73] are

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for his; and, after constructing a platform of split bamboo to put in the bottom of the boat in order t

e canoe, while our food and the Indian trading stuff, as well as our arms, should occupy such parts as to render them quickly getatable. After a g

ood drink each, after which we called up the Indian boatmen and, one by one, gave them a good bracer also, which they swallowed with great solemnity. Then we got in the

nd the numerous stumps and logs that stud the whole course of the river; but we did not fully realise it until the canoe, shooting out into the middle of the strea

er. One of them, the popero, or pilot, always sits on the high, narrow seat in the stern, and, paddle in hand, steers the canoe and from time to time directs the man?uvres of the other,

current, and all the bogas[74] have to do is to keep the craft from striking against obstacles and from being th

h obstacles as logs, stumps, salient rocks, overhanging branches, troublesome insects, and other similar inconveniences are numerous. Here the paddles are useless, except when crossing t

often met with; in such cases the bogas either wade ashore and pull the canoe out of the bad place by means of a rope or else enter the water and shove and lift until it is free. If, however, the canoe is very heavy and these methods f

ubject to numerous circumstances and mishaps, such as the conduct of the boatmen, the condition of the river, the weight

ch the thick, tropical vegetation, which lined the banks of the stream, swiftly recede until hidden from view by a bend o

while other obstacles of a similar nature appeared on every hand. We seemed to be almost upon it, when a deft turn of the popero's paddle would bring us to one side by a margin of three or four inche

lf near the shore. All these animals seemed quite tame, and would allow us to approach within a few metres, and then, just as we were taking aim, off they would go. Finally, afte

hours, when we entered the much-discussed Putumayo, much larger than when we saw it in the Andes, but still not a large river. It was low, and the high bank

ocks of parrots and other gaily plumaged birds flew overhead, their rather harsh voices being heard continually. We shot at several, but whether they were

eives them floating with the current or swimming on the surface of the water. They dive with lightning-like rapidity, and very often succeed in

aterón was very popular with them. They brought out a few fruits and a small jar of the yuca-nazata, already described, which we respectfully refused. They are in all respects similar to those of Puerto Guineo, and each of the little huts contained two

, strings of monkey and danta teeth, combs, and the like. They are no fools at bargaining, and have a pretty good idea of the value of the articles they are acquainted with; they are also r

in conjunction with a couple of Cioni families, and helped us fix up our hammocks. Following the example of our

apaya, we set out on our easy and interesting journey. At about noon we passed the mouth of the Guamués, the outlet of Lake Cocha, which seemed almost as large as the Putumayo itself. During the

nt sia-sia, the royal, and others; setico-trees, already mentioned; the palo de la balsa, or raftwood-tree; the yarina, or vegetable ivory-tree; and a variety of others, i

f orchids, whose brilliant flowers serve to diversify the universal green of the forest. The most common of these ar

, with a fine wide veranda extending along its front, while around the building in every direction extend fields of maize, yuca, sugar-cane, &c., with the dark, silent forest in the background. As t

m navigation on the Putumayo, and it was here that Reyes' steamer Tundama was lost. When Materón had arrived here, some eleven months before, he had found everything overgrown by the rank

out their indebtedness by planting rubber-trees, building houses, clearing land, &c. I was pleased to observe that strict morality was the rule, and that Gonzalez pe

lected from the Hevea brasiliensis. These two varieties of rubber are each subdivided into several classifications, according to the quality of the latex or milk and the care and skill employed in their extraction and preparation. As a general rule, siringa is much more valuable than caucho, and is the best kind

otect us from the sun and rain. This sort of awning is called a pamacari, and is in general use in the Amazo

oficient and kind enough to give us the benefit of his knowledge. This vocabulary, which I had hoped to take back to civilisatio

in the morning, just as we were about to start, Perkins was attacked with a heavy fever, and so our departure was postponed. We dos

e and its inhabitants are very similar to Guineo and San Diego, only a trifle larger than the latter. Here we stopped some time, and I was able to obtain several souvenirs from

surcadas, Gonzalez, although an excellent boatman, suddenly lost his balance and fell with a thud into the deep water. Fortunatel

e manner I had planned and made arrangements to depart on the following day, for Gonzalez had

canoe to Gonzalez', in order to keep together and to facilitate conversation, we once more resumed our journey. Materón had though

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birds, flying from stump to stump, lent an air of life to the otherwise silent river, while occasionally a group of monkeys could be seen making their way from tree to tree, almost hidden by t

, rice, and coffee, we were about to get into the canoes when Perkins' eye fell upon a huge ostrich-like bird several hundred metres away. As he was such a fine specimen, Perkins endeavoured to get within range, but in

f its placer deposits. We did not examine it, however, owing to lack of time. A little later Perkins had the good fortune to kill a large duck, and Gonz

ns crossed over to the thickly wooded river bank and soon returned with a load of palm-leaves and several short poles of cana brava,[78] or wild cane, from which, within ten minutes, t

from a smooth, round hole, about a quarter of an inch in diameter, on the first joint of my index finger. Thinking it might have been d

old me they had been obliged to flee from certain localities in order to avoid the pertinacious attacks of these midnight marauders. They always commit their depredations at night, and it is very rare that they awaken their victims, for while their sharp t

steep bank on our left. Approaching hastily, we succeeded, after a short struggle, in capturing them alive, as they were very young, and then disembarked to try for the mother, whom we heard grunting in the distance. We spent

e we passed the afternoon in trading with the inhabitants, exchanging the various articles that we had bought in Pasto for Indian

sneaked down to the canoe while we were trading with the rest and had almost half-emptied the barrel before we discovered them. Gonzalez, who was corregidor-a sort of magistrate-during Martínez' absence, then made a long speech to them, emphasising their "base breach

delay several days in order to celebrate one of their fiesta, which was to occur in about ten days. We had already lost much valuable time in P

in the bow, at the same time keeping my eyes "peeled" for stumps and game with the gun in easy reach. The sun was very hot, bu

ictor curled up fast asleep sunning himself. As our rifle was out of order I took deliberate aim with the shot-gun, and at a distance of some ten metres let fly at him. The hideous monster jumped up and, after lashing his tail wildly about two or three times, plunged with a splash into the water but a few metre

ast it, while the opposite shore would be protected by an extensive sand or gravel playa, often a kilometre or so in width. Then the current would in

he Amazon basin. It is this that makes the Putumayo so wide and shallow and accounts for the numerous sand islands thrown up in mid-stream. In l

d turkey, and, after continuing about two hours, I got another, so that for dinner we had an excellent meal, the chief pièce de résistance being roast turkey. This operation concluded, we tied up

that we first made the acquaintance of a gigantic buzzing bee that followed us for hours, flying about Perkins' head in such an irritating manner that he split our best paddle in a vain endeavour to kill it. This he finall

ing then a few minutes south of the Line. In order to celebrate this occurrence we both got outside o

g game. As we slowly made our way through the narrow brazo, the branches in some places joining over our heads, the calm beauty of the luxuriant vegetation and the intense silen

ther Cioni villages already described. Here we stopped a couple of hours and had a long talk with the capitán, who seemed to think we were very brave in making the trip without bogas, and as a token of his admiration offered us each a drink of mazata. After collecting a

stopped for the night. While I prepared dinner Perkins shot a few small birds, which seemed to belong to a species of dove, as bait, and, after our meal was over, we rigged up a couple of lines and began fishing. Soon I felt a

Large islands, covered with the prevailing dense vegetation, commenced to appear with great frequency, while tributaries of all sizes continued mingling their contents with those of the main river. In fact, the whole country was becoming a complete netw

arts of the river. They would flop awkwardly about, close to the boat, apparently quite at home with us. A rather peculiar custom of theirs is that of gasping and snort

n our unprotected backs with a seemingly intentional fury, and not a breath of air stirred all day. Our thirst was astoundin

to Montepa from a hunting expedition. We hailed them and asked what luck they had had, but they hurried

th kept up a hot fire with our revolvers, wounding him in several places, as he made desperate efforts to clamber up the steep, slippery bank. Despairing of this, he suddenly plunged into the water, and we were just on the point of giving up pursuit of him when we saw

at, of a greyish colour, is hard and bristly, but his flesh is used as food by the Indians, although it is not very taste

nd playa. After dinner we again went out on a nocturnal fishing expedition, and had fair luck, catching enoug

acari as quickly as possible, we found to our horror that the canoe was adrift. It had undoubtedly become released during the night from the stake to whic

mplete darkness prevented us from seeing more than two feet ahead of us, but Perkins succeeded in getting the bow pointing more or less ahead and keeping it there, while I stood up in front trying to make out the best course to avoid the stumps. After what seem

nearly two feet high and blowing against the pamacari with such force that we were once more in danger of capsizing. Finally, the situation became so ticklish-for we did not dare to approach the bank on account of the dangers from falling tre

ccompanied by lightning, torrential rains, &c., and the wind, often attaining a velocity of from twenty to thirty metres per secon

ring the wet season, when the river overflows its banks. It appeared to be uncompleted, for there were no walls, although the roof and the elevated floor were finished, and the latter was covered with a miscellaneous collection of bultos, heaps of yuca and plantains, pots and kettles, peons in hammocks, pieces of rubber, and other things too numerous to ment

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l, dark-complexioned man of about fifty, and his buxom wife. As they both pressed us to stop all night with them we gladly assented, and, accompanying them to the house, we were introduced to Drs.

on; but these two gentlemen had thought it more interesting to ascend the River Guepí by canoe as far as possible, and then, crossing overland to the River Santa María, an affluent of the Napo, to descend that river and the Napo to their destination, the Peruvian town of Iquitos on the Amazon. As we w

s as the Guepí can only be navigated conveniently for any distance when the water is high. In accordance with this resolution they immediately be

verside and that his peons were now at work there, extracting and preparing this produce for market; some of this rubber he sells at Mocoa, but his principal market is at Iquitos, whic

e began looking for a playa to stop for the night on, but none were to be seen-the river had covered them. We continued, however, in the hopes of finding some suitable place until it grew dark, when, fearing to go any farther, we tied up to a good, stout stum

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kins, and we stepped out to investigate. There stood-firm as a rock-the stump that had served as our sheet-anchor, and yonder-separated from us by a broad stretch of san

l selico-trees, peeled off the bark, and, after a severe struggle, got them under the canoe with the idea of sliding it over them. But it was useless, for they sank out of sight in the sand. The next attempt was still more laborious, for it was nothing less than building a track, composed of two parallel rows o

tter, calmly and judicially. We had tried everything our ingenuity could suggest, but without the slightest success. Thus we should be compelled to stop here until some one came along and helped us or until the river rose again. Judging by the fact that up to this point we had not encountered a single traveller, the first p

thern extremity ran a small quebrada, which issued from the dense, impenetrable jungle and finally emptied into the river. In some of the deep po

us; and the Crocodilus sclerops, or spectacled alligator, so called on account of his horrible red eyes, projecting outwardly like a pair of glasses on his snout. This brute, which attains a length of from twelve

oose and soft and inconvenienced us by getting in the tops of the shoes. We had no sooner taken off these articles, however, than we di

come very rusty. By the time dinner was ready he had polished it up and it was as good as ever, which made us feel a little

e of the two-feet-long tail. It attacks nearly all animals, and sometimes man himself. Its sleek coat is of a bright tan colour on the back and whi

n,[83] whose coat is of a uniform tan, and which often measures four feet in length; the grey tiger,[84] which is only about two feet long

served several turtle tracks, but did not notice them closely, for just then we stumbled upon what looked like a jaguar trail, which we followed until it, too, disappeared in the depths of the forest. Somewhat discomfited at these repeated disappointments, we returned to

ery game, although when we were on the Cauca Railway I used to beat Perkins easily. Whether my mind was distracted by our shipwreck, or whether Perkins had d

en a school of enormous catfish appeared upon the scene, and in less than an hour and a half we had enough to last for a couple of days. Here we observed several more monstrous alligators,

ucky enough to kill a fine, large bird, known as the paujil. Returning to the canoe, I stumbled upon a large turtle track; following it some distance, I observed that it had dug up the sand, probably to deposit some eggs, so, excavating a little

ndred in a nest. The latter is only about a foot or eighteen inches across, its eggs are only about half the size of the former's, and there are only from twenty to thirty of them in a nest. The flesh of both these Chelonians is succulent and nourishing; the shell,

at there were five canoes, each one containing about ten Indians. As soon as they came up to us, I told them of our misfortune and asked them to help us out, promising to reward them generously. The wretches merely smiled and passed on, which so enraged us that, had I not observed that they were

be the danta's whose track I had observed in the morning. Accordingly, at about nine o'clock, we set out on the warpath; Perkins carried the shot-gun and I the rifle, while we b

nds. We fired almost simultaneously, and had the satisfaction of seeing the animal fall with a thud; the next instant, however, it was again upon its feet and dashing wildly and violently about. Meanwhile, we discharged our revo

ces for smoking, for this is the most common method of preserving meat in this region. This operation concluded, we immediately built a large fire, erected over it a barbacoa,[86] and then, salting the pieces one by one, we put them over t

hidden in the cool, swampy marshes, coming out only at night to feed on roots, nuts, &c. When startled, he rushes along at great speed, his head down and perfectly regardless of trees and underbrush, through which he passes like a whirlwind. The only sounds this animal makes are low grunts and sh

ks on the way, but decided not to dig any eggs, as we had an ample supply of provisions. Arriving at the pool, I sat down in the sand awaiting for some of the Saurians to put in an appearance; I sat there for some time, and was just thinking of returning to camp, when the wat

have breasts, similar in shape to those of a woman. Their flesh is excellent, and they generally yield large quantities of fat, which is often used as an illuminant. As the manatee has a very delicate sense of hearing, its capture is rather difficult, and the Indians generally conceal themselves in the thick rushes that surround the bank of a

known as the iguana, and a parrot. After making a brief examination of these trophies, of wh

egan to abate when it slowly commenced to go down again, and by eleven o'clock completely vanished, for the water was e

sting here for some time without seeing anything worth shooting, we were about to return when the crackling of twigs indicated that some large animal was prowling around in our vicinity. Approaching cautiously, we peered through the rank vegetatio

ty of this animal to encompass its destruction. The modus operandi is as follows: The hunter sneaks to them as they are feeding and excites them by imitating the barking of a dog; as soon as they perceive him they all make a rush in his direction; the hunter climb

h for breakfast. These were, as on the other occasions, all catfish. Other fish, however, abound in the Central and Lower Putumayo, most of which are already

t I had run up against an enormous spectacled alligator that had been sunning himself on the sands, and I assure the gentle reader that I lost no time in making my get-away. The hideous monster lost no time in pursuing me, and my blood ran cold when I looked around and saw his wide-open jaws not more than two metres behind me. Fortunately, the forest was close, and in

small eggs, having found a charapilla's nest and a large, beautifully plumaged bird, known as the piurí; this bird has a magnificent,

mpered off, and we did not take a shot at them. Finally, perspiring from every pore as a result of our exertions, we were about to sit down to rest a little while, when Perkins heard in the distance the hoarse, piercing call of the toucan.[88] Wishing to secure a specimen of this strange, queer-looking bird, he set out in the direction from whence the call seemed t

y rifle at short intervals and was just becoming desperate, when, faint in the distance, I thought I heard the dull report of a shot-gun. When the echoes of my answering discharge died away, I listened anxiously and, after a short interval, once more hea

him until having shot the bird. After about an hour's pursuit, he started to return; then he had realised that he was lost, for he had not the slightest idea of which way to ret

their entire body. It is, however, of a porous and cellular structure, and does not weigh much. Their plumage is brilliant and attractive, the back, tail, and wings being of a dark rich blue

amp when I heard the report of the rifle, which seemed to come from that direction; hastening onward, I turned a bend and saw three men get out of a canoe and approach our abode, where they seeme

n two hours our gallant craft was again afloat. The Alférez and his men then retired, completely exhausted by this task and the long day's poling up the river, and Perkins and I commenced our heartbreaking labour of carrying our baggage, &c., over the half-kilometre that separated us from th

we perceived that, if we had not been in such a hurry, there would probably have been no necessity for carrying our things, as the river would have relieved us of this task. Sweat fell from us in streams, the rough edges of the bultos cut our shoulders mercilessly, and, to make matters worse, it

ment, we held a long chat with the officer, gave them a chunk of the smoked danta-meat, passed around the aguardiente, and thanking them heartily, took our d

some six feet out of the water at an angle of about thirty degrees. The log was too high to strike the bow, and passed over it; it reached the pamacari, got caught fast in it, the canoe turned broadside, listed to port, water poured over the gunwale in torrents, and I commenced to say my prayers. The next moment the pamacari snapped, the canoe veered around bow foremost again, the log, with the released pamacari still attached to it, raked the rear part of our craft,

r not to get stranded again. Taking a little walk to explore our neighbourhood, we stumbled upon several turtle trails, and, following them up, found some three large nests. Dig

s of killing something, and shot at several monkeys, but with apparently no effect. Finally I perceived a large turkey, and as soon as we got w

t of dingy black, and its fairly large beak is of the same colour. They always emit an insufferable, carrion smell, and are the universal scavengers of the tropics. In

aw one feeding on a dead mule, while all the common urubús stood on one side, waiting until he had had enough. The Indians

way up-stream. Approaching the bank, we hailed the strangers, and they began to steer in our direction; as they came nearer we saw that they were all Indians, except one, who was a well-dressed, elderly white man. It was then that

He seemed to be a very pleasant and agreeable man, and we held quite a conversation with him, in the course of which he informed us that the Corregidor, Don Gabriel Martínez, to whom Jurado had given us a letter, was on his way up

cidents until about half-past five, when we stopped at a large playa. While I was engaged in cooking

ut up a new pamacari-frame, over which we laid our mosquito-bars to make a little shade. No sooner was this accomplished than the sun disappeared behind a cloud, a strong wind arose, and it began

id the same with the shot-gun; the only noticeable effect was to accelerate their frantic efforts to mount the bank. Then the swift current wafted us down opposite to them, and we opened up a hot revolver fire. One or two of them dived then, and another, with a desp

en the storm passed, at about one o'clock, the sun again obligingly came out and dried our clothes for us, as on the previous day. A little after this we had the luck to shoot a

nt of Se?or Jesús López. Around the house was a little patch of clearing, planted with yuca, plantains, &c., while, surrounding this little pie

on a submerged sand-bar and some difficulty was experienced in getting off it. Then a tall, dark, bearded man, dressed in a pair of checkered

palm, large and ample, and had a porch running along the front, which faced the river. Presently a tall, rather pretty woman appeared, whom he introduced to us as

heavy dose of fever, and as López pressed us to stay, we were glad to accept his invitation. I spent most of the time

more numerous than the Colombians and all employees of a large firm which has its headquarters in Iquitos and is known as the Peruvian Amazon Company. López informed me that this company, planning to get possession of the rub

done. He replied that there were several varaderos we could take, the best one being near an establishment known as Remolino-some five-days journey down the river-which belonged to the Colombian company of Ordo?ez and Martínez. These gentlemen, López went on to infor

rior kind of jebe or siringa, known technically as jebe débil or weak-fine rubber. Such large quantities of it are produced, however, and at such a small cost, especially in the Caraparaná and Igaraparaná districts, that its poor quality i

us the pleasing information that four or five days previously, while they had been stopping at an establishment known as Yubinete, a launch had appeared with about forty employees of the Peruvian Amazon Company on board, who had informed the corregidor that he must go to El Encanto, their headquarters, with them. Upon his refusal th

ed more like ghosts than men. They were all in rags, without food, without medicines, and suffering from malarial fever of the worst kind. López gave them some food and assigned them

antain dessert and several other dainties, which we devoured ravenously. Then López brought out a small barrel of the indispensable aguardiente, and everybody, including the sick policemen, their Cioni

of the forenoon in taking down a lot of Cioni words, which López was kind enough to furnish us with. This task completed at four o'clock, we had

gnificent bird of a blackish colour, which we took to be the ibis. We endeavoured to drop him, but he was too wily for us, and we could

he Cauca Railway, had not afflicted us since leaving Puerto Guineo, the point of embarkation. They now became very aggravating, and such was their ferocity and perseverance that we were finally compelled to don the

a winding path to the little split-palm hut, which was situated on a high knoll on the right bank, some two hundred metres from the river. The place seemed desolate and neg

ut of the way. During the course of this deal, which was enlivened by a considerable amount of haggling and aguardiente, we learned that nothing more h

a large playa near where the river-or at least the arm that we were following-divided into three brazos. Here we saw several ducks, but they would not let us

d us that it was the quickest. The gnats now relieving the mosquitoes, we again put on the paraphernalia of the previous day, but

eauty of the scene was from time to time enlivened by the numerous bands of gaily-coloured parrots and parroquets that, with shrill, hoarse cries, would circle about in the sky far above us. Again, we would perceive a group of monkeys leaping from t

from one to two kilometres in width. Here there was a little wind, which served to relieve us a trifle, but

embarked and set out in pursuit of them. Perceiving an especially large one, I let fly at him with the shot-gun; he fell, but, striking a branch in his descent, caught it with his tail and hung there head downwards. Fi

er the chin. Their long, prehensile tail is covered with hair on top, but the under surface is bald and horny. They are generally of a brownish colour, but this often varies, according to the age of the individua

parrots, but they were too far off for our fire to be effective. The gnats still hen-pecked us, though not so ferociously as on the previous days, because

r toll of us; they literally appeared around us in clouds, and we killed thousands of them at a time by simply clapping our hands together. Finally they became so numerous that I was

uently we were unable to find any nests. At five o'clock we stopped at the mouth of a little quebrada, where the fish actually swarmed. Every moment they would jump u

sequently, the man-eating gnats had us more or less at their mercy, for it was so hot that our armour was unbearable. At ten o'clock a slow, driz

ow López' advice in regard to crossing over to the Napo by the Remolino varadero without delay. Besides, we rather wished to travel by an ov

trailing, found a large nest of eggs, which had apparently been laid during the previous n

rowed down until, when opposite the house, it was not over a couple of hundred metres in width. Here the banks were high and vertical, and the river, rushing between them like a mill-ra

PTE

HUIT

nd arrived at the house. Here we were received in a friendly manner by an old, tattered-looking racional, who upon our asking for Se?or Ordo?ez informed us that

ver to La Unión and arrange with Ordo?ez to lend us the necessary cargadores and buy what effects we wanted, to be disposed of afterwards as quickly as possible, while Perkins remained with the cano

had no time for resting, being constantly employed in repelling their onslaughts. The old racional wrapped his feet, head, and arms up

t seems that the establishment of Remolino is merely a sort of receiving station and warehouse. This was a lucky circumstance for us, as I could accompa

id. Presently we crossed two rather large quebradas, from twelve to fifteen metres in width, over bridges in each case formed by the large trunk of a single tree. These the racionales crossed readily, but I experienced some difficulty in doing so on account of my slippery shoes. At about ten o'clock a to

rdo?ez. A young man, who introduced himself as Don Fabio Duarte, the assistant manager, then informed me that Ordo?ez was out in the forest with his Indians, but that he was expected

on the fresh, green grass that took its place numerous sleek cattle and horses grazed in peaceful quiet. Some parts of this cleared area were, however, fenced in, and here large plantations of yuca, plantains, maize, &c., w

her exorbitant prices. These aborigines, who belonged to the tribe known as the Huitotos, numbered about two hundred, and lived in villages of their own in the heart of the forest. Other Huitotos were employed by David Serrano, another Colombian settler, l

words. Among other interesting facts, I learned that this whole region had first been settled by Colombians, who had been afterwards squeezed out by the Peruvians, until now in the whole

been aware of them, the said Company having frequently offered to buy them out; these proposals having been refused, the autocratic Company had commenced

ntation of the company that a large Colombian force was descending the Putumayo; the Peruvian detachment, seeing for themselves that this report was false, would not countenance any raid on the three Colombian establishments, much less take pa

g, and I did not know what to do until Duarte suggested that I should go down and see Serrano, who, he thought, would do business with us. As this advice seemed rational and as it was only a thr

d when I asked him what he meant by this he gave me to understand that in case the Indians did not bring in a sufficient amount of rubber to satisfy the Peruvians they were flogged, shot, or mutilated at the will of the man in charge. When

ared area, most of which was planted with maize, yuca, plantains, &c., the rest being a sort of pasture-land. Passing through this for s

ho proved to be Serrano, as I had supposed. He, in turn, made me acquainted with the other two, who turned out to be two of the exiles brought down by Becerra, General Miguel Antonio Acosta and Don Alfonso Sánchez. The other exiles, it appeared, had gone down to t

else that we had for sale. Accordingly, I sent word to Perkins by means of an Indian that Serrano loaned me for the purpose to descend with the canoe from Remolino to Josa, Serrano's port on the Putumayo, and, arriving the

me the place. In addition to the large plantations already mentioned he had planted several thousand rubber-trees in the forest, which were now from two to four years old and in a very flourishing

d as represented. This somewhat aroused Serrano, who thereupon recounted to me one of the most diabolical deeds committed by the

heir hellish labours by chaining Serrano up to a tree; then these model employees of the "civilising company," as they call themselves, forcibly entering his wife's room, dragged the unhappy woman out on the porch, and there, before the tortured eyes of the helpless Serrano, the chief of the "commission" outraged his unhappy victim. Not satisfied with this, they took his entire stock

the unfortunate Martínez, combined to make me think that we had stumbled upon a regular Devil's Paradise in this remote corner of the world. Still, I

Bogotá, who, they expected, would do something to protect them against these outrages. Although this gentleman had no forces, nevertheless it was u

o Serrano. Our personal baggage could remain there during the five or six days that would elapse before our departure with Serrano and the two exiles for the varad

stinct tribes of Indians, such as the Huitotos, the Boras, the Yurias, the Ocainas, the Yahuas, the A

the Recígaros, the Yabuyanos, &c. Each of these sub-tribes has its own chief, called a capitán or tuchaua, and appears to

words. It is a very simple language, with but little grammar, employing neither conjunctions nor a

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veloped. Their hair, long and abundant, is black and coarse, and is worn long by both sexes. A peculiar custom is that of pulling out the eyebrows, eyelashes, and the fine hai

feet are turned inwards, and when they walk their thighs generally strike against each other as though they were afraid. Notwithstanding these d

NDIAN RUBBE

ace p

a bridge over a stream they turn them inwards, in this way obtaining greater stability and avoiding slipping. Th

rmal development. The women suffer few abnormalities; their breasts are periform and alway

f the nose, and stick through the orifice a tube of junco, often as thick as a lead-pencil, while the inhabitants of the central portion of the Igaraparaná pierce the whole lower extremity of this organ

me that the first Colombian settlers in this region, who had arrived here penniless, ill, and despairing, had been warmly welcomed by the Huitotos, plied with food, given women, and made far more comfortable than th

quarters in one already built-gives a small quantity of coca or tobacco to the capitán to obtain his approval, and cuts a supply of firewood for

and it was not until the advent of the rubber-collectors that they began to lose this primitive virtue, so generally met with among people not yet in contact with whit

k in order to keep it warm, while the father makes this an opportunity for lying in his hammock, claiming to be ill. Infant mortality is very larg

s just died to another member of the family-as a rule, to the one who has been the especial favour

with all his weapons, utensils, &c. The hut is then abandoned and a new one is erected by the survivors and their friend

án first introduces his forefinger into the liquid and commences a long discourse, which is from time to time interrupted by the rest with an emphatic yell of approval. Then they become more and more excited, until finally the pot is gravely passed around and each one in turn d

leaves of the yarina or vegetable-ivory tree; this roof often reaches almost to the ground. The framework, generally of chonta, or some other hard, durable wood, is held together by means of stout bejucos and ropes m

l bamboo stools and benches, several earthen pots, some baskets, various kinds of paint, a quantity of gourds used as plates, &c., a few primitive musical instrumen

anging in the smoke just above the fire. Here, too, there generally simmers a small pot of the celebrated casaramanú, a peculiar sort of gravy, composed of the blood, brains, and

Company are worked so hard by their taskmasters that the greater part of them are obliged to sleep on the ground, on account of not having time to make thei

l respects similar to that used by the Incas, which has already been described. The Huitotos, however, unlike the Cochas, Inc

e-sixteenths of an inch in diameter, is cut, and the two pieces are cleverly joined together. The hole is then very skilfully finished and polished internally by means of a gummy cord, previously rolled in sand and dried. This operation concluded, the whole length o

ty to twenty-five metres. Bows are not used by the Huitotos. These spears are equipped with different types of points, according to the purpose for which they are to be used. Thus a spear the sides of which are provided with barbs is for hunting large animals like the t

rally used only in combats at close quarters or between individuals. A well-deli

imilar to those of the Cionis, which are described in

eated stones, and are then fastened side by side. Thus, each log has two distinct sonorous surfaces, separated by this narrow, rectangular opening, and each surface gives out a different sound, for the longitudinal hollow is generally a little to one side of the centre of the log. One of these logs, being always thi

us surfaces of the two logs. A code is arranged, based upon the difference of tones and the length and number of the blows struck, so that all kinds of mess

nd, passing between the legs, is attached to the belt again behind. This garment is called moggen by the Huitotos. The tribes of the Upper Igaraparaná have simplified this costume, and me

ther two on their ankles. I should state, however, that the Indians employed by Ordo?ez and Martínez and Serrano wore European clothes. The unfortunate slave

ation-is the small quantity of yucas and plantains that their women have time to cultivate and a few products of the forest, such as certain large worms they extract from the bark of different trees, the tender tops of the chonta-palm, a few wil

d the pulp of a forest fruit known as the aguaje. It is of a dirty, browni

are pulverised and mixed with the ashes of the burnt leaves of another plant-I could not ascertain its name-in order to take away the bitter taste observed when the coca is used

gues on their backs with practically no food at all to sustain them. They claim that it takes the place of food on these marches, and it really does seem to enable them to perform wonderful feats of endur

ose poor wretches in the service of the "civilising company" are now so enslaved and oppressed that they have no time nor spirit to i

trees, animals, and geometrical figures, while both men and women adorned themselves with their beautiful feather ornaments of many different colo

anguaré, the beating of drums, and the shrill whistle of their flutes. They generally imbibed during these dances a goodly quantity of cahuana, and the chupe del tabaco was always an important feature. The few who possessed clothes ge

s being the huitoc or jagua, which also has the excellent property of being offensive to gnats

F THE HUITOTO TRIBE

ce p.

nce of a Superior Being, called Usi?amu, and an inferior potentate, named Taife?o, who is also supposed to be the Spirit of Evil. They also appear to bel

Company has monopolised the region priests are carefully excluded, and everything that tends to the instruction and enlightenment of the wretched aborigines is carefully done away with. Indeed, in order to frighten people and thus prevent them fro

ter part of the Huitotos, unfortunately, are-the numbers of these Indians are diminishing to an alarming degree, and, unless something be done to p

PTE

VIL'S

e interested in his business they would have to keep their hands off him in order to avoid complications. This point seeming reasonable, I asked him about his profits and the price he thought proper, both of which seemed very satisfactory. Returning to the house, I looked over his books, which corresponded with what he had told me, and, after some more conversation, I agreed to

, and we all took a liking to them at once. They had just come from La Unión, where they had learned of the capture of Martínez and the horrible raid on Serrano, already described. Orjuela then announced that he ha

le agreement, while Serrano took a more pessimistic view of things, declaring that the Peruvians had for years tried to get possession of the Colombian establishments on the Carapa

to take-viz., to demand an interview with Loayza, while Orjuela and Sánchez made preparations to set out on the following day for El

which, after several gasps of amazement, he pronounced worthy of investigation. Then, after some more talk, we resolved that we should stop here with Serrano, look over the estate, and, if satisfied, come to an agreement with him, whil

sked permission to accompany him to the conference, which was readily granted; so I made preparations for an early departure on

course of the Caraparaná. This river is, I believe, one of the crookedest in the world, for it continually doubles on itself as it winds its way through the dense vegetation that rises up on either ba

the agent we disembarked, and, climbing the long hill that rose up from the bank, reached the house, a fairly large structure of unpainted boards, where we were recei

the river wound around in the woods and formed an enormous peninsula, upon the narrow neck of which Argelia was situated. We then des

the bottom of the boat, while the men slept in the brush on the bank. The monteria was small, and we were three; consequently there was not

by Don Tobias Calderón, the man in charge, who informed us that Se?or Gonzalez, tired to death of the continual raids, robberies, and other abuses of th

e, which was situated on a gently sloping knoll on the left bank. The house was of good size and of the usual elevated construction. The space around it had once been cleared, but was now grown over with bushes a

on account of the ill-feeling exhibited towards them by the Peruvians and that they were going to Guepí. Another interesting piece of news was that sixty Peruvian soldiers had just arrived from Iquitos on the Liberal, one of the Peruvian Amazon Company's launches. These ex-employees, although naturally kept i

waiting for Loayza, who did not turn up. This looked like another portent of the approaching storm; but, nevertheless, Orjuela decided to wait another day here. I began to wish that we had nev

at about nine o'clock. We waited all day at El Dorado for Loayza, but he never put in an

overtook the ex-employees, who did not seem to be in any great hurry, and continued along with them all day. We made but slow prog

orning, Friday, the 10th, we passed on ahead of them and travelled more rapidly. At nightfall, in order to avoid another night of torture

ding the river. They were two launches. Passing us in a blaze of light, they quietly continued on upstream. Had the contemplated raid on La Unión and La

ut molestation the lower port of Argelia-where we had waited for our boatmen after our call on Se?or De Osma y Pardo. Th

gent and an armed peon beckoned and called us to approach. We continued on, pretending not to notice them. Then

ow leaning upon it in a negligent attitude; Orjuela, however, did not seem to think it good policy, so we pulled up at the shore and asked what was up. The agent then informed Orjuela that he was a prisoner, and he and the peon led us-boatmen and all-up to the house. Here he sta

up the river. We continued rowing until late that night, but were able to make but slow progress, owing to the absence of the other two boatmen. Meanwhile we indulged in many conjectures as to what would happen to us and the people of La Re

ity of La Unión or La Reserva; these lasted nearly an hour. Then they ceased and silence once more reigned over these vast solitudes, so we pushed on

. I suggested to Sánchez that we had better follow the aborigine's example, but he thought that as he was an exile and I was a foreigner we would

nd splashing into the water a little beyond. Then, at our cries of astonishment and protest, we heard a voice ordering us, in the most vile and obscene words, to approach the launch, and at the same time commanding the soldiers to keep us covered with their carbines. We approached as quickly as possible, but, handicapped by the robbery of our Indian boatmen, were able to make but slow progress. Then we heard once more the order, "Fire! Fire!

ere we were jerked on board, kicked, beaten, insulted, and abused in a most cowardly manner by Captain Arce Benavides of the Peruvian Army, Benito Lores, comm

ho we were, and demanded to be allowed to continue our journey, but all in vain, for they merely laughed at me and my protests. Then these

us that as the two launches had arrived there that morning the Colombians had treacherously opened fire upon them, and that the Peruvian forces had gallantly repulsed the attack, under his leadership, a

here were less than twenty Colombians against about a hundred and forty Peruvians-employees of the criminal syndicate and soldiers and sailors with a machine gun. The Colombians resisted bravely for about half an hour, when, their ammunition giving out, they were compelled to take to the woods, leaving Duarte and two peons dead and Prieto and another peon sev

e of the females found in the bushes after the "battle," and this poor victim, already in an advanced state of pregnancy, was allotted to Captain -- --.[94] This human monster, intent only on slaking his animal thirst

mployees. Perkins then informed me of the horrors committed at La Unión and of his own capture, which had been effected upon the return of these latter-day pirates from that sanguinary scene, when they had stopped at La Reserva, b

LECTING RI

ace p

Liberal, plunged in the most gloomy reflections and expecting to be shot or stabbed any moment, for our captors were dr

n good, as the Colombians would certainly kill us if he did not conduct us to a place of safety. Thinking that possibly the man was-to use a bit of slang-up the pole, I explained that we had no fear of the Colombians, as we had been stopping with them some time, and, furthermore, the things we ha

y taunting and insulting their unfortunate victim. At about the same time De Osma y Pardo came on board, shook hands with Sánchez and myself, and explained that he had interceded with Loayza in our behalf, but u

The criminal Loayza, in company with several more of these pirates, disembarked, entered the house, and, menacing the Colombians with death, compelled them to surrender all their arms. Then, after giving them a long harangu

aken part in the raid came down to the edge of the river and proceeded to insult and taunt us in the most brutal and bloodthirsty terms. When they had finished this dignified task we were disembarked, taken up the hill to the establishment, which was composed of one large, el

as it was, proved to be a far from comfortable couch. In addition to this physical discomfort, we were plunged

contrary, I went on to inform him that in murdering us he would be making a big mistake, for we had been sent out to explore this region by a huge American syndicate and that we were expected in Iquitos, where we were about to open a large mercantile establishment for the said syndicate.[95] Perceiving that this statement was having some effect on him, I went on to assure him that we were people of im

La Unión and La Reserva in a few days, but that we could not go to Josa to recover our effects, for he himself would see to that. As we had but little faith in his word or that

gidor Gabriel Martínez and his men, who were confined, as though they were desperate criminals, in a small, dirty, eight-by-ten-foot room under the main house and guarded night and day by two soldiers.

y walk. It was a pitiful sight to see these poor Indians, practically naked, their bones almost protruding through their skins, and all branded with the infamous marca de Arana,[96] staggering up the steep hill, carrying upon their doubled backs enormous weights

of fari?a and a tin of sardines-when there were any-for each group of four Indians, nothing more. And t

hes, without remedies, without food, were exposed to the burning rays of the vertical sun and the cold rains and heavy dews of early morning until death released them from their sufferings. Th

mposed of some thirteen young girls, who varied in age from nine to sixteen years, and these poor innocents-too young to be called women-were the helpless victims of Loayza and the other chief officials of the Pe

he exploitation of the products of this region-that is, the exploitation of the

s the headquarters of all the sections of the Caraparaná and the right bank of the Putumayo, while La Chorrera is the capital of the sections of the Igaraparaná and thos

ere, it is shipped to Iquitos about every three months. At each of these centres all books are kept and all payments to the employees

his control a number of racionales, varying from five to eighty, whose business it is to direct the Indians and force them to work. The chief of the section keeps a list of all the

deep, in their frantic efforts to extract the last drop of milk, that vast numbers of the trees die annually. The milk runs down the trunk of the tree and drie

n a quebrada and beat it well with clubs; in this way a few of the many foreign matters are removed and the rubber is made more compact. It

use, the rubber is weighed in the presence of the chief of the section and his armed subordinates. The Indians know by experience what the needle of the balance should mark, and when it indicates

to escape flagellations and tortures, frequently adulterate the rubber-milk with that of various other trees, in this way still further lower

f, and there is absolutely no check upon the exercise of his most brutal instincts and passions. The probability of such abuse is increased immensely when-as in the present case-t

om his fears what cannot be obtained from an appeal to his cupidity. As the "civilising company" apparently does not believe in paying for what it can obtain otherwise, the rule of terror has been adopted throughout the company's dominions. Those who have studied the history of the Congo will see here precisely the same conditions

y and night at the extraction of rubber, without the slighte

ete nakedness, many of them not ev

to satisfy the voracity, lasciviousness, and avarice of this compan

retail in Iquitos, at prices

ntil their bones are laid bare,

ut are left to die, eaten by maggots, whe

ilated, and their ears, finge

of fire and water, and by tyin

are burned and destroyed w

s and dismembered with kn

et and their heads are dashed against tr

ed when they are no longer

s or to celebrate the sábado de gloria, or, in preference to this, they are

at have made that region so notorious do not fail to produce precisely similar results in the vast and isolated region of the Putumayo. In addition to this, during my subsequent investigations in

quences too horrible to put down in writing. It is a blot on civilisation; and the reek of its abominations mounts to heaven in fumes of shame. Why is it not stopped? Peru wi

who take advantage of their autocratic authority over the helpless Huitotos to commit the most horrible and unheard-of crim

t the attacks of those terrible fellows, the Colombians. One officer and the rest of the men, about thirty, remained at El Encanto to garrison it, while two

red to speak to Martínez, but were not permitted to do so, probably by orders of Loayza, who seemed to spend most of his time taking Florida-wate

or his chief in Iquitos. This literary labour occupied him until nightfall, when, being concluded, it was given to the captain of the

za had informed us that he would give us free passages as a slight compensation for what we had gone through, both Sánchez and myself were considerably surprised at this demand, and protested loudly against it. Zubiaur

told that this meal had already been eaten and that we were too late. So after a last farewell to Perkins, who, in accordance with our decision, had de

s fare and a request to pay us back the difference between that and the third-class that he was giving us, he reached for his ever-present stick of firewood, and, this once in his hands, took the trouble to exp

e up again and told us that they were in an inconvenient place and must be shifted. This made me so angry-for I knew it was done only to henpeck us-that I absolutely refused to budge an inch, and when he threatened to call up some of his men, I was so wild that I told him that if he dared molest us again during

perceived that Martínez and his men were being escorted by a number of "missionaries" to the vessel. Descending to the lower deck, I saw them shut him and his seven men up in the same cage with Orjuela; here the wretches continued to insult

wide and dotted with large, heavily wooded islands. Along the banks numerous sandy playas appeared from time to time. It was

s were already beginning. The meal was execrable, being composed only of watery tea, a quantity of extremely stale bread, and some

nión, and was in charge of the other one, a tall, blonde, cadaverous-looking man, named Lieutenant Albarracin, who proved to be none other than the brother of the Peruvian whom we had met in Pasto, and who had given us a letter of introduction to

adquarters of the company at Iquitos to see if they would reimburse him. Cuellar associated, as a rule, with an individual named Bartolomé Guevara, a short, carate-covered man, to whom I took an instinctive dislike. He was a chief of section who had recently resigned his position

resumably to sell her as a "servant," for it is a well-known fact that this repugnant traffic in human beings is carried on, almost openly, there. His position was a sinecure, for, instead of stopping on the Putumayo, travelling about there and really making

der to see that they did not discharge any cargo while passing through Brazilian territory. He seemed a very quiet chap, I imagine b

only additional dish being a repugnant preparation of codfish. The pirate-captain and his chum, the comisario, however, as I ascertained

nd also on the left. Near the junction was a small, cleared area on the high left bank of the Putumayo, and to this we directed our course. Anchoring close to the bank, I perceived that the place was a military post, for, as soon as we approa

he comisario related to the two lieutenants a full account of the "brilliant victory" gained at La Unión. Meanwhile, I learned tha

een so complimented upon his bravery by the two officers that he resolved to go and inform some other friends of his up that river of t

ed by Albarracín was Santa Julia, one of the chief sections of the "civilising company" in Igaraparaná district. The two or three small huts were of split-palm with a thatched roo

iles, who had left El Encanto about a month previously on this launch, bound for Iquitos. Instead of going there, however, the Cosmopolita had gone up to La Chorrera, stopped there a

Encanto, and situated on the borders of a little lake at the head of navigation on the Igaraparaná

ked condition at Santa Julia. These Indians are distinct from the Huitotos, and speak a dialect of their own called Bora. They are of a lighter colour and much more intelligent and fierce than the former;

the Andoques, the Yurias, the Ocainas, and the Yaguas. All these tribes speak a distinct dialect of their own, although closel

he Cosmopolita. After a not unpleasant journey of several hours, we again reached Arica at about 3 p.m., where we stopped for the rest of the day. Here we were again tortur

e Peruvian Army, the jailers of Orjuela, Martínez, and their men, who were confined in the small and loathsome cage, previously mentioned, which

ely and exclusively his own interests and forgetting the duties that his position as Consul incurred upon him, contented himself with congratulating me upon my

t while Perkins was held prisoner at that place. Thus they became aware of the deception I had practised upon them in regard to the American syndicate, and so great was their anger that

s of the employees of this syndicate were distinctly unpleasant, nevertheless I consider that on the whole we were extremely fortunate in making

upon these unfortunates; not a complete one, for in order to do that it would be necessary for him to come here and see with his own eyes and hear wit

aware of what occurs in the vast and tragic selvas of the River Putumayo, I feel that, as an honest man, I have done my duty before God and before society and trust that

EN AND HUT

ace p

s gruesome field of blood and crime and bleached skeletons, rotting under the falling leaves of the forest trees. It is a living hell. No wonder that the vegetation is so luxuri

vian "civilisation." Colombian after Colombian has been foully murdered by these miserable criminals, until at last the

n their conduct-do absolutely nothing to put a stop to this state of affairs. We observe a type of the comisarios[100] of this region; and also the attitude of the Prefect[101] in regard to these horrors; and we

se forests, formerly occupied by tens of thousands of peaceful, industrious Indians, quite capable of civilisation and Christianity, will

mete out punishment to the fiends who are filling their pockets with the gold produced by the very life-blood, the sweat, the tears, the agony of these unfortunates. Let

thers' arms and their heads smashed against a tree; of a wife having her legs cut off merely for refusing to become one of the concubines of these b

suffering at the hands of these monsters. Heathen and Indian they are, but they are human, just as we are; they have souls; they have affections and love and cherish their dear ones just as we do ours; they are our brothers. And if they are stupid, heathen, ignorant, whose fault is it? Is it not the fault of these fiends who for years have taken advantage

of the Peruvian Amazon

d luck and a certain low cunning with which he is endowed, he succeeded in building up a small business in peddling along the riv

jamin and Rafael Larra?aga,[103] owners of the establishments of La Chorrera. Subsequently he also associated himself with other Colombian companies there, and these enterprises proving profitable, in 1898 he opened a house

ly. Thus they remained sole masters of the whole Igaraparaná. A little later they also acquired the establishments of Calderón Hermanos at Encant

Cabrera, owner of Nueva Granada, to sell out to them at an insignificant price by threats of killing him, by shooting

taking possession of their properties. This persecution took the form of robberies of their merchandise, rubber, and Indians, murders of their employees, refusals to sell them supplies, and all other vile expedients that cunning coul

h were apparently found to be satisfactory, and on October 1, 1907, the Peruvian Amazon Rubber Company, Ltd., was formed, with a capital of ￡1,000,000 sterling, divided, according to the prospectus, into 300,000 7 per

ir employees and taking possession of their establishments. Serrano, Gonzalez, and their employees were murdered in cold blood, their women were added to the harems of the employees of the company, their Indians were enslaved, their rubber and merchandise stolen, and their establi

sing company" in the exploitation of the products of this regi

ns and force them to work. The chief of the section keeps a list of the Indians and assigns to each one the number of kilos of rubber he must deliver every ten days. The prettiest o

eriodically. Here all the books, &c., are kept and all payments to the employees are made. Macedo is the chief of all the employees in this territory, and has the power of employing or discharging men, the f

yza, has similar powers to those of Macedo. This is the individual who superintended the murders of Serrano and Gonzalez and t

company" is transported upon the backs of Indians, in canoes, or in small launches

do this it is necessary to force the Indians to work night and day. The best method of obliging them to do this is to impose certain amounts which they should deliver in a fixed time. Once this rule is made it must be enforced, and

y should lack half a kilo of the amount imposed upon them; a mirror, a handkerchief, an ounce of beads if they deliver th

tment, within a few days these wounds putrefy, maggots make their appearance, and the miserable victims of this form of Peruvian "civilisation" die a lingering and repulsive death. Their bodies are left to rot where they fall, or

uts of their unhappy father. Their favourite mode of torture is by suspending them from a tree and building a fire beneath them, by using the celebrated "water cure," and by suspending them from four posts, p

oggings and murders and to provide a sort of recreation. The victims generally die within a few days, or if they do not die they are murdered, for it is said that in 1906 Macedo issued an order to his subordinates advising them to kill all mutilated Indians at once for the following reasons: first, because they consumed food although they could not work; a

ildren whose parents have been murdered. The little innocents are tied up to trees, the murderers take their positions, and the slaughter beg

daverous Indians run, these people fire into a group of them, and general

his harem; if not, he either lets her go or, as has happened, has her flogged to death. As I have before remarked, nearly all these agents possess a harem of two to twelve Indian girls, varying in age from eight to

serves, as when the Indian does not understand them or when he is not punctual to the minute; and, indeed, they often kill them for amusement, to fill the other Indians with a fear of the "whites," or to practise targ

f the rubber extracted by the Indians, the lesser employees are robbed of a part or of all their salary balances. The

portunity to cultivate food of their own; for such is the criminal rapacity of this company that they not only compel the Indian women to cultivate the food for their men and themselves, but also for their op

d, and, after thirteen years of close contact with

hese correrías the operation is as follows: The chief of section orders his subordinates to arm themselves and set out for the village of the Indians to receive the rubber, which, as we have observed, should be delivered ever

re lacking, and in this case the Indian is given from twenty-five to one hundred lashes by the Barbados negroes, who only for this purpose-that is,

RUVIAN AMAZON REG

ce p.

d along, tied up with chains, to act as guide to reveal their hiding-place, and being threatened with a painful and lingering death in case he does not find them. After some search the hut where they have taken refuge is found, and then takes place a horrible and repugnant scene. The hut constructed by the refugees is of thatch, of a conical form and without doors. The chief orde

at goes to Iquitos, loaded with the rubber from the Putumayo, carries from five to fifteen little Indian boys and girls, who are torn, sobbing, from their mothers' arms without the slightest compunction. These little innocents, as we have already said, are sold at wholesale

and its employees in its almost incredible persecution and exploitation of the Indians, wo

irectors of the Peruvia

caster Gate Terrace,

, Bart., 26, Manches

, Esq., 22, Carlton

rman of Goodwin, Ferreira

l, Banker, Rue

ésar Arana, I

isbury House, London,

istered office of this Christian and humanitarian synd

iolations of little eight and ten year old girls, the tortures, the incredible mutilations, and the other stupendous crimes committed by this company and its employees in the terrible Putumayo. These criminal

e, Abel Alarco, and who are not aware of the awful and appalling crimes committed in their names by their employees in the s

. In their prospectus they make such extraordinary statements, misstatements, and omissions that they make themselve

imes of London, December 6, 1908, I note among others, an

r legal titles in regard to their gr

ection centres are surrou

lands" have a population

to improve the crude methods that wer

s are the same as those

contains valuable auriferous quartz and gra

on of rubber from the

ct politically a portion of the Putumayo territory,

Colombia, which I translate from the Jornal do Comercio of Manaos, Brazil, of June 3,

ny of our legal dispositions and are even committing crimes for which our laws provide penal punishment. When the time comes, the Government of Colombia w

the following importan

as estate is prac

and abandoned, is now, and has been for near

employees in the sanguinary Putumayo doe

ick, dense forest of the tropics, and that it is a tedious

ee or four years the Putumayo rub

holesale and retail in Iquitos; that they flog them inhumanly, until their bones are visible; that they give them no medical treatment, but let them die, eaten up by maggots, or to serve as food for the chiefs' dogs; that they castrate them, cut off their ears, fingers, arms, legs; that they torture them by means of fire, of water, and by tying them up, crucified, head down; that they burn and destroy their houses and crops; that they cut them to pieces with machetes; that t

he audacity to form themselves into an English company and put themselves and their gruesome "possessions" under the protection of

nd civilisation! Consider these horrors! Put yourselves in the place of the victims, and fre

PTE

G'S INVES

ES OF TH

an Amazon Company's estates, together with translations from various Peruvian newspapers of Iquitos, and statem

om "La Felpa,"

er 29,

rubber possessions of the J. C. Arana and Hermanos Company

employees to come here, except when the chiefs please. They beat, put in stocks, club, and even murder employees who do not do everything the chiefs order, and what is even worse they teach them to be assassins, to flog, to burn Indians, to mutilate them-that is, to cut off their fingers, arms, ears, legs, &c. As is evident, it is a horror to go to the Putumayo. I should prefer to go to hell. If any one thinks that I am

n Salda

"La Felpa," De

ns of the

mble, and obedient. This assertion may seem untrue to more than one person, for we have always heard th

capitán. They are enemies of polygamy, and both men and women are jealous in the extreme. The latt

ly until Arana and his brigands invaded them. Then began the

y their women and children, who help them to carry the rubber. When they reach the section the rubber is weighed. They know by experience what the needle of the balance should mark, and when it indicates that they have delivered the full amount required, they leap about and laugh with pleasure. When it does not, they throw themselves face downwards on the grou

h 30 centavos[113], a coloured cotton handkerchief, worth 50 centavos, a few beads, or similar tra

he clothes of these unfortunates, they have none, for

lation invaded these selvas together with the Aranas, worse even than the cholera morbus and the bubonic, terrible and awf

work at the extraction of rubber. Nor does their sex protect them from the punishments that these b

is clear that we are not the first to make this assertion, and persons who have been in Puerto Bermudez can form an idea of what these Indians are like by comparing them with the Campas,

ook more like ghosts than human beings. And nevertheless, they go out to meet the employees when these latter pass through

, tortured, mutilated, and robbed of their wives and children with more than usual frequency. This is the crime of the Putumayo Indians-trying to hide themselves from their murderers. Well, these villains, enraged beyond all bou

hat sometimes, not always, desperate struggles take place, the criminals with their rifles and the Indians with clubs and machetes. As is natur

real sacrifices. It would be well if the English purchasers who have formed a syndicate in order to exploit that region could

adventure should be informed of the real state of affairs and in what difficult conditions things are in, for certain i

m the "Jornal

eptember

llowing news, as complete as possible, of a barbarous deed, t

to us by one of the victims, who is at present in this city, the Colombian Roso E

Bonifacio Cabrera, Jorge Carbajal, Carlos María de Silva, Heleodoro X - -, Crisanto Victoria, Roso Espa?a, and two

ous journey of thirty-five days, they reached the Lower Caquetá, where a tribe of Indians called the Andoques live. Here they were well received by the indigenes of this Colombian territory. In order to gain the friendship of these nati

ssity, the chief of the party, Felipe Cabrera, ordered some of the men to begin this operation, with the h

one Colombian woman, two Indian men and one Indian woman, all of whom were apart from their companions, engaged in the fabrication of mandioca flour. Of this inoffensive group the two Indians fell, shot dead. Then the Peruvians sent a letter to one Se?or Norman, an agent of the Arana Company, who arrived on the

life, wrote the order, which

e Colombian pris

weapons at the Indians who were constructing the roof of the house. These poor unfortunates,

they had already killed twenty-five, took the Indian women of advanced age, threw them into the canoes of the

r they jammed them, head-downwards, into the holes that had

anzas, the dwelling-place of the criminal Norman, the journey taking two days. Here the prisoners were tied up with cords and afterwards shut up in one of

chief is Juan[117] Rodríguez, arriving there at about 10 p.m. and stopping for the night.

al they were chained up by the neck and by the legs. As they were unable to endure such cruel treatment, the u

ns, and clubbing. Some of these Indians suffered from awful wounds, many of them produced by firearms. Five days afterwards the chiefs of the Colombians, Messrs

teamer Liberal was in the Igaraparaná, an affluent of the Putumayo. Here the principal b

als might discover the prisoners when they visited the vessel, disembarked the victims, abandoning them in a canoe in midstream, with a few tins of sardines and a little fari?a. The victims, rowing with all their might, started for the fiscal port, but did

official, taking pity on these poor men, gave them work at fair pay. When the Governor of the St

tuhué. Then Roso Espa?a, who has given us this narrative, approached that official of our navy and asked him for passage to this city. Lieut. Machado, after

om "La Sanció

t 22,

nhappy Indians, when they-to their misfortune-do not deliver punctually the number of rolls of rubber with the weight that Norman desires. At other times, when the Indian, fearful of not being able to deliver t

and legs are cut off with machetes and the body is thrown around the house; and more than once the rep

und his neck. This unhappy wretch lives in a dying condition in the cellar of the house where he was taken from the Caquetá. When the higher employees of the company g

all Matilde's pleadings to be allowed to accompany him, had to abandon her, and, in his presence, the unfortunate woman was given to Zumaeta. The Indian woman fled from this repugnant and diseased wretch, who continued his journey to El Encanto, and, upon her return to La Chorrera, she went to sleep on board one of the vessels anchored in that port, where, it is said, a

e, of the Nuisayes; the first was flogged to death and the others, after the flagellation, were kept chained up for several months, all for the "crime" of their people in not d

e Putumayo, and for the lack of one kilogram in the weight of th

ke of the suffering and defenceless Indians in the hope that a stop will be put to the crimes. It is inconceivable that within two steps

Julio F.

"La Sanción,"

August

the criminal deeds committed in the Arana "possessions" on the tributaries of the River Putumay

cubines ate abundant viands. We stopped at night at one of the many tambos[119] in this region, the hammocks were slung, the sentinels were posted, and those who did not mount guard lay down to sleep. Within a few hour

unwrapped the heads explained, "This is that of So-and-So, this other that of his wife, the third that of his son," and so on. Fonseca, with the utmost unconcern, as though they were cocoa-nuts or other fruits, took them in turn by the hair, examined

rez, Alfredo Cabrera, Miguel Rengifo, Ramón Granda, Sparro, Lorenzo Tello, and many others whose names I do not recollect now), "Look, this is how we celebrate the sábado de gloria here," wantonly let fly a

her neck, flogged her with an enormous lash, continuing until he was tired out. He then put her in a hammock inside a warehouse, and as the scars received no treatment in a few days maggots bred in them; then by his orders the India

rried out daily, and from time t

nacleto Po

ederico M. Pizar

September

accept the voluntary statements of those who, like myself, have witnessed some of the awful crimes committed in the

the two months and a half that I was in his service I have seen more than three hundred Indians flogged, each one receiving from twenty to one hundred and fifty or two hundred lashes, this latter number being given when they wish to kill him on the spot by flogging. Other Indians are given one hundred or

mong men, women, children of eight years, and even old folks, six of whom they killed in this way. There was one Indian who endured two hundred lashes, and, seeing that he was not

. In Esmeraldas, Don Bartolomé Guevara, inspector of sections, killed two capitánes; this is the individual who introduced the method of having men tied to four stakes and flogging them. When he makes his correrías and orders the floggings he says that the Indians mu

rs old, could not bear the sight of him, and almost daily this wicked wretch kicked and clubbed him; when the mother intervened she, too, was clubbed. The p

z, and Dagoberto Arriarán took part, celebrating the graces, valour, and courage of the assassins. It is worthy of note that the Barbados negro, King, and the white, Olivarez (the one-eyed man), were the ones

and have witnessed, and I am ready

nient of this declaration,

os S

re) Federic

ry P

TREET AT

ace p

"La Felpa" of Iq

9

author of the following letter

, July

crimes, such as murders, robberies, floggings, tortures, &c., that are committ

redo Montt, Fidel Velarde, Carlos Miranda, and Andrés O'Donnell. With the exception of O'Donnell, who has not killed Indians with his own hands, but who has ordered over five hundred India

regnant woman. After flogging her they cut her throat with machetes and then burnt her up. Afterwards they flogged, during the two months I spent he

re flogged who died slowly, for their wounds are not treated, and when they are full of maggots they kill them with bullets and machetes and afterwards burn some of them. Others are throw

barous punishment, was full of maggots and dying, his back being completely torn to pieces from the lashes he had received. I refused, Se?or Salda?a, to kill the boy, but Norman,

ing my stay here they killed about two hundred Indians, among men, women, and childre

son they gave Simona twenty-five lashes, which were applied by the Barbados negroes Stanley S. Lewis and Ernest Siobers. The Indian woman was left with her back literally torn to pieces, and in four days, when sh

e chief being Bartolomé Guevara. Here

occa, that they take away from the

ounce. To all who deliver 5 pagos-each pago being composed of 100 kilos-or, in other words, to those who deliver 500 kilos or bind themselves to do so, they give a shot-gun of the value of S.15. The Indians are neve

o receive the punishment. Then the chief or a subordinate advances, bends down, takes the Indian by his hair, strikes him, raises his head, drops it face downwards on the groun

about half a yard above the ground. Fuel is then placed bel

would not obey this order, he was taken to Ultimo Retiro, and there they wished to kill him, but when Fonseca pulled out his revolver, Casta?os defended himself in an energetic attitude with his carbine. Casta?os took the Indian women to La Chorrera and Fonseca had the Indian

od. Often, after these unfortunates bring food t

thirty-eight years of age, of the State of Pará, before Lieutenant

yo and belonged to Messrs. J. C. Arana and Hermanos. About one year, more or less, after this, I resigned and b

o direct a band of sixty-five men (Peruvians), with a salary of S.80 per month, be

arously martyrised, he had them tied to eight posts in the patio, and, after drinking a bottle of cognac with his partner Jiménez, they began to murder these unfortunates, who perished, giving vent

ive men, whom he had in chains for the same crime as the others had committed. As I refused to comm

arry out this order, telling him that I was a B

es, still in chains, were thus murdered in cold blood, and from this instant forward they began to persecute me, making me endure all kinds of miseries. They began by refusing me food to such an extreme that I was

section, I resolved to resign my position, and wrote asking for permission to return to Brazil. This I repeated fo

hout resources, and without means of transportati

leave there, for, naturally, they feared that I would

e opportunity of seeing an infinity of atrocities, the like

iménez, the chief of the section; but Jiménez, not satisfied with this gift, asked the tuchaua for his own

July, the tuchaua known as Tiracahuaca and his wife were held prisoners in chains. When Jiménez-who had been temporarily absent-arrived, he had them b

erosene to be poured over them, and then, striking a match, he set fire to

ied that if there were anybody who wished to protest against the orders he gave, he would be served in

s in more danger every day, and

ge of the orgy in which I found the chiefs of the section engaged,

oner for eighteen months, and a Peruvian, Melchor Sajamín, who was

y, who will, I trust, demand an explanation from the Government of Peru of the abuses and crimes committed

ns this declaration with me

aptist

polis, Octo

presence) Jo

Hardenburg-

, June

hall give you a full account of all the deeds I have w

in the section Abisinia, where they sent us to guard the poor India

, burning their houses, setting fire to their dead bodies, &c. On the 10th of the same month he had some fifty Indians put in stocks, and as he gave them neither water nor food, the poor Indians began

found two Indian women who were ill of smallpox. The two poor sufferers begged Agüero for some medicine to cure themselves. Agüero r

risoners, who were put in stocks. When on the point of dying of hunger, one of the victims told the chief that it would be better to kill them at once and

they had journeyed for two days, they met a young Indian, whom they asked as to the whereabouts of

ened the women with death, and as the latter refused to say anything, these wretches began to cut them to pieces. About five days after the execution of this crime they met with a number

n correrías, from which they returned ill and decimated by hunger, for the infieles endeavoured to emancipate themselves from the work on ac

they met on their march. On their return they brought some forty Indians as prisoners, whom they put in stocks, where an epidemic of smallpox arose

ecame ill of the same disease, Rodríguez ordered them to kill her. She begge

ous, I will conclude this statement by informing you that the v

ertain quantity of rubber, and if they do not do so, he submits them to m

e country, I give you the present statement,

ig

ness

ature) J

ian V

or de l

, May 1

E. Hard

Amazon Company in the Putumayo and its tributaries, and I have pleasure in answering it, narrating voluntarily some of the

bound for El Encanto, from where we descended to La Chorrera.

chetes-I saw that they were the helpless victims of excessively barbarous system of forced labour. When any of these wretched beings fell down, overcome by weakness, or sat down to rest, their taskmasters, t

almost daily for the most trivial faults: all with the knowledge and approbation

ay me 80 dollars per month. Believing in his good faith, and, above all, not wishing to witness any more crimes, I accepted his offer, and within a few days we began the journey, going in a launch as far as Santa Julia. From here w

lly about in search of herbs to eat, and found a tree called huava. I picked some of its fruit and ate it

Abisinia, without having eaten anything du

his group of unfortunates was composed of girls from nine to sixteen years. Agüero kept his eight women separated from each other, the Boras o

ubber that Agüero had required, were scourged with such fury that their backs and hips were completely cut to pieces, the blood rushing from their wounds. Upon se

ntinels; to these unhappy wretches they gave almost no food at all, and abused and insulted them vilely and cowardly. One o

ians for the usual crime-that of not delivering enough rubber to satisfy the ambitions of the company's agents. Two of these victims were mere boys, and I heard their cries of ag

-in-law of Julio C. Arana, and notorious among the criminals of the Putumayo, arrived, together with the famous Augusto Jiménez, the author of various viola

lashed her for two hours without compunction, and then, regardless of her sex, they removed her garment and exhibited her naked body, bruised and cut to pieces by the lash. When this unfortunate wo

esolved to escape in company with Urdinibia; but as those fiends no

fering I arrived at Santa Julia, where the chief, Manuel Aponte, in spite of seeing me sick and in a state of complete misery, began to annoy me, in accordance with the instructions he had received from Agüero, making me labour from ear

utioner, and this miserable wretch, whose conscience was as black as his skin, seemed to take pleasure in his disgusting task, for a devilish smile distorted his blubber lips at seeing the blood spurt out at each blow of the lash.

s per month, as had been promised me, they paid me at the rate of only 50 soles, and deducted from this sum the food and t

to continue on to Iquitos, I secured employment in the so-called apothecary-shop from Dr. Rodríguez, where I remained some months. Here I had the opportunity to observe

at I remained in La Chorrera, continued his work of scourging and other excesses upon the helpless Indians,

s, the vice that dominates the employees of this company is drunkenness, which, added to their c

saw them give some Indians a few caps, matches, mirrors, and other trifles, the value of which did not amount to five soles, in return for a large quantity of rubber that they had delivered. The Indians, humble and resigned, took t

s the barefacedness to call itself, for it exploits them in all ways, and the poor Indians can reckon neith

all the rubber demanded by their owners, and not finding it near, mix the juices of other trees with it, and it is for this reason that the rubber extracted in the Putumayo at present is

the Putumayo to work free, the company would have nothing to deal in, and c

somewhat in the task you have und

tino

re) Federic

ry P

, May 1

he following exact and reliable information of what I have witnessed during m

EAR IQUITOS. T

n, to go out on a correría and to bring in chained up, all the Indians they might find, together with their women and children. The bandit Norman furnished to this commission, as food for the twenty days they would be absent, fifteen

men, their daughters, where the rest of the Indians were. They replied that they did not know, as several days before they had all dispersed in the forest, owing to the fear they had of him. Norman then grasped his machete and murdered these five unfortunate victims in cold

ong before they began to fall ill and utter cries of pain and desperation; whenever this occurred, Norman grasped his machete and cut them to pieces, leaving the remains of these victims, for the space of from four to six days, at

ubber that he required from them and that his superiors had ordered him to get, to which the capitán replied that as the quantity he demanded was very large, sometimes it was impossible to collect it all. This answer was sufficient to cause Norman to tie up his hands and feet with a chain and to order three armfuls of wood to be placed about the unfortunate victim, he himself bringing half a tin of ke

ed in the history of the entire world, it is sufficient to say that I have seen him repeatedly snatch tender childre

red to serve as a concubine for one of his adjutants. The woman refused to obey this order as she already had an Indian husband. This was sufficient for Norman t

Peruvian flag, which happened to be handy, and tearing it to pieces and sousing it with kerosene he wound it around her feet and set fire to it. As so

nd sown with skulls and other human remains. If I were to relate all the crimes I have seen committed in this devilish Putumayo, it would be nothing

ad four Indians of the Recígaros tribe brought in. As soon as they arrived he asked them why they had not brought any rubber, and the unfortunates, fearful of what awaited them, lowered their humble glances to the ground and did not answer a word. Then

d out with rifles and machetes. Afterwards they arrived at some Indian houses and fired them by order of Rodríguez. In these houses there were at least forty families, according to an individual who accompanied Rodríguez,

, he met four Indians of the Maynanes tribe, who were en route to put themselves at his service.

year 1908, when I was at Santa Catalina, a commission arrived, bringing four Indians in chains. This Aurelio Rodríguez then remarked that he felt anxious to test his shooting,

Miguel S. Loayza, is chief. On one occasion this other repugnant criminal gave orders to his confidential secretary, the negro, King, to go with several other employees and take a po

n the Putumayo. Would to God that the weight

naro C

Ant

re) Federic

ry P

, May 1

my residence on the River Putumayo, and especially concerning the things that I have witnessed. I will inform y

My application was at once accepted by Julio C. Arana, who promised me S.40 per month good food, medicines, and passage there and back. I

s time Victor Macedo ordered me to leave my position on this launch, for he wished me to start on a journey through the forest to ente

ells of La Chorrera. Here I remained ten days, guarded by the sentries, who had orders to shoot me if I attempted to protest against this imprisonment. Once I tried in

o obtain my release at the end of ten days, but with the condition that I should leave at

an instrument for the commission of crimes he ordered me to serve in the house. On the second day I became ill with rheumatism, which was probably caused by the imprisonment I had suffered in a damp and dirty cell of La Chorr

pieces with machetes and on great barbacoas (piles of wood), upon which they secured the victims and then set fire to them. These crimes were committed by Martinengui himself and vari

ir women and children, as they had not brought in the amount of rubber that he had ordered. This order was strictly carried out, for the commission returned

La Chorrera, which I reached after a painful journey of four days. As I arrived completely di

s brought in from La Sabana, and when they arrived he ordered them to flog the unfortunate Ocainas, who were imprisoned and in chains, to death. This order was at once carried out, but as many of these unhappy Indians did not succumb

s smouldering pile of human flesh remained there until about 10 a.m. on the next day. It was on one of the days of carnival in 1903 that this repugnant act of cruelty was committed, and the place was at some 150 metres from La Cho

not wish to work for this company any longer and that I wanted to return to Iquitos. The reply this miserable criminal gave me was to threaten me with m

Ocainama, and Utiguene Indians called, and about twenty-four hours later hundreds of Indians began to appear about the house in accordance with this order. Then this man Inocente Fonseca grasped his carbine and machete and began the slaughter of these defenceless Indians, leaving the ground covered with over 150 corpses, among men, women, and

was obeyed and they were being burned cries of agony and desperation proceeded from those victims who were still alive. Meanwhile the monst

the Colombians they found there. He also told them to bring the fingers, ears, and some of the heads of the victims, preserved in salt, as a proof that they had carried out these orders. After some seven days the said commission re

together with his little son, a boy about ten years of age. In this position they were given fifty lashes each, after which he had the chains by which they were suspended loosened at the top so that they would fall to the ground, strik

ed to run away. Fonseca then ordered four of his employees to arm themselves rapidly and kill her. When the woman had run about fifty metres, fleeing from

er monsters who dwell there, as I am ready to do if called before a court of justice. These diabolical criminals are: Arístides Rodríguez, Aurelio Rodríguez, Armando Norman, O'Donnell, M

d some day before a tribunal of justice I could tell the places, days, and hours in which they deluged the region of the Putumayo with t

4th of May of last year this man ordered a compadre of his, called Alejandro Vásquez, to take nine men and go to the village of the Tiracahuaca Indians an

. After proceeding a few minutes on the return journey, they tied her to a tree alongside the road, where Vásquez had thr

ections and their assistants whose names I have mentioned. Trusting that th

l Col

ore) Arnol

ry P

scription of the Peruvian attack on the Colombian rubber station of La Unión and the destruction of its people,

TER

ASEMENT'

es, so performing a notable service to humanity,[123] is contained in the Blue Book, or Foreign Office Report, already quoted. The proceedings leading to the sending of Consul Casement to the Putumayo by Sir Edward Grey and the Report itself are worthy of wid

upon the Lima Government that the criminals, whose names had been immediately transmitted by cable, should be arrested. The Peruvian Government promised to take action and sent a commission to Iquitos, but failed to arrest the criminals. In July, 1911, they were informed that the Report would be made public, but the chief criminals were not arrested. Further promises to the same effect made by the Peruvian Government were unf

anuary, 1911, by Sir Edward Grey at the

nce of being flogged, in many cases of being brutally flogged, and the marks of the lash were not confined to men nor adults. Women, and even little children, were more than once found, their limbs scarred with weals left by the thong of twisted tapir-hide, which is the chief implement used for coercing and terrorising the native population of the region traversed. The crimes charged against many men now in the employ of the Peruvian Amazon Company are of the most atrocious kind, including murder, violation, and constant flogging. The condition of things revealed is entirely disgraceful, and fully warrants the worst charges brought against the agents of the Peruvian Amazon Company and its methods of administration on the Putumayo. I append to my Report a list of those agents of the company against whom the worst charges w

n the Putumayo, all of them charged wit

al, and would have left Chorrera by the Liberal with me only I objected to travel with him, and begged Se?or Tizon to send him by another vessel. José Inocente Fonseca: a Peruvian, about 28 years old. Has committed innumerable crimes upon the Indians. Abelardo Agüero: about 35 or 36 years of age. Chief of Abisinia, of which section he has had charge for years. Has committed innumerable crimes. Elias Martinengui: The charges against him are many. Aurelio Rodríguez: a Peruvian, whose crimes were vouched for by many and are widely known. A. Vasquez Torres, or Alejandro Vasquez. Rodolfo Rodríguez: a Colombian, charged with many murders. Miguel Flores: a Peruvian. Armando Blondel. Aquiléo Torres: a Colombian. Innumerable crimes against this man. He was made prisoner by Normand in January, 1907, and kept chained up for a year by Velarde and others, and then released on condition he joined them, and was first employed in flogging Indians. He improved on his masters, a

submitted in January, 19

est as the existence of fairly numerous tribes of docile, or at any rate of easily subdued, Indians. The largest gathering of these people was a tribe termed the Huitot

ick forest towards the great Japurá (or Caquetá) River until they merged in the Andokes, Ricigaros, and Boras, tribes doubtless of a kindred far-off origin, but wholly differing to-day in speech from the Huitotos, as also from each other. While thes

obscure and often trivial origin. So with the Boras, the Andokes, or other agglomerations inhabiting the neighbouring regions. While, collectively, each of these tribes might have put lar

who brought to their conquest arms of precision against which the Ind

hilate the Indians, but to conquistar-i.e., to subjugate them, and put them to w

ppropriated them to their own exclusive use along with the rubber-trees that might be in the region they inhabited. Henceforth to the chief of the ban

ellow white man for reasons that seemed to the Indian altogether wrong, viz., his surer enslavement. Constant thefts of Indians by one cauchero from another led to reprisals more bloody and murderous than an

held concessions from their Government. As it was not easy to obtain supplies from Colombia owing to the mountainous nature of the country in which the Putumayo rises, and as the market for the rubber obtained lay down-stream, where the Amazon forms the natural outlet, it was more profitable to open up relations with traders in Brazil or Peru, and to obtain from them what was required, than to seek supplies over the distant and difficult route from Pasto, in Colombia. The Iquitos house of Arana Brothers had at an ea

s of the Colombian or Peruvian settlers were mainly confined to the river banks. They were more or less haphazard methods. An individual with two or three associates squatted at some point on the river-side, and entered into what he called friendly relations with the neighbouring Indian tribes. These friendly relations could not obviously long continue, since it was to the interest of the squatter to get more from the Indian than he was willing to pay for. The goods he had brought with him in the first case were limited in quantity, and had to go far. The Indian, who may correctly be termed 'a grown-up child,' was at first delighted to have a white man with attractive articles to give away settling in his neighbourhood, and to bring in exchange india-rubber for these tempting trifles seemed easy. Moreover, the Amazon Indian is by nature docile and obedient. His weakness of character and docility of temperament are no match for the dominating ability of those with European blood in their veins. Yielding himself, first, perhaps, voluntarily, to the domination of these uninvited guests, he soon finds that he has entered into relations which can only be described as those of a slave to a master, and a master, be it observed, who can app

These men had been killed by the Andokes Indians and their rifles captured, and it was to recover these rifles that many of the first raids of the Barbados men were directed by Sanchez and Normand. In this way the station of Matanzas was founded, and the man Normand soon afterwards, on the retirement of Sanchez, became its chief. At the date of my visit to the Putumayo he was still in charge of this district as representative of the Peruvian Amazon Company. The station at Matanzas was founded at the very end of 1904. I visited it on foot in October, 1910. It lies some seventy miles by land from La Chorrera, and the route followed by the Barbados men would occupy some four to five days of hard marching. The forest tracks in the Putumayo present innumerable obstacles. Owing to the very heavy rainfall, water and mud accumulate, many streams-some of them even rivers-have to be crossed either by fording or upon a fallen tree, roots of trees and fallen tree-trunks innumerable bar the path, and the walker either knocks his shins against these or has to climb over obstacles sometimes breast high. No food is to be obtained on these routes except from the few Indians who may be dwel

d two others temporarily employed on the river launches who had just come in from forest duties. Another man was employed at the headquarters station of the Caraparaná at the place called El Encanto. This man was sent for to Chorrera while I was there, and I interrogated him. In addition to La Chorrera, the headquarters station, I visited in succession the following among its dependent stations, or succursales: Occidente, Ultimo Retiro, Entre Ríos, Matanzas, Atenas, and Sur, the latter practically an outpost of La Chorrera, being situated less than two hours' march away. With the exception of La Matanzas, which is situated in the Andokes country, all these stations are in the country inhabited by the Huitoto tribe. This tribe, formerly the m

through statements made by these different British witnesses, and it may be sufficient to say that they left no doubt in my mind or in the minds of the commission sent out by the Peruvian Amazon Company that the method of exacting rubber from the Indians was arbitrary, illegal, and in many cases cruel in the extreme, and the direct cause of very much of the depopulation brought to our notice. The Barbados men

the orders of Normand, Rodríguez, Sánchez, and other chiefs of sections. Normand and others afterwards attempted to bribe

of nature, when for a few moments, guarded by armed men, they enjoy a brief release. Some of these implements of torture that I saw ready for use had nineteen leg-holes. In one case I counted twenty-one. The stocks at Ultimo Retiro, where Dyall was confined, were, in my opinion, the cruellest of those I actually saw. The ankle-holes were so small that, even for an ordinarily well-built Indian, when closed the wood would often have eaten into the flesh. For an ordinary-sized European or negro the top beam could not close upon the leg without being forced down upon the ankle or shinbone, and this was what happened to Dyall. He and men who had witnessed his imprisonment assured me that to make the top beam close down so that the padlock could be inserted in the staple two men had to sit upon it and force it down upon his legs. Although more than three years had passed since he suffered his punishment, both his ankles were deeply s

his chief, and Rodríguez at once took the part of his Peruvian fellow-countryman. He struck Crichlow over the head with a loaded revolver, and called other white employees to seize him. Crichlow tried to defend himself with a stick, but was overpowered, and his hands were tied behind his back. He was then beaten by many of them and put in the cepo, or stocks, to spend the night. When released next day for a few moments for an obvious reason he was chained round the neck, one end of the chain being held in the hand of a guard. The same day, with his hands tied and this chain padlocked round his neck, he was dispatched under guard to the neighbouring station of La Sabana, a full day's march. A certain Velarde was at the time the chief of this section, and at the date of my visit I found him chief of the section Occidente. Velarde put Crichlow in the stocks at his station with his legs five holes apart-an almost insupportable distance-in which posture he remained all night. Next day a Se?or Alcorta, employed at a neighbouring section, who was on a visit to La Sabana, interceded for him and he was released from the stocks, but was sent down to La Chorrera as a prisoner. Here he was again confined in the stocks by th

n Indian woman. With the Barbados men it was, no doubt, a more or less voluntary contract on each side-that is to say, the agent of the company would ask one of the numerous Indian women kept in stock at each station whether she wished to live with the new arrival. This man Dyall told me, in the presence of the chief agent of the Peruvian Amazon Company at La Chorrera, that he had had nine different Indian women given to him as 'wives' at different times and at the various stations at which he had served. When an employee so 'married' leaves the station at which he is working to be transferred to some other district, he is sometimes allowed to take his Indian wife with him, but often not. It would depend entirely upon the goodwill or caprice of the agent in charge of that station. As a rule, if a man had a child by his Indian partner he would be allowed to take her and the child to his next post, but even this

the labour involved and all the materials would be supplied by the neighbouring Indian tribe or tribes he had reduced to work for him. All the houses that I visited outside the chief station of La Chorrera in which the company's agents lived, and where their goods were stored, were and are so constructed by the surrounding Indians, acting under the direct supervision of the agent and his white or half-caste employees. This labour of the Indians goes unremunerated. Not only do they build the houses and the stores for the white men, but they have to keep them in repair and supply labour for this purpose whenever called upon. The Indian in his native surroundings is satisfied with quite a small clearing in the forest around his own dwelling, but not so the white man who has come to live upon the Indian. These decree that their dwelling-houses shall stand in the midst of a very extensive clearing, and the labour of felling the forest trees, and clearing the ground over an area of often two hundred acres, or even more, falls upon the surrounding Indian population. Here, again, neither pay nor food is supplied. The Indians are brought in from their homes, men and women, and while the men fell the trees and undertake the heavier duties, women are put to clearing the ground and planting a certain area of it. Those of the stations I visited outside La Chorrera-viz., Occidente, Ultimo Retiro, Entre Ríos, Matanzas, Atenas, and Sur, in addition to a large and extremely well-built dwelli

RIOS AND BARBADO

ace p

seeing that the surrounding forest Indians work rubber and supply them so far as may be with what they need. For thi

giving a general description of methods of rubber-collecting and treatment of Indians

empties into the Putumayo after a south-easterly course. The region drained by these three waterways, the Caraparaná, the Igaraparaná, and the Cahuinari, represents the area in part of which the operations of the Peruvian Amazon Company are carried on. It is impossible to say what the Indian population of this region may be. Generally speaking, the upper and middle courses of these rivers are, or were, the most populous regions. This is accounted for by the greater absence of insect pests, due to the higher nature of the ground, which rises at La Chorrera to a level of about 600 feet above the sea, with neighbouring heights fully 1,000 feet above sea-level. The lowe

overnment to conduct an exploring mission in the region claimed by the firm of Arana Brothers, the Indian population of that firm's possessions is given at 50,000 souls. M. Robuchon lost his life near the mouth of the Cahui

pany in 1908, Se?or Arana is represented as claiming that there were then 40

ished therefore the most attractive field for slave-raiding in the earlier years of the last century. No civilised settlements would seem to have arisen in this region until towards the close

frequently mentioned. These tribes were all of kindred origin and identical in habits and customs, although differing in language and to some extent in feature, complexion, and st

The Boras are physically a much finer race than the Huitotos, and, generally speaking, are of a lighter hue. While some of the Huitotos are of a dark bronze or chocolate complexion, I have seen Boras little, if at all, of darker skin than a Japanese or Chinese. The Mongolian resemblance was not alone confined to similarity of colour, but was often striking

al presentment of a Boras Indian with his cerbatana. The weapons, too, are identical in structure and

ad a hereditary feud with Boras, or Ocainas, or Andokes, the numerous subdivisions of the Huitotos themselves were continually at war with one another. Robuchon enumerates thirty-three sub-tribes or families among the Huitotos, and he by no means exh

ual members of it, with their families, would have smaller dwellings scattered at different cultivated spots through the neighbouring forest. The wars of those clans one with another were never bloodthirsty, for I believe it is a fact that the Amazon Indian is averse to bloodshed, and is thoughtless rather than cruel. Prisoners taken in these wars may have been, and no doubt were, eaten, or in part eaten, for the Amazon cannibals do not seem to have killed to eat, as is the cas

ust have been fairly full of game up to quite recently, for the Indians seem to have had a sufficiency of meat diet; and, with their plantations of cassava, maize, and the numerous fruits and edible leaves their forest furnished, they were not so sh

hed by Colombian settlers, but these civilising influences had not journeyed sufficiently far downstream to reach the Huitotos or their neighbours. Save for the raids of slavers coming up the Japurá or Putumayo,

1851, when Lieutenant Herndon, of the United States Navy, went down the Amazon in a canoe, nothing was really known either of the river or of its inhabitants. They were practically an untouched, primitive people when the first Colombian caucheros,

ir streams of running water and pound it with wooden pestles into long sausage-shaped rolls, termed in Peruvian rubber parlance chorizos, which ultimately are put upon the market just as the Indian carries them in to whoever may be locally exploiting him and his neighbourhood. That these wild Indians welcomed the coming into their country of Hernandez, Larra?aga, and the other Colombians who succeeded these earliest of the modern conquistadores it would be absurd to assert. They were, doubtless, glad to get machetes, and powder and caps for the few trade guns they possessed, with the prospect even of acquiring more of these priceless weapons themselves, along with such trifles as beads, mirrors, tin bowls, fish-hooks, and tempting tins of

a gang of hired peons, or, as they are called in that region, racionales (half-breeds mostly who can read and write to distinguish them from the Indios, who are ignorant of all save forest lore), he journeyed to some part of the forest in search of tribes of wild Indians-infieles or "infidels"-who could be easily subdued and reduced to work the wild rubber-trees in the territory they inhabited. An Indian would promise anything for a gun, or for some of the other tempting things offered as inducements to him to work rubber. Many Indians submitted to the alluring offer only to find that on

gthily described by Consul Casement, and it is said that

ent quotes from the Annual Report of the Minister of

necessarily weaker, the missionary brother informs the Minis

of the caucheros against the Indians (los infieles), whom they maltreat and murder for no reas

to the Minister of Justice. It is dated from Contamana, on the Ucayali, the chief place of the province, on the 27th August, 1907, and deals at some length with the condition of relig

these poor savages were irrational beings (seres irracionales), or, to be still more clear, just as if they were sheep or horses. This is intolerable in such an illustrious country as Peru. This trade excites and foments the hunting (correrías, literally "chasings") so frequently indulged in of these poor savages, so

hom they could, killing many of them so that few escaped their cruelties, so that even up to now the number of their victims is not known. It is certain that many bodies have been found in a state of putrefaction, and that all the houses of the Ubiriqui are burnt. These deeds have exasperated

ted, made to the Minister of Justice by Frei Prat. That the representations of these Peruvian missionaries had not escaped the eyes of the Minister himself is clear fr

evangelisation of the Indians of the Oriente, and in their reports, which

sement co

ired spot, would throw himself face downwards on the ground, and in that posture await the inevitable blows. An individual who had often taken part in these floggings and who charged himself with two murders of Indians has thus left on record the manner of flogging the Indians at stations where he served. I quote this testimony, as this man's evidence, which was in my possession when

rows himself on the ground to receive the punishment. Then the chief or a subordinate advances, bends down, takes the Indian by the hair, strikes h

to a distant region, to escape altogether from the tasks laid upon them. Such flight as this was counted a capital offence, and the fugitives, if captured, were as often tortured and put to death as brutally flogged. Expeditions were fitted out and carefully planned to track down and r

oil on men and women and then setting fire to them, burning men at the stake, dashing the brains out of children, and again and again cutting off the arms and legs of Indians and leaving them to speedy death in this agony. These charges were not made to me alone by Barbados men who had served

dokes down to Chorrera must have accounted for a still larger number. Se?or Tizon told me that 'hundreds' of Indians perished in the compulsory carriage of the rubber from the more distant sections down to La Chorrera. No food is given by the company to these unfortunate people on these forced marches, which, on an average, take place three times a year. I witnessed one such march, on a small scale, when I accompanied a caravan of some two hundred Andokes and Boras Indians (men, women, and children) that left Matanzas station on the 19th of October to carry their rubber that had been collected by them during the four or five prec

later, came Se?or Normand himself, with more armed racionales, to see that none fell out or slipped home, having shed their burdens of rubber on the way. On the second day I reached Entre Rios in the early afternoon, the bulk of the Indians having that morning started at 5.15 from the place where we had slept together in the forest. At 5.15 that evening they arrived with Negrete and the armed muchachos at Entre Rios, where I had determined to stay for some days. Instead of allowing these half-starved and weary people, after twelve hours' march, staggering under crushing loads, to rest in this comparatively comfortable station of the company, where a large rest-house and even food were av

either fallen out or left Matanzas after the main party, came into Entre Rios, staggering under a load of rubber, about mid-day on the 21st October, when Mr. Fox and I were about to sit down to lunch. The man came through the hot sun across the station compound, and fell before our eyes at the foot of the ladder leading up to the veranda, where, with the chief of the section (Se?or O

ses in the Andokes or Boras country. They had no food with them, and none was given to them at Entre Rios. I stopped many of them, and inspected the little woven string or skin bags they carry, and neither man nor woman had any food left. All that they had started with a week before had been already eaten, and for the last day or two they had been subsisting on roots and leaves and the berries of wild trees they had pulled down on the way. We found, on our subsequent journey do

ims were shot by one of the racionales acting under the orders of the chief of the section, or even by this individual himself. Salt and water would be sometimes applied to these wounds, but in many cases a fatal flogging was not attended even by this poor effort at healing, and the victim, 'with maggots in the flesh,' was turned adrift to die in the forest or was shot and the corpse burned or buried-or often enough thrown into the 'bush' nea

re scourged on the nether limbs and lower back. The implement used for flogging was invariably a twisted strip, or several strips plaited together, of dried tapir-hide, a skin not so thick as t

when I visited it in October, 1910, in order to still inspire terror and yet leave no trace on the bodies of his victims, since Occidente lay close to La Chorrera and might be visited unexpectedly by Se?or Tizon, had devised a new method of punishment for those who did not bring in enough rubber to satisfy him. Their arms were tied behind their backs, and thus pinioned they were taken down to the river (the Igaraparaná), and forcibly held under water until they became insensible and half-drowned. One of the Barbados men related circumstantially how on the 20th of June, 1910, only a few hours after Se?or Tizon had quitted Occidente on a visit of inspection proceeding upriver to Ultimo Retiro, four Indian youths had been ordered by Velarde to be taken down to the river, their arms tied together, and to be then held under water until they filled-or, as James Mapp,

the statement of James Chase, borne out by Stanley Lewis, as to the crime committed by José Inocente Fonseca at Ultimo Retiro upon a young Indian man). Some of the British subjects I questioned declared to me that they had known Indian women to be publicly violated by the racionales while in this state of detention. As an added punishment, the legs of a man or woman would be distended and co

ers, and children, and many cases were reported of parents dying thus, either from starvation or from wounds caused by flogging, while their offspring were attached alongside of them to watch in misery themselves the dying agonies of their parents. One man at Ultimo Retiro, himself a living witness to the enforced starvation he denou

the rubber they forced by this means and by other la

lters or fugitives from its collection, were suspended by a chain fastened round the neck to one of the beams of the house or store. Sometimes with the feet scarcely touching the ground and the chain hauled taut they were left in this half-str

loosed so that the victim fell violently to the ground. One case of this kind was circumstantially related to me where the Indian, a young man, dropped suddenly

t was desired merely to frighten, but where the intention was to kill. Men a

ood was given to the Indians, and none could be given save by the chief of the section. One man related how he had seen Indians thus being starved to death in the stocks 'scraping up the di

, happily infrequent, assert that no man will deliberately kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. This argument would have force if applied to a settled country or an estate it was designed to profitably develop. None of the freebooters on the Putumayo had any such limitations in his view, or care for the hereafter to restrain him. His first ob

'wives.' Even péons had sometimes more than one Indian wife. The gratification of this appetite to excess went hand in hand

resist rather than consent to work rubber for the new-comers had brought about their doom. I met no old Indian man or woman, and few had got beyond middle age. The Barbados men assured me that when they first came to the region in the beginning of 1905 old people were still to be found, vigorous and highly respected, but these had all disappeared, so far as I could gather, before my coming. At Entre Rios I learned of an Indian chief named Chingamui, who at Se?or O'Donnell's arrival in 1903 had exercised a widespread influence over

purá. My interpreter, Bishop, had seen this chief in 1907, when Normand had gone to find him in order to induce him to work rubber. He had, from necessity no doubt, consented to bring in rubber, and for some time had worked voluntarily for Normand, until, through bad treatment, he, like so many others, had fled. He had been captured later on, along with his wife and some of his people, and confined in the stocks of the Abisinia district, to unde

e Indians seemed usually to be spared this contamination, a reliable witness answered me: 'Because, sir, if they takes an Indian's wife, that Indian don't work rubber.' I urged that since these men stuck at no act of terrorisation to make Indians work rubber, a hu

nctioned by the parents of the bride, and once a child or children result from the union there is rarely infidelity or separation. The very conditions of Indian life, open and above board, and every act of every day known to wellnigh every neighbour, precluded, I should say, very widespread sexual immorality before the coming of the white

ho preferred to suffer such a death to betraying the refuge of those who had fled. I learned of more than one case of the kind, and have no doubt of the truth of the accusation against the white man as of the fortitude of the Indian. The tribes of the Putumayo in the hands of good men could be made into good men and women, useful and intelligent workers under an honest administration. Trained to be murderers, with the worst example men ever gave to men daily held up for imitation, with

as found to be in more than one instance amply confirmed by the independent statements of the British witnesses and again and again borne out by the evidence of our own eyes and the gen

sion and myself were appealed to to give no indication of our disgust lest this man 'might do worse things' to the Indians or provoke an impossible situation with the armed bandits under his orders. The apology for this extraordinary situation was that there was 'no authority, no administration, no one near to who

n up with the depositions, sworn before him, of the Bar

hey would sometimes do this. They would take a man out of the cepo and tie him to a tree, and shoot him for a target. I h

es Chase, another Barbados man, gave a long account of Indians being flogged to death, starved, or shot,

Morelia, and at the first Indian 'house' they reached in the forest they caught eight Indians, five men and three women. They were all tied up with ropes, their hands tied behind their backs, and marched on farther. At the next house they reached they caught four Indians, one woman and three men. Vasquez, who was in charge, ordered one of the muchachos to cut this woman's head off. He ordered this for no apparent reason that James Chase

Each party fired at the other, the forest Indians without effect. The three muchachos killed two of the Boras Indians and then returned to the house where Vasquez was spending the night and where he held the wife of Katenere prisoner. In the morning Vasquez returned to Ocampo and Chase, bringing only this woman with them. It was then that Chase learned from Vasquez' own lips what had happened. They had then, Chase states, twelve Indians as prisoners, who included Katenere's wife, and also of the original party that left Abisinia two Indians, who were in chains, who had been brought as guides to point out where Katenere and his fugitive people were living. These were some of Katenere's men who had not succeeded in escaping when he got away. The whole party set out to return to Morelia through the forest, having lost Henrique and his rifle. Soon after they began their march in the morning they met in the path a child-a little girl-who was said to be a daughter of Katenere by another wife he had once had, not the woman they now held as prisoner. This child, Chase states, was quite a young girl, some six or eight years of age. She was frightened at the sight of the armed men, the Indians in chains and tied up, and began to cry as they approached. Vasquez at once ordered her head to be cut off. He knew it was Katenere's child because Katenere's wife, in their hands, told them so. There was no reason that Chase knew for their crime, save that the child was crying. Her head was cut off by a muchacho named Cherey, a Recigiro Indian boy. He was quite a young boy. They came on about half an hour's march past that, leaving the decapitated body in the path, and as one of the women prisoners they had was

ound it. The chain was pulled taut over a beam in the roof of the house, so that the man's toes rested on the ground, but he could not budge or even move his head. H

to this expedition of Vasquez was subsequently obtained by

saw him arrive with the emaciated prisoners, who were put in stocks, and all of whom subsequently met their deaths in Abisinia, as averred by Davis and Evelyn Baston, anothe

rotting human beings who had been inhumanly flogged, and the smell was so bad he begged and implored to be taken out-he could not stand it-but Fonseca kept him in all night. He saw these people die from these floggings; their

ut had been caught and brought in a prisoner. Fonseca said to him, 'I am going to kill you.' The man protested, and said he had done no harm. He had not killed a white man, he had not injured any one or killed any one, and could not be killed for running away. Fonseca laughed at him, and had him hung up by the neck first with a chain drawn tight, and then when let down from this torture he had him put in the cepo with one foot only, the other leg being free. Fonseca came up to the cepo

rbados man, Stanley S. Lewis, who state

the stocks, and others were taken out in the open ground round the house, and he shot at them from the veranda. The last case of this kind that Chase witnessed was that of a young girl. Fons

onent's own knife from him. It was an open knife, and he used this knife for the purpose. He saw him do this sev

e warning to all the sections that things must be put straight, because an Englishman, Captain Whiffen, was then in the country and visiting the company's territories. He remembers Torico ta

bed to the Consul a rubber raid and its

ld be three or four feet off the ground. They kept him in this position for sometimes an hour or an hour and a half, he screaming out with pain. This is to make him confess where the missing Indians are. When he admits this, and says he will go for the truants, they let him down, and, keeping him tied, they go with him to where the people are hiding. If they find his people, they may still keep him tied up. They do not then flog the Indians. They collect all they can, those with the rubber, and those who have failed to get it, and march them all down to the station. The arms of the capitán will be loosed on reaching the station, but his legs put in the cepo. Then they weigh the rubber, and if any man has not brought the right weight he is flogged. The severity of the flogging depends on the amount of rubber the man is short. The deponent has not seen more than two dozen stripes thus given. With regard to the Indians who had not appeared in the f

from Morelia, about five o'clock in the afternoon, when they were some one and a half day's distance from the Caquetá, they caught an old Indian woman in the path. Jiménez asked the old woman where the rest of the Indians were. Sealey states she was a bit frightened. She told him that the next day at eleven o'clock he would get to the house where some Indians were. She was an old woman, not able to run. They did not tie her up. They went on with her, keeping her all night in camp until about two o'clock of the next day, and then Jiménez asked her, 'Where is the house; where are the Indians?' The old woman stood up, and said nothing. She could not speak; she kept her eyes on the ground. Jiménez said to her: 'You were telling me lies yesterday, but now you have got to speak the truth.' With that he called his wife-he had an Indian woman, the woman who is still with him-and he said to his wife:

d not g

now,' and they loose her but she was not dead. She lay on the ground-she was still calling out. He tell one of the

saw t

ft the old woman we met two women. They had no house-they had run away. One had a child. Jiménez axed the one that had the child: 'Where is these I

this himself in h

tiro. He tell his wife that she was a liar. He took the child from the woman and he gave it to an Indian, o

dian cut the ch

head off with a machete. It was a lit

a boy or

the Indian lie-he was a liar, and he got a rope and he tie the Indian's hands like that behind his back. It was in the same way with the post across between two trees. He made the Indians tie a post across between two trees, and he haul the Indian, like that, up to the post. His feet could not touch the ground, and he call for some dry leaves, and tell the boys to bring some dry leaves, same as the old woman. He put the leaves under his feet, and he take a box of matches out of his pocket. The man was there shouting out, greeting. Jiménez draw a match and light the leaves, and this time, sir, the Indian start to burn, big bladders going out from his ski

e India

e ball, and we left him there

become the servant of a Captain Whiffen, an English officer who had arrived there. He hoped that Captain Whiffen, hearing

terman Leavine's) examinati

ing prisoners he declares he more than once witnessed. The statement made by Caporo as to an Indian chief who was burnt alive in the presence of his wife and two children, and the wife then beheaded and the children dismembered, and all thrown on the fire, Leavine says he remembers, and was a witness to it. He also remembers the occurrence narrated by Caparo of an Indian woman who was cut to pieces by Normand himself, because she refused to live with one of his employees as he directed her to do. He was a witness to the woman

him from the Truth charges, he saw one child rammed head

ating of the limbs of the dead people by the house-dogs attested by Muriedas he again confirms, and says it was 'a common occurrence.' The statement of 'M. G.,' from the Truth accusations, was then read to Leavine. He recalls this man, named Marcial, being a short time at Matanzas when Se?or Normand wished to make him a station cook, and this man had refused and they had quarrelled. This man's statement that he had see

than once saw Normand have Indians' hands and legs tied together, and the men or women thus bound thrown alive on a fire. The employees on the station would look on or assist at this. The station boys, or muchachos, would get the firewood ready, acting under

Casement gave in a further Report to the Forei

merely remained in his private residence at Iquitos during the hearing of an appeal he was permitted to lodge. This appeal being considered by the Superior Court of Iquitos during my stay there, r

oyee of the company, and a brother-in-law of its managing director, in each case took action just too late, so that all those incriminated were either absent in the forest or said to have gone away only a few hours before the officer's arrival. The vessel reporting this unsatisfactory ending to this, the latest attempt[129] to bring to justice the authors of so many crimes, r

and were at work again in the service of the company at the date of my departure from the Amazon. Others of the individuals charged by the judge, I found, were,

to be expected, and, from a variety of causes I need not dwell upon here, possibly a matter beyond the ability of the local executive to ensure. Suffice it to say I saw no reason to modify the opinion expressed in m

ill dwelling in the forest, a rude and extremely primitive existence. To these remote people civilisation has come, not in the guise of settled occupation by men of European descent, accompanied by executive control to assert the supremacy of law, but by individuals in search of Indian labour-a thing to be mercilessly u

embers of those communities exposed to the ruthless greed of the stronger. The crimes of the Putumayo, horrible as they are, have th

t their forest wares (50,000 slaves) to the English market will not, I apprehend, materially affect the situation on the Putumayo. The Arana Syndicate still termed itself the Peruvian Amazon Company (Limited) up to the date of my leaving Iquitos on the 7th of December last. The whole of the rubber output of the region, it should be borne in mind, is placed upon the English market, and is con

such proportions that human bones, the remains of lost tribes of Indians, are so scattered through the forests that, as one informant stated, these spots 'resemble battlefields.' A Peruvian officer, who had been through the Putumayo since the date of my visit in 1910, said that the neighbourhood of one particular section he had visited recalled to him the battlefield of Miraflores-the bloodiest battle of the Chilean War. Moreover, these unarmed and defenceless people, termed, indeed, in the language of prospectuses, the 'labourers' of this particular company, were killed for no crime or offence, and were murdered by the men who drew the highest profits from that company. They comprised women and children-very often babies in

grow up on the Putumayo should be sternly repressed. Peru herself can only greatly benefit from the establishment of a civilised and humane administration-a task of no great magnitude-in those regions hitherto abandoned to the cauchero and the vegetable f

, wherever the rubber-seeker seeks his profits, a rule of right dealing and legality. It may be long before a demoralisation drawing its sanction from so many centuries of indifference and oppression can be uprooted, but Christianity owns schools and missions as well as Dreadnoughts and div

ave,

r Cas

CLU

easily revert to primitive instincts of cruelty and oppression, and hold human life the cheapest thing on earth. The terrible indictment that has been made of Peruvian methods away from the influence of their cities shows how far from the principle of self-government the people of Latin America still are. It is to be recollected, moreover, that these poor forest Indians differ very little from the people who have formed the basis of Peruvian and Latin American nationality generally: whilst the Indians and Cholos of the uplands, who are still subjected to oppression and civic negligence, are those from whom Peru and others of the Andine republics draw, and always will draw, unless a strong tide of immigration sets in, the bulk of their citizens. The governing Peruvians and Bolivians of to-day are formed from that race. They bear its stamp upon th

rine and science regarding the disposal of the resources of the earth and the enjoyments of its fruits by those

it

N

I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P

rubber s

nes, se

Protection

pitalism, e

st mention

ent of the Peruvian

, Gene

fession of

ado, Esmeralda, Fonseca, Jiménez, Loayza, Lúrquin, Macedo, Martinengui, Montt, Mu?

, native

f Peruvian Amaz

37-8, 241, 2

Abel,

n, Lieute

f the Peruvian A

ors, 11

e fro

ilian war l

sts

, the,

and histor

es of gove

e of

sts

origin of

rth, see Un

a, Sou

onsul at I

ssive treatment

es,

f native lab

native t

ty, see Aborigines

efect, Repor

denburg's first

n of, in L

Government and the Peru

charges agai

f, 199

Londo

yndicate, 201,

import negr

gainst, 2

Lizar

67; troubl

, attem

poisoned

ies, gui

ecs

oyed by Peruvian A

ommitted

sts o

tortured, 4

t, 266-7, 270-

starvatio

Don Rog

, brutal treatment

Riv

custom

interpre

il, all

pe, 36,

Boo

nstric

Trade J

a, see B

ivi

rector of the Peruvia

ative tr

inia, 2

B., witnes

pes,

etary Peruvian Am

il,

ber

sul at Iqui

naos,

hypocris

ects in the

ial

5, 214, 234, 252-3, 2

ards

forced to sel

ombian rubber

on Bro

native t

ana, R

rdinary and dan

ls, tal

es,

anoe stran

vara

aro, witnes

ts, the, 20, 3

Report,

eport,

ir Roger, 3

f testim

an stolen fro

ation

e, Peruvian Consul-G

sh, 1

Rail

British Consul

witness

native

r of, 223, 252-

, native

native t

0, 86, 99

a,

es, Dan

bia,

bians

sacred by Peruvia

ged,

ered

the Putum

ism, polic

, the Cons

the Peruvian

the Anti-Slave

the Peruvian

ouses, 16,

e, 180-1,

the, 12

ita, lau

atio

, carpen

is own s

Torture, Murder, Flogg

proceed

names of, 2

nish and Portu

ar, P

are

effe

ES,

xecutioner

., witne

the Peruvian Amazo

tal trait of Spa

cked by slaughte

adise," the,

urder and to

, so-ca

man flesh, 29,

traf

ennes

te,

ll,

cut o

umanity not

or, 1

cio, jou

ber station,

bber station,

mprisone

Indians at, 1

nte, jo

o-called, see B

ber Company

ald, work and p

s of slave traffic,

a, crimi

victim and wit

the Amazo

er,

ld tortur

with kerosene

04, 217, 227, 229-30

de whip

ete, 306,

the Peruvian Ama

228-33, 2

abour, e

n Offi

Casement

hes it

ts, 1

W.,

, Pad

o de la

Lieut.,

ld

Se?or, 9

Edward,

ctor of the Peruvian

pi,

B., 190,

o Riv

villa

, Pilar,

W.E., trav

agents of the Peruvi

his narrative r

rative,

risoner

his capti

discover

tion of c

s to,

icts the Peruvian

ter and weapons of, 16,

ge of,

ts,

cter,

custom

custo

es,

s, 1

ion,

rmination of

, econom

haracter,

aná Rive

Commonweal

langu

ws of, 11

rn,

Putumayo basin,

ibe, 17-1

tiago,

ocoa

onis,

ng wi

nation

d torture of,

f Amazonian

l of

s of,

ers,

s murdered by rubber-gatherers

ity and forti

os, 1

f rubber

al at

eruvian gu

enburg's part

ARS,

ssions dest

Peruvian Amazon Company, 2

Comercio M

tion fr

ruvian, indep

tion o

native c

Director of the Peruv

merican Consul

rubber stat

t, 225-6, 24

quitos, translations

Iquitos, translatio

rubber s

rubber s

e at, 1

cheap na

for Ind

, witne

Company's launch, 168, 17

, 18

raphical

uvian Amazon Company, 14

s of,

nts, 18

, 231,

ino, agent an

Jesus

commanding th

sar, procur

the Peruvian Amazon Compa

a Riv

de D

of victims, 28, 23

tes, cal

tee,

native tel

mes, wit

n, 19,

ble

gent of the Peruvian

, Gabrie

5-6, 149, 165, 169

as, 23

on Octavio

Lieut

rced labo

f Justice,

eed of, 50, 52,

, 67-

ype of Indi

s, 123

, the,

the Peruvian Ama

es, 136,

f the Peruvian Am

ents of the Peruv

16, 233-4, 237, 2

J. F., w

, native

Riv

t of the Peruvian A

ected for sa

he Peruvian Amazon

of, 225

e Peruvian Amazon Compan

lso N

e Peruvian Amazon Comp

Se?or,

Peruvian Amazo

tinez Rubber

by Arana

lana

Jesus, 149,

prison

f, 176-7, 1

CAN Union

arbados m

s, Jud

o blame En

n Ramiro,

ing against

ries,

o, 7

, 55, 64, 71, 9

130, 131, 149, 1

t El Enca

minus ba

der the

capita

Company, indictm

lombian es

of, 1

ge by

Indians by ag

s party by troops acti

m of,

agains

imes of agen

the comp

by Ara

iracy carrie

system

hments

itted by agents

ic carried

ors of

gainst, 2

sul, denies

Corporati

nment, compens

or ignoran

sed,

st the British

rrest crim

s, Hardenburg's i

arr

ubber, the o

cilia, v

de O

e Caraparaná

al exil

Manserich

, fresh-w

se, crue

aldona

ra, A., wi

Frei

timidit

Se?or Gu

yo Riv

s of,

tending labou

s of t

r Caseme

Rubber Co

, San Mi

a lang

ine,

PE

or of the Peruvian

ino,

ent of the Peruvian

resident

explorer, disap

action

t of the Peruvian A

ers by, 254-5,

ts of the Peruvian Am

uez, D

urch in

J., wit

of, in huma

ut o

d method of gath

panies, fr

DON ALFON

n, rubber age

ntoni

ncisco,

ulia, 1

55; Indian

tales of

tanley, w

the Pacif

, Se?or

t by the Peruvians

rs, ignora

ndoy

ans

at Matan

raid

in Peru, 21

fferers kil

ars

arlos, wi

, belie

Director of Peruvian A

ialism of

ion, 30

dered Indians

s starved in,

ed in

executio

nomenal gr

statements in,

OPAT

, 114,

ians as liv

y, native

, explo

Se?or,

lombian pr

the Peruvian Am

as a dive

n use, 184-5, 2

gging, Stocks, T

an,

1, 44, 185,

key

, 115-1

, 12

see Te

atter of opp

TATES, 2

rdily follows

nsul and Gov

a, Gene

IRES

the Peruvian Amazon

ian, witness

tati

he Peruvian Amazon

zuel

names of

Brazilian

rture by,

Captain

ft, beli

trade

18, 220, 226-7, 229, 230-35, 242, 247-8,

, Pref

Carlos,

of the Peruvian Amazon Com

irector of the Peruvian Am

esham

ROTHERS

AND L

TNO

aso was bo

unced Put

the present writ

scribed in an address to the Royal Geographical Society, and in his book

Reports, Miscella

e Pacific." London: T

e Loreto, Lima, 1905, of which extracts we

ge von

iven to th

Slave

nsul Caseme

eived of systematic ill-treatment, murder, and slavery of the natives in the Monta?a of Cuzco and elsewhere, published in

e Peruvian Legation in this connectio

ork carried on by this society (Denison House, London), in the protection of nat

e Company's books and issued in a printed circular to the shareholders in December, 1909, this officer called upon Arana in London, entertained him at the United Service Club and Café Royal, and offered to suppress a Report he had made for the British Foreign Office upon the subject, which was, he stated, of a natur

ssion, and was prepared to go, but no action was taken: and again in May, 1910, but being engaged on t

sh directors of the company disclaimed previous knowledge of t

points of its people, towards whom as a nation he retains feelings of friendship. But no service is perform

nsul Caseme

chance Barbadoes men, with that singular cordiality which is one of their characterist

view of Reviews,

dence before the editor of Truth and the Anti-Slavery Society. By a fortunate coincidence there arrived at that moment a letter, announcing that the Peruvian Government, due to representation made by the United

f Trade Journal,

those lands, of bringing forward their geographical possibilities and natural resources, and of insisting upon attention being paid to the condition of Latin American labour. In the United States a strong organisati

Mis

ancient Incas o

d for th

Por

Pac

Rav

] H

Sha

lipper

tive ma

ropica

ixa or

skin

Blow-

ve alcoho

drela o

etenia m

Necta

ophilum b

] H

odiclidi

Atroc

rus pre

ctris c

iartea

artea ve

elephas m

escenti

arica

itrus

ucuma

ardium oc

lielma s

tocarpu

irus ame

otyles l

roch?rus

Cer

Bra

Das

cropia

quinia a

sa para

Zea

ihot uti

anihot

rveza p

ne or c

ipa oblo

Boa

Chi

hea Am

e Golde

erium se

?na bras

roch?rus

Felis

lis onc

elis c

elis p

elis t

wood built over an open fir

m to have encountered a

hastas di

rtage.-

ng term for a dri

imia m

ber 1, 1907, a Peruvian Company, t

is equivalent to a

ame appears in

ve that it saved our lives, for at the time it was rumoured that a big

lled so after Julio C. Arana, the organiser and

ve recently been publ

utioners,

, the American Government, in accordance with its immemorial custom and in spite of our appeals, has so

he band

celebrat

unt cannot be p

t settlers in

sh crimes of the Putumayo to be described later. Alarco is now managing director of thi

the banks of the Caquetá for having dared to enter into relations with the Indian

forcibly ejected from his estate, which, with all its a

ing these methods i

s to the charge of culpability of negligence, and of their liability to shareholders under company law, these ma

rally Saturday of Glory, is

Sanción of I

quivalent to 15 kilos

eriod of a little

equal to one farthi

the district occupied by the "civilising company," when in 1906 he suddenly disappeared in the vicinity of a point called El Retiro. As he is known to have taken several photographs of the horrible crimes committed there, it is thought by many

onal, a ga

ero, rubber

spa?a's. Aristides,

the Iquitos authorities pro

small, empty

ir career of butchery, and by dint of continual crime have succeeded in amassing a small fortune. Arístides has since retired and now lives

n call their criminal assi

to print the whole of t

was not until long afterwards, when the accounts had been

ived the honour of knig

ommented upon in the

to about 105

See

a process against wealthy or influential persons, as in small localities the "justices" are completely overawed or influenced by them. There

arrests have been

rs corrected by th

ant=> Peruvian G

> Materó

=> Felis parda

oayza {pg

za=> Rubber from

Jiménez {p

, 193=> Ghiorzo, Lie