,illustration3 ,,the ,,author ,,and     
,,his ,,guides ,,three ,,faithful ,,men 
,,through ,,five ,,republics ,,on       
,,horseback  ,,being ,,an ,,account ,,of
 ,,many ,,wanderings ,,in ,,south       
,,america   ,,by   ,g4 ,,whitfield      
,,ray1 ,f4 ,r4 ,g4 ,s4 ,pioneer         
,missionary and ,government ,explorer   
,with an ,introduction by the ,rev4 ,j4 
,g4 ,brown1 ,d4 ,d4 ,secretary for the  
,foreign ,missions of the ,canadian     
,baptist ,church   ,,twelfth            
,,edition--,,revised  ,,evangelical     
,,publishing ,,house ,c4 ,,hauser1      
,agent ,,cleveland1 ,,ohio1 ,u4 ,s4 ,a4 
#aiae     ,illustration3 ,,south        
,,america     ,,preface  ,the           
,missionary ,review of the ,world has   
described ,south ,america as ,,the      
,,darkest ,,land4 ,that ,i have been    
able to penetrate into part of its      
unexplored interior1 and visit tribes of
 people hitherto untouched and unknown1 
was urged as sufficient reason for the  
publishing of this work4 ,in perils oft1

 through hunger and thirst and fever1   
consequent on the many wanderings in    
unhealthy climes herein recorded1 the   
writer wishes publicly to record his    
deep thankfulness to ,almighty ,god for 
,his unfailing help4 ,if the accounts   
are used to stimulate missionary        
enterprise1 and if they give the reader 
a clearer conception of and fuller      
sympathy with the conditions and needs  
of those ,south ,american countries1    
those years of travel will not have been
 in vain4  ,of the making of books there
 is no end1 so when one is acceptably   
received1 and commands a ready sale1 the
 author is satisfied that his labor is  
well repaid4 ,the #dth edition was      
scarcely dry when the ,consul-,general  
of the ,argentine ,republic at ,ottawa  
ordered a large number of copies to send
 to the members of his ,government4     
,much of it has been translated into    
,german1 and ,i know not what other     
languages4 ,even the ,catholic ,register
 of ,toronto has boosted its sale by    

printing much in abuse of it1 at the    
same time telling its readers that the  
book sold like hot cakes4 ,a wiser      
editor would have been discreet enough  
not to refer to ,through ,five          
,republics on ,horseback4 ,his readers  
bought it1 and--had their eyes opened1  
for the statements made in this work1   
and the authorities quoted1 are         
unanswerable4  ,seeing that there is    
such an alarming ignorance regarding    
,latin ,america1 ,i have1 for this      
edition1 written an ,introductory       
,chapter on ,south ,america1 and also a 
short ,foreword especially relating to  
each of the ,five ,republics here       
treated4 ,as my portrayal of ,romanism  
there has caused some discussion1 ,i    
have1 in those pages1 sought to         
incorporate the words of other          
authorities on ,south ,american life and
 religion4  ,that the following         
narratives1 now again revised1 and sent 
forth in new garb1 may be increasingly  
helpful in promoting knowledge1 is the  

earnest wish of the author4  ,g4 ,w4 ,r4
  ,toronto1 ,ont4     ,,introduction    
,through ,five ,republics on ,horseback 
has all the elements of a great         
missionary book4 ,it is written by an   
author who is an eye-witness of         
practically all that he records1 and one
 who by his explorations and travels has
 won for himself the title of the       
,livingstone of ,south ,america4 ,the   
scenes depicted by the writer and the   
glimpses into the social1 political and 
religious conditions prevailing in the  
,republics in the great ,southern       
continent are of thrilling interest to  
all lovers of mankind4 ,we doubt if     
there is another book in print that     
within the compass of three hundred     
pages begins to give as much valuable   
information as is contained in ,mr4     
,ray's volume4 ,the writer wields a     
facile pen1 and every page glows with   
the passion of a man on fire with zeal  
for the evangelization of the great     
,neglected ,continent4 ,we are sure that

 no one can read this book and be       
indifferent to the claims of ,south     
,america upon the ,christian ,church of 
this generation4  ,to those who desire  
to learn just what the fruits of        
,romanism as a system are1 when left to 
itself and uninfluenced by              
,protestantism1 this book will prove a  
real eye-opener4 ,we doubt if any       
,christian man1 after reading ,through  
,five ,republics on ,horseback1 will any
 longer conclude that ,romanism is good 
enough for ,romanists and that ,missions
 to ,roman ,catholic countries are an   
impertinence4 ,we trust the book will   
awaken a great interest in the          
evangelization of the ,latin ,republics 
of ,south ,america4  ,of course1 this   
volume will have interest for others    
besides missionary enthusiasts4 ,apart  
from the religious and missionary       
purpose of the book1 it contains very   
much in the way of geographical1        
historical and scientific information1  
and that1 too1 in regard to a field of  

which as yet comparatively little is    
known4 ,the writer has kept an open mind
 in his extensive travels1 and his      
record abounds in facts of great        
scientific value4  ,we have known ,mr4  
,ray for several years and delight to   
bear testimony to his ability and       
faithfulness as a preacher and pastor4  
,as a lecturer on his experiences in    
,south ,america he is unexcelled4 ,we   
commend ,through ,five ,republics on    
,horseback especially to parents who are
 anxious to put into the hands of their 
children inspiring and character-forming
 reading4 ,a copy of the book ought to  
be in every ,sunday ,school ,library4   
,j4 ,g4 ,brown4  #fbf ,confederation    
,life ,building1 ,toronto4     ,a       
,,preliminary ,,word ,,on ,,south       
,,america  ,the ,continent of ,south    
,america was discovered by ,spanish     
navigators towards the end of the       
fifteenth century4 ,when the tidings of 
a new world beyond the seas reached     
,europe1 ,spanish and ,portuguese       

expeditions vied with each other in     
exploring its coasts and sailing up its 
mighty rivers4  ,in #adid the ,pope     
decided that these new lands1 which were
 nearly twice the size of ,europe1      
should become the possession of the     
monarchs of ,spain and ,portugal4 ,thus 
by right of conquest and gift ,south    
,america with its seven and a half      
million miles of territory and its      
millions of ,indian inhabitants was     
divided between ,spain and ,portugal4   
,the eastern northern half1 now called  
,brazil1 became the possession of the   
,portuguese crown and the rest of the   
continent went to the crown of ,spain4  
,south ,america is #d1fjj miles from    
north to south1 and its greatest breadth
 from east to west is #c1ejj miles4 ,it 
is a country of plains and mountains and
 rivers4 ,the ,andean range of mountains
 is #d1djj miles long4 ,twelve peaks    
tower three miles or more above ocean   
level1 and some reach into the sky for  
more than four miles4 ,many of these are

 burning mountains2 the volcano of      
,cotopaxi is three miles higher than    
,vesuvius4 ,its rivers are among the    
longest in the world4 ,the ,amazon1     
,orinoco and ,la ,plata systems drain an
 area of #c1fhf1djj square miles4 ,its  
plains are almost boundless and its     
forests limitless4 ,there are deserts   
where no rain ever falls1 and there are 
stretches of coast line where no day    
ever passes without rain4 ,it is a      
country where all climates can be found4
 ,as the northern part of the continent 
is equatorial the greatest degree of    
heat is there experienced1 while the    
south stretches its length toward the   
,pole ,quito1 the capital of ,ecuador1  
is on the equator1 and ,punta ,arenas1  
in ,chile1 is the southernmost town in  
the world4  ,for hundreds of years      
,spain and ,portugal exploited and ruled
 with an iron hand their new and vast   
possessions4 ,their coffers were        
enriched by fabulous sums of gold and   
treasure1 for the wildest dream of      

riches indulged in by its discoverers   
fell infinitely short of the actual     
reality4 ,large numbers of colonists    
left the ,iberian peninsula for the     
newer and richer lands4 ,priests1 monks 
and nuns went in every vessel1 and the  
,roman ,catholicism of the ,dark ,ages  
was soon firmly established as the only 
religion4 ,the aborigines were compelled
 to bow before the crucifix and worship 
,mary until1 in a peculiar sense1 ,south
 ,america became the ,pope's favorite   
parish4 ,for the benefit of any1 native 
or colonist1 who thought that a purer   
religion should be1 at any rate1        
permitted1 the ,inquisition was         
established at ,lima1 and later on at   
,cartagena1 where1 ,colombian history   
informs us1 #djj1jjj were condemned to  
death4 ,free thought was soon stamped   
out when death became the penalty4      
,such was the wild state of the country 
and the power vested in the priests that
 abuses were tolerated which1 even in   
,rome1 had not been dreamed of4 ,the    

priests1 as anxious for spiritual       
conquest as the rest were for physical1 
joined hands with the heathenism of the 
,indians1 accepted their gods of wood   
and stone as saints1 set up the crucifix
 side by side with the images of the sun
 and moon1 formerly worshipped2 and     
while in ,europe the sun of the         
,reformation arose and dispelled the    
terrible night of religious error and   
superstition1 ,south ,america sank from 
bad to worse4 ,thus the anomaly         
presented itself of the old1 effete     
lands throwing off the yoke of religious
 domination while the younger ones were 
for centuries to be content with sinking
 lower and lower4 ,footnote3 ,history is
 repeating itself1 for here in ,canada  
we see ,quebec more ,catholic and       
intolerant than ,italy4 ,the ,mayor of  
,rome dared to criticize the ,pope in   
#aiaj1 but in the same year at the      
,eucharistic ,congress at ,montreal his 
emissaries receive reverent homage from 
those in authority4 ,no wonder1         

therefore1 that1 while the ,romans are  
being more enlightened every year1 a    
,quebec young man1 who is now a         
theological student in ,mc,master       
,university1 ,toronto1 declared1 while  
staying in the writer's home1 that1 as a
 child he was always taught that        
,protestants grew horns on their heads1 
and that he attained the age of #ae     
before ever he discovered that such was 
not the case4 ,even backward ,portugal  
has had its eyes opened to see that     
,rome and progress cannot walk together1
 but the ,president of ,brazil is so    
faithful that the ,pope1 in #aiaj1 made 
him a ,knight of the ,golden ,spur4  ,if
 the religious emancipation of the old  
world did not find its echo in ,south   
,america1 ideas of freedom from kingly  
oppression began to take root in the    
hearts of the people1 and before the    
year #ahbe the ,spanish colonies had    
risen against the mother country and had
 formed themselves into several         
independent republics1 while three years

 before that the independence of ,brazil
 from ,portugal had been declared4 ,at  
the present day no part of the vast     
continent is ruled by either ,spain or  
,portugal1 but ten independent republics
 have their different flags and         
governments4  ,since its early discovery
 ,south ,america has been pre-eminently 
a country of bloodshed4 ,revolution has 
succeeded revolution and hundreds of    
thousands of the bravest have been      
slain1 but1 phoenix-like1 the country   
rises from its ashes4  ,fifty millions  
of people now dwell beneath the         
,southern ,cross and speak the          
,portuguese and ,spanish languages1 and 
it is estimated that1 with the present  
rate of increase1 #ahj millions of      
people will speak these languages by    
#aibj4  ,south ,america is1             
pre-eminently1 the coming continent4 ,it
 is more thinly settled than any other  
part of the world4 ,at least six million
 miles of its territory are suitable for
 immigrants--double the available       

territory of the ,united ,states4 ,no   
other tract of good land exists that is 
so large and so unoccupied as ,south    
,america4 ,footnote3 ,dr4 ,wood1 ,lima1 
,peru1 in ,protestant ,missions in      
,south ,america4 ,one of the most       
marvellous of activities in the         
development of virgin lands is in       
progress4 ,it is greater than that of   
,siberia1 of ,australia1 or the         
,canadian ,north-,west4 ,footnote3 ,the 
,outlook1 ,march1 #aijh4 ,emigrants are 
pouring into the continent from crowded 
,europe1 the old order of things is     
quickly passing away1 and docks and     
railroads are being built4 ,bolivia is  
spending more than fifty million dollars
 in new work4 ,argentina and ,chile are 
pushing lines in all directions4 ,brazil
 is preparing to penetrate her vast     
jungles1 and all this means enormous    
expense1 for the highest points and most
 difficult construction that have ever  
been encountered are found in ,peru1 and
 between ,chile and ,argentina there has

 been constructed the longest tunnel in 
the world4 ,footnote3 ,one railway      
ascends to the height of #ab1hjj feet4  
,most important of all1 the old medieval
 ,romanism of the ,dark ,ages is losing 
its grip upon the masses1 and slowly1   
but surely1 the leaven is working which 
will1 before another decade1 bring      
,south ,america to the forefront of the 
nations4  ,the economic possibilities of
 ,south ,america cannot be              
overestimated4 ,it is a continent of    
vast and varied possibilities4 ,there   
are still districts as large as the     
,german ,empire entirely unexplored1 and
 tribes of ,indians who do not yet know 
that ,america has been discovered4      
,this is a continent of spiritual need4 
,the ,roman ,catholic ,church has been a
 miserable failure4 ,nearly #g1jjj1jjj  
of people in ,south ,america still      
adhere1 more or less openly1 to the     
fetishisms of their ancestors1 while    
perhaps double that number live         
altogether beyond the reach of          

,christian influence1 even if we take   
the word ,christian in its widest       
meaning4 ,footnote3 ,report of ,senor   
,f4 de ,castello ,the ,rev4 ,w4 ,b4     
,grubb1 a missionary in ,paraguay1 says3
 ,the greatest unexplored region at     
present known on earth is there4 ,it    
contains1 as far as we know1 #cjj       
distinct ,indian nations1 speaking #cjj 
distinct languages1 and numbering some  
millions1 all in the darkest heathenism4
 ,h4 ,w4 ,brown1 in ,latin ,america1    
says1 ,there is a pagan population of   
four to five millions4 ,then1 with      
respect to the ,roman ,catholic         
population1 ,rev4 ,t4 ,b4 ,wood1        
,,ll4,d41 in ,protestant ,missions in   
,south ,america1 says1 ,south ,america  
is a pagan field1 properly speaking4    
,its image-worship is idolatry4         
,abominations are grosser and more      
universal than among ,roman ,catholics  
in ,europe and the ,united ,states1     
where ,protestantism has greatly        
modified ,catholicism4 ,but it is worse 

off than any other great pagan field in 
that it is dominated by a single mighty 
hierarchy--the mightiest known in       
history4 ,for centuries priestcraft has 
had everything its own way all over the 
continent1 and is now at last yielding  
to outside pressure1 but with desperate 
resistance4  ,south ,america has been   
for nearly four hundred years part of   
the parish of the ,pope4 ,in contrast   
with it the north of the ,new           
,world--,puritan1 prosperous1 powerful1 
progressive--presents probably the most 
remarkable evidence earth affords of the
 blessings of ,protestantism1 while the 
results of ,roman ,catholicism left to  
itself are writ large in letters of     
gloom across the priest-ridden1 lax and 
superstitious ,south4 ,her cities1 among
 the gayest and grossest in the world1  
her ecclesiastics enormously wealthy and
 strenuously opposed to progress and    
liberty1 ,south ,america groans under   
the tyranny of a priesthood which1 in   
its highest forms1 is unillumined by1   

and incompetent to preach1 the gospel of
 ,god's free gift2 and in its lowest is 
proverbially and habitually drunken1    
extortionate and ignorant4 ,the fires of
 her unspeakable ,inquisition still burn
 in the hearts of her ruling clerics1   
and although the spirit of the age has  
in our nineteenth century transformed   
all her monarchies into free ,republics1
 religious intolerance all but          
universally prevails4 ,footnote3        
,guiness's ,romanism and ,reformation4  
,prelates and priests1 monks and nuns   
exert an influence that is              
all-pervading4 ,william ,e4 ,curtis1    
,united ,states ,commissioner to ,south 
,america1 wrote3 ,one-fourth of all the 
property belongs to the bishop4 ,there  
is a ,catholic church for every #aej    
inhabitants4 ,ten per cent4 of the      
population are priests1 monks or nuns1  
and #bgb out of the #cfe days of the    
year are observed as fast or feast days4
 ,the priests control the government and
 rule the country as absolutely as if   

the ,pope were its king4 ,as a result1  
#ge per cent4 of the children born are  
illegitimate1 and the social and        
political condition presents a picture  
of the dark ages4 ,it is said that1 in  
one town1 every fourth person you meet  
is a priest or a nun1 or an ecclesiastic
 of some sort4  ,yet1 with all this to  
battle against1 the ,christian          
missionary is making his influence felt4
  ,la ,razon1 an important newspaper of 
,trujillo1 in a recent issue says3 ,in  
homage to truth1 we make known with     
pleasure that the ministers of          
,protestantism have benefited this town 
more in one year than all the priests   
and friars of the ,papal sect have done 
in three centuries4  ,last year1 writes 
,mr4 ,milne1 of the ,american ,bible    
,society1 one of our colporteurs in     
,ayacucho had to make his escape by the 
roof of a house where he was staying1   
from a mob of half-castes1 led on by a  
friar4 ,finding their prey had escaped1 
they took his clothes and several boxes 

of ,bibles to the plaza of the city and 
burnt them4  ,it was not such a         
going-back as the outside world thought1
 but1 oh1 it was a deeply significant   
one1 when recently the leading men of   
the ,republic of ,guatemala met together
 and solemnly threw over the religion of
 their fathers1 which1 during #djj years
 of practice1 had failed to uplift1 and 
re-established the old paganism of      
cultured ,rome4 ,so serious was this    
step that the ,palace of ,minerva1 the  
goddess of trade1 is engraved on the    
latest issue of ,guatemalan postage     
stamps4 ,believing that the few         
,protestants in the ,republic are       
responsible for the reaction1 the       
,archbishop of ,guatemala has promised  
to grant one hundred days' indulgence to
 those who will pray for the overthrow  
of ,protestantism in that country4      
,romanism is not ,christianity1 so the  
few ,christian workers are fighting     
against tremendous odds4 ,what shall the
 harvest be8     ,,part ,i4  ,,the      

,,argentine ,,republic  ,the country to 
which the author first went as a        
self-supporting missionary in the year  
#ahhi4       ,and ,nature1 the old      
nurse1 took      ,the child upon her    
knee1      ,saying1 ,here is a story    
book      ,thy ,father hath written for 
thee4       ,come1 wander with me1 she  
said1      ,into regions yet untrod1    
,and read what is still unread      ,in 
the manuscripts of ,god4       ,and he  
wandered away and away      ,with       
,nature1 the dear old nurse1      ,who  
sung to him night and day      ,the     
rhymes of the universe4                 
--,longfellow4   ,,the ,,argentine      
,,republic  ,the ,argentine ,republic   
has an area of one and a quarter million
 square miles4 ,it is #b1fjj miles from 
north to south1 and #ejj miles at its   
widest part4 ,it is twelve times the    
size of ,great ,britain4 ,although the  
population of the country is about seven
 millions1 only one per cent1 of its    
cultivable area is now occupied1 yet    

,argentina has an incomparable climate4 
,it is essentially a cattle country4    
,she is said to surpass any other nation
 in her numbers of live stock4 ,the     
,bovril ,co4 alone kills #ajj1jjj a     
year4 ,on its broad plains there are    
estandas1 or cattle ranches1 of fifty   
and one hundred thousand acres in       
extent1 and on these cattle1 horses and 
sheep are herded in millions4 ,argentina
 has over twenty-nine million cattle1   
seventy-seven million sheep1 seven and a
 half million horses1 five and a half   
million mules1 a quarter-million of     
donkeys1 and nearly three million swine 
and three million goats4 ,four billion  
dollars of ,british capital are invested
 in the country4  ,argentina has sixteen
 thousand miles of railway4 ,this has   
been comparatively cheap to build4 ,on  
the flat prairie lands the rails are    
laid1 and there is a length of one      
hundred and seventy-five miles without a
 single curve4  ,three hundred and fifty
 thousand square miles of this prairie  

is specially adapted to the growing of  
grain4 ,in #aijh-i the yield of wheat   
was #d1ibj1jjj tons4 ,argentina has     
exported over three million tons of     
wheat1 over three million tons of corn1 
and one million tons of linseed1 in one 
year1 while her flour mills can turn out
 #gjj1jjj tons of flour a year4         
,footnote3 ,hirst's ,argentina1 #aiaj4  
,it is a delight often met with there to
 look on a field of twenty square miles1
 with the golden ears standing even and 
close together1 and not a weed nor a    
stump of a tree nor a stone as big as a 
man's fist to be seen or found in the   
whole area4  ,to plant and harvest this 
immense yield the tillers of the ground 
bought nine million dollars of farm     
implements in #aijh4 ,argentina's record
 in material progress rivals ,japan's4  
,argentina astonished the world by      
conducting1 in #aijf1 a trade valued at 
five hundred and sixty million dollars1 
buying and selling more in the markets  
of foreign nations than ,japan1 with a  

population of forty millions1 and       
,china1 with three hundred millions4    
,footnote3 ,john ,barrett1 in ,munsey's 
,magazine  ,to this ,land of ,promise   
there is a large immigration4 ,nearly   
three hundred thousand have entered in  
one single year4 ,about two hundred     
thousand have been going to ,buenos     
,ayres1 the capital1 alone1 but in #aijh
 nearly five hundred thousand landed    
there4 ,footnote3 ,despite the          
,government's efforts1 emigration from  
,spain to ,south ,america takes alarming
 proportions4 ,in some districts the men
 of the working classes have departed in
 a body4 ,in certain villages in the    
neighborhood of ,cadiz there arc whole  
streets of deserted houses4-,spanish    
,press4 ,in ,belgium #bbj people are    
crowded into the territory occupied by  
one person in ,argentina1 so yet there  
is room4 ,albert ,hale says3 ,it is     
undeniable that ,argentina can give     
lodgment to #ajj1jjj1jjj people1 and can
 furnish nourishment1 at a remarkably   

cheap rate1 for as many more1 when her  
whole area is utilized4  ,argentina's   
schools and universities are the best in
 the ,spanish-speaking world4 ,in       
,buenos ,ayres you will find some of the
 finest school buildings in the world1  
while #d1jjj students attend one        
university4  ,buenos ,ayres1 founded in 
#aehj1 is to-day the largest city in the
 world south of the equator1 and is one 
of the richest and most beautiful places
 of the world4 ,the broad prairies      
around the city have made the people the
 richest on earth4  ,kev4 ,john ,f4     
,thompson1 for forty-five years a       
resident of that country1 summarizes its
 characteristics in the following       
paragraph3 ,argentina is a land of      
plenty2 plenty of room and plenty of    
food4 ,if the actual population were    
divided into families of ten persons1   
each would have a farm of eight square  
miles1 with ten horses1 fifty-four cows1
 and one hundred and eighty-six sheep1  
and after they had eaten their fill of  

bread they would have half a ton of     
wheat and corn to sell or send to the   
hungry nations4     ,,chapter ,i4       
,,buenos ,,ayres ,,in #ahhi4   ,in the  
year #ahhi1 after five weeks of ocean   
tossing1 the steamer on which ,i was a  
passenger anchored in the ,river ,plate1
 off ,buenos ,ayres4 ,nothing but water 
and sky was to be seen1 for the coast   
was yet twenty miles away1 but the river
 was too shallow for the steamer to get 
nearer4 ,large tugboats came out to us1 
and passengers and baggage were         
transhipped into them1 and we steamed   
ten miles nearer the still invisible    
city4 ,there smaller tugs awaited us and
 we were again transhipped4 ,sailing    
once more toward the land1 we soon      
caught sight of the ,argentine capital1 
but before we could sail nearer the tugs
 grounded4 ,there we were crowded into  
flat-bottomed1 lug-sailed boats for a   
third stage of our landward journey4    
,these boats conveyed us to within a    
mile of the city1 when carts1 drawn by  

five horses1 met us in the surf and drew
 us on to the wet1 shingly beach4 ,there
 about twenty men stood1 ready to carry 
the females on their backs on to the    
dry1 sandy shore1 where was the customs 
house4 ,the population of the city we   
then entered was about six hundred      
thousand souls4  ,after changing the    
little gold ,i carried for the greasy   
paper currency of the country1 ,i       
started out in search of something to   
eat4 ,eventually ,i found myself before 
a substantial meal4 ,at a table in front
 of me sat a ,scotsman from the same    
vessel4 ,he had arrived before me       
7,scotsmen say they are always before   
the ,englishmen7 and was devouring part 
of a leg of mutton4 ,this1 he told me1  
he had procured1 to the great amusement 
of ,boniface1 by going down on all fours
 and baa-ing like the sheep of his      
native hills4 ,had he waited until ,i   
arrived he might have feasted on lamb1  
for my voice was not so gruff as his4   
,he had unconsciously asked for an old  

sheep4 ,i think the ,highlander in that 
instance regretted that he had preceded 
the ,englishman4  ,how shall ,i describe
 the metropolis of the ,argentine1 with 
its one-storied1 flat-roofed houses1    
each with grated windows and centre     
patio8 ,some of the poorer inhabitants  
raise fowls on the roof1 which gives the
 house a barnyard appearance1 while the 
iron-barred windows below strongly      
suggest a prison4 ,strange yet          
attractive dwellings they are1          
lime-washed in various colors1 the      
favorite shades seeming to be pink and  
bottle green4 ,fires are not used except
 for cooking purposes1 and the little   
smoke they give out is quickly dispersed
 by the breezes from the sixty-mile-wide
 river on which the city stands4  ,the  
,buenos ,ayres of #ahhi was a strange   
place1 with its long1 narrow streets1   
its peculiar stores and many-tongued    
inhabitants4 ,there is the dark-skinned 
policeman at the corner of each block   
sitting silently on his horse1 or       

galloping down the cobbled street at the
 sound of some revolver1 which generally
 tells of a life gone out4 ,arriving on 
the scene he often finds the culprit    
flown4 ,if he succeeds in riding him    
down 7an action he scruples not to do71 
he1 with great show1 and at the sword's 
point1 conducts him to the nearest      
police station4 ,unfortunately he often 
chooses the quiet side streets1 where   
his prisoner may have a chance to buy   
his freedom4 ,if he pays a few dollars1 
the poor vigilante is perfectly willing 
to lose him1 after making sometimes the 
pretence of a struggle to blind the     
lookers-on1 if there be any curious     
enough to interest themselves4 ,this man
 in khaki is often the terror of the    
innocent1 the laughing-stock of the     
guilty4 ,the poor man or the foreign    
sailor1 if he stagger ever so little1 is
 sure to be run in4 ,the ,argentine     
law-keeper 787 is provided with both    
sword and revolver1 but receives small  
remuneration1 and as his salary is often

 tardily paid him1 he augments it in    
this way when he cannot see a good      
opportunity of turning burglar or       
something worse on his own account4     
,when he is low in funds he will accost 
the stranger1 begging a  cigarette1 or  
inviting himself at your expense to the 
nearest cafe1 as the day is so unusually
 hot4 ,after all1 we must not blame him 
too much--his superiors are far from    
guiltless1 and he knows it4 ,when       
,minister ,toso took charge of the      
,provincial portfolio of ,finance1 he   
exclaimed1 ,c-o6 ,todos van robando     
menos yo6 7,everybody is robbing here   
except ,i47 ,it is public news that     
,president ,celman carried away to his  
private residence in the country a most 
beautiful and expensive bronze fountain 
presented by the inhabitants of the city
 to adorn the principal plaza4          
,footnote3 ,public square4 ,the         
president is elected by the people for a
 term of three years1 and invariably    
retires a rich man1 however poor he may 

have been when entering on his office4  
,the laws of the country may be         
described as model and ,christian1 but  
the carrying out of them is a very      
different matter4  ,some of the laws are
 excellent and worthy of our imitation1 
such as1 for example1 the one which     
decrees that bachelors shall be taxed4  
,civil elections are held on ,sundays1  
the voting places being ,roman ,catholic
 churches4  ,both postmen and telegraph 
boys deliver on horseback1 but such is  
the lax custom that everything will do  
to-morrow4 ,that fatal word is the first
 the stranger learns--maana4            
,comparatively few people walk the      
streets4 ,no city in the world of equal 
size and population can compare with    
,buenos ,ayres for the number and extent
 of its tramways4 ,footnote3 ,turner's  
,argentina4 ,a writer in the ,financial 
,news says3 ,the proportion of the      
population who daily use street-cars is 
sixty-six times greater in ,buenos      
,ayres than in the ,united ,kingdom4    

,this ,modern ,athens1 as the           
,argentines love to term their city1 has
 a beautiful climate4 ,for perhaps three
 hundred days out of every year there is
 a sky above as blue as was ever seen in
 ,naples4  ,the natives eat only twice a
 day--at #aj4cj a4m41 and at #g         
p4m4--the common edibles costing but    
little4 ,i could write much of ,buenos  
,ayres1 with its carnicerias1 where a   
leg of mutton may be bought for #bj     
cts41 or a brace of turkeys for #dj     
cts42 its almacenes1 where one may buy a
 pound of sugar or a yard of cotton1 a  
measure of charcoal 7coal is there      
unknown7 or a large sombrero1 a package 
of tobacco 7leaves over two feet long7  
or a pair of white hemp-soled shoes for 
your feet--all at the same counter4 ,the
 customer may further obtain a bottle of
 wine or a bottle of beer 7the latter   
costing four times the price of the     
former7 from the same assistant1 who    
sells at different prices to different  
customers4  ,there the value of money is

 constantly changing1 and almost every  
day prices vary4 ,what to-day costs #bj 
to-morrow may be #ae1 or1 more likely1  
#cj4 ,although one hundred and seventy  
tons of sugar are annually grown in the 
country1 that luxury is decidedly       
expensive4 ,i have paid from #ab cts4 to
 #cj cts4 a pound4 ,oatmeal1 the        
,scotsman's dish1 has cost me up to #ej 
cts4 a pound4  ,coming again on to the  
street you hear the deafening noises of 
the cow horns blown by the streetcar    
drivers1 or the pescador shrilly        
inviting housekeepers to buy the        
repulsive-looking red fish1 carried over
 his shoulder1 slung on a thick bamboo4 
,perhaps you meet a beggar on horseback 
7for there wishes are horses1 and       
beggars do ride71 who piteously whines  
for help4 ,this steed-riding fraternity 
all use invariably the same words3 ,por 
el amor de ,dios dame un centavo6 7,for 
the love of ,god give me a cent47 ,if   
you bestow it1 he will call on his      
patron saint to bless you4 ,if you fail 

to assist him1 the curses of all the    
saints in heaven will fall on your      
impious head4 ,this often causes such a 
shudder in the recipient that ,i have   
known him to turn back to appease the   
wrath of the mendicant1 and receive     
instead--a blessing4  ,it is not an     
uncommon sight to see a black-robed     
priest with his hand on a boy's head    
giving him a benediction that he may be 
enabled to sell his newspapers or       
lottery tickets with more celerity4     
,the ,national ,lottery is a great      
institution1 and hundreds keep          
themselves poor buying tickets4 ,in one 
year the lottery has realized the sum of
 #c1dji1adc4eg4 ,the ,government takes  
forty per cent4 of this1 and divides the
 rest between a number of charitable and
 religious organizations1 all1 needless 
to say1 being ,roman ,catholic4 ,amongst
 the names appear the following3 ,poor  
,sisters of ,st4 ,joseph1 ,workshop of  
,our ,lady1 ,sisters of ,st4 ,anthony1  
etc4  ,little booths for the sale of    

lottery tickets are erected in the      
vestibules of some of the churches1 and 
the ,government1 in this way1 repays the
 church4  ,the gambling passion is one  
of ,argentina's greatest curses4        
,tickets are bought by all1 from the    
,senator down to the newsboy who        
ventures his only dollar4  ,you meet the
 water-seller passing down the street   
with his barrel cart1 drawn by three or 
four horses with tinkling bells1        
dispensing water to customers at five   
cents a pail4 ,the poorer classes have  
no other means of procuring this        
precious liquid4 ,the water is kept in a
 corner of the house in large sun-baked 
jars4 ,a peculiarity of these pots is   
that they are not made to stand alone1  
but have to be held up by something4    
,at early morning and evening the       
milkman goes his rounds on horseback4   
,the milk he carries in six long1 narrow
 cans1 like inverted sugar-loaves1 three
 on each side of his raw-hide saddle1 he
 himself being perched between them on a

 sheepskin4 ,in some cans he carries    
pure cream1 which the jolting of his    
horse soon converts into butter4 ,this  
he lifts out with his hands to any who  
care to buy4 ,after the addition of a   
little salt1 and the subtraction of a   
little buttermilk1 this manteca is      
excellent4 ,after serving you he will   
again mount his horse1 but not until his
 hands have been well wiped on its tail1
 which almost touches the ground4 ,the  
other cans of the lechero contain a     
mixture known to him alone4 ,i never    
analyzed it1 but have remarked a chalky 
substance in the bottom of my glass4 ,he
 does not profess to sell pure milk2    
that you can buy1 but1 of course1 at a  
higher price1 from the pure milk seller4
 ,in the cool of the afternoon he will  
bring round his cows1 with bells on     
their necks and calves dragging behind4 
,the calves are tied to the mothers'    
tails1 and wear a muzzle4 ,at a sh-h    
from the sidewalk he stops them1 and1   
stooping down1 fills your pitcher       

according to your money4 ,the cows1     
through being born and bred to a life in
 the streets1 are generally             
miserable-looking beasts4 ,strange to   
add1 the one milkman shoes his cows and 
the other leaves his horse unshod4 ,it  
is not customary in this country for    
man's noble friend to wear more than his
 own natural hoof4 ,a visit to the      
blacksmith is entertaining4 ,the smith1 
by means of a short lasso1 deftly trips 
up the animal1 and1 with its legs       
securely lashed1 the cow must lie on its
 back while he shoes its upturned hoofs4
  ,many and varied are the scenes4 ,one 
is struck by the number of horses1 seven
 and eight often being yoked to one     
cart1 which even then they sometimes    
find difficult to draw4 ,some of the    
streets are very bad1 worse than our    
country lanes1 and filled with deep ruts
 and drains1 into which the horses often
 fall4 ,there the driver will sometimes 
cruelly leave them1 when1 after his arm 
aches in using the whip1 he finds the   

animal cannot rise4 ,for the veriest    
trifle ,i have known men to smash the   
poor dumb brute's eyes out with the     
stock of the whip1 and ,i have been very
 near the ,police ,station more than    
once when my righteous blood compelled  
me to interfere4 ,where1 oh1 where is   
the ,society for the ,prevention of     
,cruelty to ,animals8 ,surely no        
suffering creatures under the sun cry   
out louder for mercy than those in      
,argentina8  ,as ,i have said1 horses   
are left to die in the public streets4  
,it has been my painful duty to pass    
moaning creatures lying helplessly in   
the road1 with broken limbs1 under a    
burning sun1 suffering hunger and       
thirst1 for three consecutive days1     
before kind death1 the sufferer's       
friend1 released them4 ,looking on such 
sights1 seeing every street urchin with 
coarse laugh and brutal jest jump on    
such an animal's quivering body1 stuff  
its parched mouth with mud1 or poke     
sticks into its staring eyes1 ,i have   

cried aloud at the injustice4 ,the      
policeman and the passers-by have only  
laughed at me for my pains4  ,in my     
experiences in ,south ,america ,i found 
cruelty to be a marked feature of the   
people4 ,if the father thrusts his      
dagger into his enemy1 and the mother1  
in her fits of rage1 sticks her hairpin 
into her maid's body1 can it be wondered
 at if the children inherit cruel       
natures8 ,how often have ,i seen a poor 
horse fall between the shafts of some   
loaded cart of bricks or sand6 ,never   
once have ,i seen his harness undone and
 willing hands help him up1 as in other 
civilized lands4 ,no1 the lashing of the
 cruel whip or the knife's point is his 
only help4 ,if1 as some religious       
writers have said1 the horse will be a  
sharer of ,paradise along with man1 his 
master1 then those from ,buenos ,ayres  
will feed in stalls of silver and have  
their wounds healed by the clover of    
eternal kindness4 ,god is ,love4  ,i    
have said the streets are full of holes4

 ,in justice to the authorities ,i must 
mention the fact that sometimes1        
especially at the crossings1 these are  
filled up4 ,to carry truthfulness still 
further1 however1 ,i must state that    
more than once ,i have known them       
bridged over with the putrefying remains
 of a horse in the last stages of       
decomposition4 ,i have seen delicate    
ladies1 attired in ,parisian furbelows1 
lift their dainty skirts1 attempt the   
crossing--and sink in a mass of         
corruption1 full of maggots4  ,in my    
description of ,buenos ,ayres ,i must   
not omit to mention the large square1   
black1 open hearses so often seen       
rapidly drawn through the streets1 the  
driver seeming to travel as quickly as  
he can4 ,in the centre of the coach is  
the coffin1 made of white wood and      
covered with black material1 fastened on
 with brass nails4 ,around this gruesome
 object sit the relatives and friends of
 the departed one on their journey to   
the chacarita1 or cemetery1 some six    

miles out from the centre of the city4  
,cemeteries in ,spanish ,america are    
divided into three enclosures4 ,there is
 the cemetery of heaven1 the cemetery of
 purgatory1 and the cemetery of hell4   
,the location of the soul in the future 
is thus seen to be dependent on its     
location by the priests here4 ,the dead 
are buried on the day of their death1   
when possible1 or1 if not1 then early on
 the following morning2 but never1 ,i   
believe1 on feast days4 ,those periods  
are set apart for pleasure1 and on      
important saint days banners and flags  
of all nations are hung across the      
streets1 or adorn the roofs of the      
flat-topped houses1 where the washing is
 at other times dried4  ,after attending
 mass in the early morning on these     
days1 the people give themselves up to  
revelry and sin at home1 or crowd the   
street-cars running to the parks and    
suburbs4 ,many with departed relatives  
7and who has none87 go to the chacarita1
 and for a few pesos bargain with the   

black-robed priest waiting there1 to    
deliver their precious dead out of      
,purgatory4 ,if he sings the prayer the 
cost is double1 but supposed to be also 
doubly efficacious4 ,mothers do not     
always inspire filial respect in their  
offspring1 for one young man declared   
that he wanted to get his mother out of 
,purgatory before he went in4  ,a       
,buenos ,ayres missionary writes ,there 
are two large cemeteries here4 ,from    
early morn until late at night the      
people crowd into them1 and ,i am told  
there were #ajj1jjj at one time in one  
of them4 ,november #a is a special day  
for releasing thousands of souls out of 
,purgatory4 ,we printed thousands of    
tracts and the workers started out to   
distribute them4 ,by ten o'clock six of 
them were in jail1 having been given    
into custody by a 'holy father4' ,they  
were detained until six in the evening  
without food1 and then were released    
through the efforts of a ,methodist     
minister4  ,the catechisn reads3 ,attend

 mass all ,sundays and ,feast days4     
,confess at least once a year1 or       
oftener1 if there is any fear of death4 
,take ,sacrament at ,easter time4 ,pay a
 tenth of first-fruits to ,god's        
,church4 ,the fourth commandment is     
condensed into the words3 ,sanctify the 
,feast days4 ,from this it will be seen 
that there is great need for mission    
work4 ,of course ,romanism in this and  
other cities is losing its old grip upon
 the people1 and because of this the    
priest is putting forth superhuman      
effort to retain what he has4 ,la ,voz  
de la ,iglesia 7,the ,voice of the      
,church71 the organ of the ,bishop of   
,buenos ,ayres1 has lately published    
some of the strongest articles we have  
ever read4 ,a late article concludes3   
,one thing only1 one thing3 ,,obey2     
,,obey ,,blindly4 ,comply with her 7the 
,church's7 commands with faithful       
loyalty4 ,if we do this1 it is          
impossible for ,protestantism to invade 
the flowery camp of the ,church1 ,holy1 

,catholic1 ,apostolic and ,roman4       
,articles such as this1 however1 and the
 circulation of a tract by one of the   
leading church presses1 are not         
calculated to help forward a losing     
cause4 ,the tract referred to is        
entitled1 ,letter of ,jesus about the   
,drops of ,blood which ,he shed whilst  
,he went to ,calvary4 ,you know that the
 soldiers numbered #aej1 twenty-five of 
whom conducted me bound4 ,i received    
fifty blows on the head and #ajh on the 
breast4 ,i was pulled by the hair #bc   
times1 and #cj persons spat in my face4 
,those who struck me on the upper part  
of the body were #f1fff1 and #ajj ,jews 
struck me on the head4 ,i sighed #abe   
times4 ,the wounds on the head numbered 
#bj2 from the crown of thorns1 #gb2     
points of thorns on the forehead1 #ajj4 
,the wounds on the body were #ajj4      
,there came out of my body #bh1dcj drops
 of blood4 ,this letter1 the tract      
states1 was found in the ,holy          
,sepulchre and is preserved by his      

holiness the ,pope4 ,intelligent1       
thinking men can only smile at such an  
utter absurdity4  ,an ,echoes from      
,argentina extract reads3 ,not many     
months ago1 ,argentina was blessed by   
the ,pope4 ,note what has happened      
since3--,the ,archbishop1 who was the   
bearer of the blessing and brought it   
from ,rome1 has since died very         
suddenly2 we have had a terrible        
visitation of heat suffocation1 hundreds
 being attacked and very many dying2 we 
have had the bubonic pest in our midst2 
a bloody provincial revolution in ,entre
 ,rios2 and now at the time of writing  
there is an outbreak of a serious cattle
 disease1 and ,england has closed her   
ports against ,argentine live stock4 ,of
 course1 we do not say that these       
calamities are the result of the ,pope's
 blessing1 but we would that ,catholics 
would open their eyes and see that it is
 a fact that whereas ,protestant        
countries1 anathematized by the ,pope1  
prosper1 ,catholic countries which have 

been blessed by him are in a lamentable 
condition4  ,,buenos ,,ayres ,,at ,,the 
,,present ,,time4  ,perhaps no city of  
the world has grown and progressed more 
during this last decade than the city of
 ,buenos ,ayres4 ,to-day passengers land
 in the centre of the city and step on  
the most expensive system of artificial 
docks in all ,america1 representing an  
expenditure of seventy million dollars4 
,to this city there is a large          
emigration4 ,it has grown at the rate of
 #d1jjj adults a week1 with a birthrate 
of #a1jjj a week added4 ,the population 
is now fast climbing up to #a #a-b      
millions of inhabitants4 ,there are     
#cjj1jjj ,italians1 #ajj1jjj ,spaniards1
 a colony of #bj1jjj ,britishers1 and1  
of course1 ,jews and other foreigners in
 proportion4 ,buenos ,ayres is one of   
the most cosmopolitan cities of the     
world4 ,there are #ahi newspapers1      
printed in almost every language of the 
globe4 ,probably the only ,syrian       
newspaper in ,america1 ,the ,assudk1 is 

issued in this city4 ,to keep pace with 
the rush of newcomers has necessitated  
the building of #cj1jjj houses every    
year4 ,there is here the finest and     
costliest structure ever built1 used    
exclusively by one newspaper1 the home  
of ,la ,prensa2 the most magnificent    
opera house of the western hemisphere1  
erected by the government at the cost of
 ten million dollars2 one of the largest
 banks in the world1 and the handsomest 
and largest clubhouse in the world4     
,footnote3 ,john ,barrett1 ,in ,munsey's
 ,magazine4 ,the entrance fee to this   
club is #a1ejj4 ,the ,y4,m4,c4,a4 is now
 erecting a commodious building1 for    
which #bjj1jjj has already been raised1 
and there is a ,y4,w4,c4,a41 with a     
membership of five hundred4 ,dr4 ,clark1
 in ,the ,continent of ,opportunity1    
says1 ,more millionaires live in ,buenos
 ,ayres than in any other city of the   
world of its size4 ,the proportion of   
well-clothed1 well-fed people is greater
 than in ,american cities1 the slums are

 smaller1 and the submerged classes less
 in proportion4 ,the constant movement  
of carriages and automobiles here quite 
surpasses that of ,fifth ,avenue4 ,the  
street cars are of the latest and most  
improved electric types1 equal to any   
seen in ,new ,york or ,london1 and seat 
one hundred people1 inside and out4     
,besides these there is an excellent    
service of motor cabs1 and tubes are    
being commenced4 ,level crossings for   
the steam roads are not permitted in the
 city limits1 so all trains run over or 
under the streets4  ,the ,post ,office  
handles #dj1jjj1jjj pieces of mail and  
#abe1jjj parcel post packages a month4  
,the city has #a1bji automobiles1 #bg   
theatres and #ej moving picture shows4  
,five thousand vessels enter the port of
 ,buenos ,ayres every year1 and the     
export of meat in #aiaj was valued at   
#ca1jjj1jjj4 ,no other section of the   
world shows such growth4 ,footnote3 ,c4 
,h4 ,furlong1 in ,the ,world's ,work4   
,the city1 once so unhealthy1 is now1   

through proper drainage1 the second     
healthiest large city of the world4 ,the
 streets1 as ,i first saw them1 were    
roughly cobbled1 now they are asphalt   
paved1 and made into beautiful avenues1 
such as would grace any capital of the  
world4 ,avenida de ,mayo1 cut right     
through the old city1 is famed as being 
one of the most costly and beautiful    
avenues of the world4  ,on those streets
 the equestrian milkman is no longer    
seen4 ,beautiful sanitary white-tiled   
tambos1 where pure milk and butter are  
sold1 have taken his place4 ,the old has
 been transformed and ,,progress is     
written everywhere4     ,,chapter ,,ii4 
,,revolution4   ,south ,america1 of all 
lands1 has been most torn asunder by    
war4 ,revolutions may be numbered by    
hundreds1 and the slaughter has been    
incredible4 ,even since the opening of  
the year #aijj1 thirty thousand         
,colombians have been slain and there   
have been dozens of revolutions4 ,darwin
 relates the fact that in #ahcb         

,argentina underwent fifteen changes of 
government in nine months1 owing to     
internal strife1 and since then         
,argentina has had its full share4      
,during my residence in ,buenos ,ayres  
there occurred one of those disastrous  
revolutions which have from time to time
 shaken the whole ,republic4 ,the       
,president1 ,don ,juarez ,celman1 had   
long been unpopular1 and1 the mass of   
the people being against him1 as well as
 nearly half of the standing army1 and  
all the fleet then anchored in the      
river1 the time was considered ripe to  
strike a blow4  ,on the morning of ,july
 #bf1 #ahij1 the sun rose upon thousands
 of stern-looking men bivouacking in the
 streets and public squares of the city4
 ,the revolution had commenced1 and was 
led by one of the most distinguished    
,argentine citizens1 ,general ,joseph   
,mary ,campos4 ,the battle-cry of these 
men was ,sangre6 ,sangre6 ,footnote3    
,blood6 ,blood6 ,the war fiend stalked  
forth4 ,trenches were dug in the        

streets4 ,guns were placed at every     
point of vantage4 ,men mounted their    
steeds with a careless laugh1 while the 
rising sun shone on their burnished     
arms1 so soon to be stained with blood4 
,battalions of men marched up and down  
the streets to the sound of martial     
music1 and the low1 flat-roofed         
housetops were quickly filled with      
sharpshooters4  ,the ,government ,house 
and residence of the ,president was     
guarded in all directions by the #bnd   
,battalion of the ,line1 the firemen and
 a detachment of police1 but on the     
river side were four gunboats of the    
revolutionary party4  ,the average      
,south ,american is a man of quick      
impulses and little thought4 ,the first 
shot fired by the ,government troops was
 the signal for a fusilade that         
literally shook the city4 ,rifle shots  
cracked1 big guns roared1 and shells    
screaming overhead descended in all     
directions1 carrying death and          
destruction4 ,street-cars1 wagons and   

cabs were overturned to form barricades4
 ,in the narrow1 straight streets the   
carnage was fearful1 and blood soon     
trickled down the watercourses and dyed 
the pavements4 ,that morning the sun had
 risen for the last time upon six       
hundred strong men2 it set upon their   
mangled remains4 ,six hundred souls6    
,the ,argentine soldier knows little of 
the science of hide and seek warfare4   
,when he goes forth to battle1 it is to 
fight--or die4 ,of the future life he   
unfortunately thinks little1 and of     
,christ1 the world's ,redeemer1 he      
seldom or never hears4 ,the ,roman      
,catholic chaplain mumbles a few ,latin 
prayers to them at times1 but as the    
knowledge of these resos does not seem  
to improve the priest's life1 the men   
prefer to remain in ignorance4  ,the    
average ,argentine soldier is a man of  
little intelligence4 ,the regiments are 
composed of ,patagonian ,indians or     
semi-civilized ,guaranis1 mixed with all
 classes of criminals from the state    

prisons4 ,nature has imprinted upon them
 the unmistakable marks of the          
savage--sullen1 stupid ferocity1        
indifference to pain1 bestial instincts4
 ,as for his fighting qualities1 they   
more resemble those of the tiger than of
 the cool1 brave and trained soldier4   
,when his blood is roused1 fighting is  
with him a matter of blind and          
indiscriminate carnage of friend or foe4
 ,a more villainous-looking horde it    
would be difficult to find in any army4 
,the splendid accoutrements of the      
generals and superior officers1 and the 
glittering equipments of their chargers1
 offer a vivid contrast to the mean and 
dirty uniforms of the troops4  ,during  
the day the whole territory of the      
,republic was declared to be in a state 
of siege4 ,business was at a complete   
standstill4 ,the stores were all closed1
 and many of them fortified with the    
first means that came to hand4          
,mattresses1 doors1 furniture1          
everything was requisitioned1 and the   

greatest excitement prevailed in        
commercial circles generally4 ,all the  
gun-makers' shops had soon been cleared 
of their contents1 which were in the    
hands of the adherents of the           
revolution4  ,that evening the news of  
the insurrection was flashed by         
,reuter's to all parts of the civilized 
world4 ,the following appeared in one of
 the largest ,british dailies3  ,,buenos
 ,,ayres1 ,july #bg1 #e4dj p4m4  ,the   
fighting in the streets between the     
,government troops and the insurgents   
has been of the most desperate          
character4  ,the forces of the          
,government have been defeated4  ,the   
losses in killed and wounded are        
estimated at #a1jjj4  ,the fleet is in  
favor of the ,revolutionists4           
,government house and the barracks      
occupied by the ,government troops have 
been bombarded by the insurgent         
artillery4  ,that night as ,i went in   
and out of the squads of men on the     
revolutionary side1 seeking to do some  

acts of mercy1 ,i saw many strange and  
awful sights4 ,there were wounded men   
who refused to leave the field1 although
 the rain poured4 ,others were employed 
in cooking or ravenously eating the dead
 horses which strewed the streets4 ,some
 were lying down to drink the water     
flowing in the gutters1 which water was 
often tinged with human blood1 for the  
rain was by this time washing away many 
of the dark spots in the streets4       
,others lay coiled up in heaps under    
their soaking ponchos1 trying to sleep a
 little1 their arms stacked close at    
hand4 ,there were men to all appearances
 fast asleep1 standing with their arms  
in the reins of the horses which had    
borne them safely through the leaden    
hail of that day of terror4 ,numerous   
were the jokes and loud was the coarse  
laughter of many who next day would be  
lying stiff in death1 but little thought
 seemed to be expended on that          
possibility4  ,men looted the stores and
 feasted1 or wantonly destroyed         

valuables they had no use for4 ,none    
stopped this havoc1 for the officers    
were quartered in the adjacent houses1  
themselves holding high revelry4        
,lawless hordes visited the police      
offices1 threw their furniture into the 
streets1 tore to shreds all the books1  
papers and records found1 and created   
general havoc4 ,they gorged and cursed1 
using swords for knives1 and lay down in
 the soaking streets or leaned against  
the guns to smoke the inevitable        
cigarillo4 ,a few looked up at the      
gilded keys of ,st4 ,peter adorning the 
front of the cathedral1 perhaps         
wondering if they would be used to admit
 them to a better world4  ,next day1 as 
,i sallied forth to the dismal duty of  
caring for the dead and dying1 the guns 
of the ,argentine fleet ,footnote3      
,british-built vessels of the latest and
 most approved types4 in the river      
opposite the city blazed forth upon the 
quarter held by the ,government's loyal 
troops4 ,one hundred and fifty-four     

shots were fired1 two of the largest    
gunboats firing three-hundred and       
six-hundred pounders4 ,soon every square
 was a shambles1 and the mud oozed with 
blood4 ,the ,buenos ,ayres ,standard1   
describing that day of fierce warfare1  
stated3  ,at dawn1 the ,national troops1
 quartered in the ,plaza ,libertad1 made
 another desperate attack on the        
,revolutionary positions in the ,plaza  
,lavalle4 ,the ,krupp guns1             
mitrailleuses and gatlings went off at a
 terrible rate1 and volleys succeeded   
each other1 second for second1 from five
 in the morning till half-past nine4    
,the work of death was fearful1 and     
hundreds of spectators were shot down as
 they watched from their balconies or   
housetops4 ,cannon balls riddled all the
 houses near the ,cinco ,esquinas4 ,in  
the attack on the ,plaza ,lavalle1 three
 hundred men must have fallen4          
,illustration  ,at ten a4m4 the white   
flag of truce was hoisted on both sides1
 and the dismal work of collecting the  

dead and wounded began4 ,the ambulances 
of the ,asistencia ,publica1 the cars of
 the tram companies and the wagons of   
the ,red ,cross were busily engaged all 
day in carrying away the dead4 ,it is   
estimated that in the ,plaza ,lavalle   
above #fjj men were wounded and #cjj    
killed4 ,considering that the           
,revolutionists defended an entrenched  
position1 whilst the ,national troops   
attacked1 we may imagine that the losses
 of the latter were enormous4  ,general 
,lavalle1 commander-in-chief of the     
,national forces1 gave orders for a     
large number of coffins1 which were not 
delivered1 as the undertaker wished to  
be paid cash4 ,it is to be supposed that
 these coffins were for the dead        
officers4  ,when the white flags were   
run up1 ,dr4 ,del ,valle1 ,senator of   
the ,nation1 sent1 in the name of the   
,revolutionary ,committee1 an ultimatum 
to the ,national ,government1 demanding 
the immediate dismissal of the          
,president of the ,republic and         

dissolution of ,congress4 ,later on it  
was known that both parties had agreed  
on an armistice1 to last till mid-day on
 ,monday4  ,of the third day's          
sanguinary fighting1 the ,standard      
wrote3  ,the ,plaza ,libertad was taken 
by ,general ,lavalle at the head of the 
,national troops under the most terrible
 fire1 but the regiments held well      
together and carried the position in a  
most gallant manner1 confirming the     
reputation of indomitable valor that the
 ,argentine troops won at the trenches  
of ,curupayti4 ,our readers may imagine 
the fire they suffered in the straight  
streets swept by ,krupp guns1 gatlings  
and mitrailleuses1 while every housetop 
was a fortress whence a deadly fire was 
poured on the heads of the soldiers4    
,let anybody take the trouble to visit  
the ,calles ,footnote3 ,streets         
,cerrito1 ,libertad and ,talcahuano1 the
 vicinity of the ,plazas ,parque and    
,lavalle1 and he will be staggered to   
see how all the houses have been riddled

 by mitrailleuses and rifle bullets4    
,the passage of cannon balls is marked  
on the iron frames of windows1 smashed  
frames and demolished balconies of the  
houses4  ,the ,miro ,palace1 in the     
,plaza ,parque1 is a sorry picture of   
wreckage3 the 'mirador' is knocked to   
pieces by balls and shells2 the walls   
are riddled on every side1 and nearly   
all the beautiful ,italian balconies and
 buttresses have been demolished4 ,the  
firing around the palace must have been 
fearful1 to judge by the utter ruin     
about1 and all the telephone wires      
dangling over the street in meshes from 
every house4 ,ruin and wreckage         
everywhere4  ,by this time the hospitals
 of the city1 the churches and public   
buildings were filled with the wounded  
and dying1 borne there on stretchers    
made often of splintered and shattered  
doors4 ,nearly a hundred men were taken 
into the ,san ,francisco convent alone4 
,yet with all this the lust for blood   
was not quenched4 ,it could still be    

written of the fourth day3  ,at about   
half-past two1 a sharp attack was made  
by the ,government troops on the ,plaza 
,parque1 and a fearful fire was kept up4
 ,hundreds and hundreds fell on both    
sides1 but the ,government troops were  
finally repulsed4 ,people standing at   
the corners of the streets cheering for 
the ,revolutionists were fired on and   
many were killed4 ,bodies of ,government
 troops were stationed at the corners of
 the streets leading to the ,plaza1     
,large bales of hay had been heaped up  
to protect them from the deadly fire of 
the ,revolutionists4  ,it was at times  
difficult to remember that heavy        
slaughter was going on around4 ,in many 
parts of the city people were chatting1 
joking and laughing at their doors4 ,the
 attitude of the foreign population was 
more serious2 they seemed to foresee the
 heavy responsibilities of the position 
and to accurately forecast the result of
 the insurrection4  ,the bulletins of   
the various newspapers during the       

revolution were purchased by the        
thousand and perused with the utmost    
avidity2 fancy prices were often paid   
for them4 ,the ,sunday edition of ,the  
,standard was sold by enterprising      
newsboys in the suburbs as high as #c4jj
 per copy1 whilst fifty cents was the   
regulation price for a momentary peep at
 our first column4  ,towards the close  
of that memorable #bith of ,july the    
hail of bullets ceased1 but the         
insurgent fleet still kept up its       
destructive bombardment of the          
,government houses for four hours4  ,the
 ,revolutionists were defeated1 or1 as  
was seriously affirmed1 had been sold   
for the sum of one million ,argentine   
dollars4  ,estamos vendidos6 ,estamos   
vendidos6 7,we are sold6 ,we are sold67 
was heard on every hand4 ,because of    
this surrender officers broke their     
swords and men threw away their rifles  
as they wept with rage4 ,a sergeant     
exclaimed3 ,and for this they called us 
out--to surrender without a struggle6   

,cowards6 ,poltroons6 ,and then with a  
stern glance around he placed his rifle 
to his breast and shot himself through  
the heart4 ,after the cessation of      
hostilities both sides collected their  
dead1 and the wounded were placed under 
the care of surgeons1 civil as well as  
military4  ,notwithstanding the fact    
that the insurgents were said to be     
defeated1 the ,president1 ,dr4 ,celman1 
fled from the city1 and the amusing     
spectacle was seen of men and youths    
patrolling the streets wearing cards in 
their hats which read3 ,ya se fue el    
burro 7,at last the donkey has gone74 ,a
 more serious sight1 however1 was when  
the effigy of the fleeing ,president was
 crucified4  ,thus ended the            
insurrection of #ahij1 a rising which   
sent three thousand brave men into      
eternity4  ,what changes had taken place
 in four short days6 ,at the ,plaza     
,libertad the wreckage was most         
complete4 ,the beautiful partierres were
 trodden down by horses2 the trees had  

been partially cut down for fuel2 pools 
of blood1 remnants of slaughtered       
animals1 offal1 refuse everywhere4      
,since the glorious days of the ,british
 invasion--glorious from an ,argentine  
point of view--,buenos ,ayres had never 
seen its streets turned into barricades 
and its housetops into fortresses4 ,in  
times of electoral excitement we had    
seen electors attack each other in bands
 many years1 but never was organized    
warfare carried on as during this       
revolution4 ,the ,plaza ,parque was     
occupied by four or five thousand       
,revolutionary troops2 all access to the
 ,plaza was defended by armed groups on 
the house-tops and barricades in the    
streets1 ,krupp guns and that most      
infernal of modern inventions1 the      
mitrailleuse1 swept all the streets1    
north1 south1 east and west4 ,the deadly
 grape swept the streets down to the    
very river1 and not twenty thousand men 
could have taken the ,revolutionary     
position by storm1 except by gutting the

 houses and piercing the blocks1 as     
,colonel ,garmendia proposed1 to avoid  
the awful loss of life suffered in the  
taking of the ,plaza ,libertad on       
,saturday morning4  ,at the close of the
 revolution the great city found itself 
suffering from a quasi-famine4 ,high    
prices were asked for everything4 ,in   
some districts provisions could not be  
obtained even at famine prices4 ,the    
writer for the first time in his life   
had to go here and there to beg a loaf  
of bread for his family's needs4  ,a    
reporter of the ,argentine ,news1 ,july 
#cast of that same year1 wrote3  ,there 
is a revolution going on in ,rosario4   
,it began on ,saturday1 when the        
,revolutionists surprised the           
,government party1 and by one on ,sunday
 most of the ,government buildings were 
in their hands4 ,it is now eight in the 
morning and the firing is terrible4     
,volunteers are coming into the town    
from all parts1 so the rebels are bound 
to win the stronghold shortly4 ,news has

 just come that the ,government troops  
have surrendered4 ,four p4m4--,i have   
been out to see the dead and wounded    
gathered up by the ambulance wagons4 ,i 
should think the dead are less than a   
hundred1 and the wounded about four     
times that number4 ,the surprise was so 
sudden that the victory has been easy   
and with little loss of life4 ,the      
,revolutionists are behaving well and   
not destroying property as they might   
have done4 ,the whole town is rejoicing2
 flags of all nations are flying        
everywhere4 ,the saddest thing about the
 affair is that some fifty murderers    
have escaped from the prison4 ,i saw    
many of them running away when ,i got   
upon the spot4 ,the order has been given
 to recapture them4 ,i trust they may be
 caught1 for we have too many of that   
class at liberty already4 99 99 99 99   
,it is estimated that over #ajj1jjj     
rounds of ammunition were fired in the  
two days4 99 99 99 ,the insurgents fed  
on horse-meat and beef1 the former being

 obtained by killing the horses         
belonging to the police1 the latter from
 the various dairies1 from which the    
cows were seized4  ,in #aiaa the two    
largest ,dreadnoughts of the world1 the 
,rivadavia and the ,moreno1 were        
launched for the ,argentine ,government4
 ,these two battleships are half as     
powerful again as the largest ,british  
,dreadnought4     ,,chapter ,,iii4      
,,the ,,criollo ,,village4   ,the       
different centres of trade and commerce 
in the ,argentine can easily be reached 
by train or river steamer4 ,rosario1    
with its #adj1jjj inhabitants1 in the   
north2 ,bahia ,blanca1 where there is   
the largest wheat elevator in the world1
 in the south1 and ,mendoza1 at the foot
 of the ,andes1 several times destroyed 
by earthquake1 five hundred miles       
west--all these are more or less like   
the capital4  ,to arrive at an isolated 
village of the interior the traveller   
must be content to ride1 as ,i did1 on  
horseback1 or be willing to jolt along  

for weeks in a wagon without springs4   
,these carts are drawn by eight1 ten1 or
 more bullocks1 as the weight warrants1 
and are provided with two very strong   
wheels1 without tires1 and often        
standing eight and ten feet high4 ,the  
patient animals1 by means of a yoke     
fastened to their horns with raw-hide1  
draw these carts through long prairie   
grass or sinking morass1 through swollen
 rivers or oozing mud1 over which       
malaria hangs in visible forms4  ,the   
voyager must be prepared to suffer a    
little hunger and thirst on the way4 ,he
 must sleep amongst the baggage in the  
cart1 or on the broader bed of the      
ground1 where snakes and tarantulas     
creep and the heavy dew saturates one   
through and through4  ,as is well known1
 the bullock is a slow animal1 and these
 never travel more than two or three    
miles an hour4  ,time with the native is
 no object4 ,the words1 ,with patience  
we win heaven1 are ever on his lips4    
,the ,argentine countryman is decidedly 

lazy4  ,darwin relates that he asked two
 men the question3 ,why don't you work8 
,one said3 ,the days are too long6      
,another answered3 ,i am too poor4      
,with these people nothing can succeed  
unless it is begun when the moon is on  
the increase4 ,the result is that little
 is accomplished4  ,you cannot make the 
driver understand your haste1 and the   
bullocks understand and care still less4
  ,the mosquitoes do their best to eat  
you up alive1 unless your body has      
already had all the blood sucked out of 
it1 a humiliating1 painful and          
disfiguring process4 ,you must carry    
with you sufficient food for the        
journey1 or it may happen that1 like me1
 you are only able to shoot a small ring
 dove1 and with its entrails fish out of
 the muddy stream a monster turtle for  
the evening meal4  ,if1 on the other    
hand1 you pass a solitary house1 they   
will with pleasure give you a sheep4 ,if
 you killed one without permission your 
punishment would perhaps be greater than

 if you had killed a man4  ,if a bullock
 becomes ill on the road1 the driver    
will1 with his knife1 cut all around the
 sod where the animal has left its      
footprint4 ,lifting this out1 he will   
cut a cross on it and replace it the    
other side uppermost4 ,this cure is most
 implicitly believed in and practised4  
,illustration  ,the making of the cross 
is supposed to do great wonders1 which  
your guide is never tired of recounting 
while he drinks his mte in the unbroken 
stillness of the evening4 ,alas6 the    
many bleaching bones on the road testify
 that this1 and a hundred other such    
remedies1 are not always effectual1 but 
the mind of the native is so full of    
superstitious faith that the testimony  
of his own eyes will not convince him of
 the absurdity of his belief4 ,as he    
stoops over the fire you will notice on 
his breast some trinket or              
relic--anything will do if blessed by   
the priest--and that1 he assures you1   
will save him from every unknown and    

unseen danger in his land voyage4 ,the  
priest has said it1 and he rests        
satisfied that no lightning stroke will 
fell him1 no lurking panther pounce upon
 him1 nor will he die of thirst or any  
other evil4 ,i have remarked men of the 
most cruel1 cutthroat description       
wearing these treasures with zealous    
care1 especially one1 of whom it was    
said that he had killed two wives4      
,when your driver is young and amorously
 inclined you will notice that he never 
starts for the regions beyond without   
first providing himself with an owl's   
skin4 ,this tied on his breast1 he tells
 you1 will ensure him favor in the eyes 
of the females he may meet on the road1 
and on arrival at his destination4  ,i  
once witnessed what at first sight      
appeared to be a heavy fall of snow     
coming up with the wind from the south4 
,strange to relate1 this phenomenon     
turned out to be millions of white      
butterflies of large size4 ,some of     
these1 when measured1 ,i found to be    

four and five inches across the wings4  
,darwin relates his having1 in #ahcb1   
seen the same sight1 when his men       
exclaimed that it was snowing           
butterflies4  ,the inhabitants of these 
trackless wilds are very1 very few1 but 
in all directions ,i saw numbers of     
ostriches1 which run at the least sign  
of man1 their enemy4 ,the fastest horse 
could not outstrip this bird as with    
wings outstretched he speeds before the 
hunter4 ,as ,job1 perhaps the oldest    
historian of the world1 truly says3     
,what time she lifteth herself up on    
high1 she scorneth the horse and his    
rider4 ,the male bird joins his spouse  
in hatching the eggs1 sitting on them   
perhaps longer turns than the female1   
but the weather is so hot that little   
brooding is required4 ,i have had them  
on the shelf of my cupboard for a week1 
when the little ones have forced their  
way out ,forty days is the time of      
incubation1 so1 naturally1 those must   
have been already sat on for            

thirty-three days4 ,with open wings     
these giant birds often manage to cover 
from twenty-five to forty-five eggs1    
although1 ,i think1 they seldom bring   
out more than twenty4 ,the rest they    
roll out of the nest1 where1 soon       
rotting1 they breed innumerable insects1
 and provide tender food for the coming 
young4 ,the latter1 on arrival1 are     
always reared by the male ostrich1 who1 
not being a model husband1 ignominiously
 drives away the partner of his joys4   
,it might seem that he has some reason  
for doing this1 for the old historian   
before referred to says3 ,she is        
hardened against her young ones as      
though they were not hers4  ,as the     
longest road leads somewhere1 the glare 
of the whitewashed church at last meets 
your longing gaze on the far horizon4   
,the village churches are always        
whitewashed1 and an old man is          
frequently employed to strike the hours 
on the tower bell by guess4  ,i was much
 struck by the sameness of the many     

different interior towns and villages ,i
 visited4 ,each wore the same aspect of 
indolent repose1 and each was built in  
exact imitation of the other4 ,each town
 possesses its plaza1 where palms and   
other semi-tropical plants wave their   
leaves and send out their perfume4      
,from the principal city to the meanest 
village1 the streets all bear the same  
names4 ,in every town you may find a    
,holy ,faith street1 a ,st4 ,john street
 and a ,holy ,ghost street1 and these   
streets are shaded by orange1 lemon1    
pomegranate1 fig and other trees1 the   
fruit of which is free to all who choose
 to gather4 ,all streets are in all     
parts in a most disgraceful condition1  
and at night beneath the heavy foliage  
of the trees ,egyptian darkness reigns4 
,except in daylight1 it is difficult to 
walk those wretched roads1 where a goat 
often finds progress a difficulty4      
,rotten fruit1 branches of trees1 ashes1
 etc41 all go on the streets4 ,a hole is
 often bridged over by a putrefying     

animal1 over which run half-naked       
urchins1 pelting each other with oranges
 or lemons--common as stones4 ,when the 
highways are left in such a state1 is it
 to be wondered at that1 while standing 
on my own door-step1 ,i have been able  
to count eleven houses where smallpox   
was doing its deadly work1 all within a 
radius of one hundred yards8  ,even in  
the city of ,la ,plata1 the second of   
importance in ,argentina1 ,i once had   
the misfortune to fall into an open     
drain while passing down one of the     
principal streets4 ,the night was       
intensely dark1 and yet there was no    
light left there to warn either         
pedestrian or vehicle-driver1 and this  
sewer was seven feet deep4  ,simple     
rusticity and ignorance are the chief   
characteristics of the country people4  
,they used to follow and stare at me as 
though ,i were a visitor from ,mars or  
some other planet4 ,when ,i spoke to    
them in their language they were        
delighted1 and respectfully hung on my  

words with bared heads4 ,when1 however1 
,i told them of electric cars and       
underground railways1 they turned away  
in incredulity1 thinking that such      
marvels as these could not possibly be4 
,old ,world towns they seem to be4 ,the 
houses are built of sun-baked mud       
bricks1 kneaded by mares that splash and
 trample through the oozy substance for 
hours to mix it well4 ,the poorer people
 build ranches of long1 slender canes or
 ,indian cornstalks tied together by    
grass and coated with mud4 ,these are   
all erected around and about the most   
imposing edifice in the place--the      
whitewashed adobe church4  ,all houses  
are hollow squares4 ,the patio1 with its
 well1 is inside this enclosure4 ,each  
house is lime-washed in various colors1 
and all are flat-roofed and provided    
with grated windows1 giving them a      
prison-like appearance4 ,the            
window-panes are sometimes made of mica4
 ,over the front doors of some of the   
better houses are pictures of the       

,virgin4 ,the nurse's house is          
designated by having over the doorway a 
signboard1 on which is painted a        
full-blooming rose1 out of the petals of
 which is peeping a little babe4  ,if   
you wish to enter a house1 you do not   
knock at the door 7an act that would be 
considered great rudeness71 but clap    
your hands1 and you are most courteously
 invited to enter4 ,the good woman at   
once sets to work to serve you with mt1 
and quickly rolls a cigar1 which she    
hands to you from her mouth1 where she  
has already lighted it by a live ember  
of charcoal taken from the fire with a  
spoon4 ,matches can be bought1 but they 
cost about ten cents a hundred4 ,if you 
tell the housewife you do not smoke she 
will stare at you in gaping wonder4     
,their children use the weed1 and ,i    
have seen a mother urge her             
three-year-old boy to whiff at a        
cigarette4  ,bound each dwelling is a   
ramada1 where grapes in their season    
hang in luxuriant clusters2 and each has

 its own garden1 where palms1 peaches1  
figs1 oranges1 limes1 sweet potatoes1   
tobacco1 nuts1 garlic1 etc41 grow       
luxuriantly4 ,the garden is surrounded  
by a hedge of cacti or other kindred    
plants4 ,the prickly pear tree of that  
family is one of the strangest ,i have  
seen4 ,on the leaves1 which are an inch 
or more in thickness1 grows the fruit1  
and ,i have counted as many as thirteen 
pears growing on a single leaf4 ,when   
ripe they are a deep red color1 and very
 sweet to the taste4 ,the skin is thick1
 and covered with innumerable minute    
prickles4 ,it is1 ,i believe1 a most    
refreshing and healthful food4  ,meat is
 very cheap4 ,a fine leg of mutton may  
be bought for the equivalent of twelve  
cents1 and good beef at four cents a    
pound4 ,their favorite wine1 ,lagrimas  
de ,san ,juan 7,tears of ,holy ,john71  
can be bought for ten cents a quart4    
,all cooking is done on braziers--a     
species of three-legged iron bucket in  
which the charcoal fire is kindled4 ,on 

this the little kettle1 filled from the 
well in the patio1 is boiled for the    
inevitable mt4 ,about this herb ,i      
picked up1 from various sources1 some   
interesting information4 ,the mt plant  
grows chiefly ,in ,paraguay1 and is sent
 down the river in bags made of hides4  
,from the village of ,tacurti ,pucu in  
that country comes a strange account of 
the origin of the yerba mt plant1 which 
runs thus3 ,god1 accompanied by ,st4    
,john and ,st4 ,peter1 came down to the 
earth and commenced to journey4 ,one    
day1 after most difficult travel1 they  
arrived at the house of an old man1     
father to a virgin young and beautiful4 
,the old man cared so much for this     
girl1 and was so anxious to keep her    
ever pure and innocent1 that they had   
gone to live in the depths of a forest4 
,the man was very1 very poor1 but       
willingly gave his heavenly visitors the
 best he could1 killing in their honor  
the only hen he possessed1 which served 
for supper4 ,noting this action1 ,god   

asked ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,john1 when  
they were alone1 what they would do if  
they were ,him4 ,they both answered ,him
 that they would largely reward such an 
unselfish host4 ,bringing him to their  
presence1 ,god addressed him in these   
words3 ',thou who art poor hast been    
generous1 and ,i will reward thee for   
it4 ,thou hast a daughter who is pure   
and innocent1 and whom thou greatly     
lovest4 ,i will make her immortal1 and  
she shall never disappear from earth4'  
,then ,god transformed her into the     
plant of the yerba mt4 ,since then the  
herb exists1 and although it is cut down
 it springs up again4 ,other stories run
 that the maiden still lives2 for ,god1 
instead of turning her into the mt      
plant1 made her mistress of it1 and she 
lives to help all those who make a      
compact with her1 ,many men during ,holy
 week1 if near a town1 visit the        
churches of ,paraguay and formally      
promise to dedicate themselves to her   
worship1 to live in the woods and have  

no other woman4 ,after this vow they go 
to the forest1 taking a paper on which  
the priest has written their name4 ,this
 they pin with a thorn on the mt plant1 
and leave it for her to read4 ,thus she 
secures her devotees4  ,roman           
,catholicism is not ,semper ,idem1 but  
adapts itself to its surroundings4  ,mt 
is drunk by all1 from the babe to the   
centenarian2 by the rich cattle-owner1  
who drinks it from a chased silver cup  
through a golden bombilla1 to his       
servant1 who is content with a small    
gourd1 which everywhere grows wild1 and 
a tin tube4 ,tea1 as we know it1 is only
 to be bought at the chemist's as a     
remedy for nerves4 ,in other countries  
it is said to be bad for nerves4  ,each 
house possesses its private altar1 where
 the saints are kept4 ,that sacred spot 
is veiled off when possible--if only by 
hanging in front of it a cow's          
hide--from the rest of the dwelling4 ,it
 consists1 according to the wealth or   
piety of the housewife1 in expensive    

crosses1 beads1 and pictures of saints  
decked out with costly care2 or1 it may 
be1 but one soiled lithograph surrounded
 by paper flowers or cheap baubles of   
the poorer classes2 but all are alike   
sacred4 ,everything of value or beauty  
is collected and put as an offering to  
these deities--pieces of colored paper1 
birds' eggs1 a rosy tomato or           
pomegranate1 or any colored picture or  
bright tin4 ,descending from the        
ridiculous to the gruesome1 ,i have     
known a mother scrape and clean the     
bones of her dead daughter in order that
 they might be given a place on the     
altar4 ,round this venerated spot the   
goodwife1 with her palm-leaf broom1     
sweeps with assiduous care1 and         
afterwards carefully dusts her crucifix 
and other devotional objects with her   
brush of ostrich feathers4 ,here she    
kneels in prayer to the different       
saints4 ,god ,himself is never invoked4 
,saint ,anthony interests himself in    
finding her lost ring1 and ,saint ,roque

 is a wonderful physician in case of    
sickness4 ,if she be a maiden ,saint    
,carmen will find her a suitable        
husband2 if a widow1 ,saint ,john will  
be a husband to her2 and if an orphan1  
the sacred heart of the ,virgin of      
,carmen gives balsam to the forlorn one4
 ,saint ,joseph protects the artisan1   
and if a candle is burnt in front of    
,saint ,ramon1 he will most obligingly  
turn away the tempest or the lightning  
stroke4 ,in all cases one candle at     
least must be promised these mysterious 
benefactors1 and rash indeed would be   
the man or woman who failed to burn the 
candle2 some most terrible vengeance    
would surely overtake him or his family4
  ,god1 as ,i have said1 is never       
invoked4 ,perhaps ,he is supposed to sit
 in solitary grandeur while the saints  
administer ,his affairs8 ,these latter  
are innumerable1 and whatever may be    
their position in the minds of          
,romanists in other lands1 in ,south    
,america they are distinct and separate 

gods1 and their graven image1 picture or
 carving is worshipped as such4  ,when  
religious questions have not arisen1    
life in those remote villages has passed
 very pleasantly4 ,the people live in   
great simplicity1 knowing scarcely      
anything of the outside world and its   
progress4  ,at the ,feast of ,st4 ,john 
the women take sheep and lambs1 gaily   
decorated with colored ribbons1 to      
church with them4 ,that is an act of    
worship1 for the priest puts his hand on
 each lamb and blesses it4 ,a velorio   
for the dead1 or a dance at a child's   
death1 are generally the only meetings  
beside the church2 but1 as the poet     
says3      ',tis known1 at least it     
should be1 that throughout      ,all    
countries of the ,catholic persuasion1  
,some weeks before ,shrove ,tuiesiday   
comes about1      ,the people take their
 fill of recreation1     ,and buy       
repentance ere they grow devout1        
,however high their rank or low their   
station1     ,with fiddlling1 feasting1 

dancing1 drinking1 masking1     ,and    
other things which may be had for       
asking4  ,carnival is a joyous time1 and
 if for only once in the year the quiet 
town then resounds with mirth4 ,pails of
 water are carried up to the flat roofs 
of the houses1 and each unwary          
pedestrian is in turn deluged4 ,at other
 times flour is substituted1 and on the 
last day of the feast ashes are thrown  
on all sides4 ,at other seasons of the  
year the streets are quiet1 and after   
the rural pursuits of the day are over1 
the guitar is brought out1 and the      
evening breeze wafts waves of music to  
each listening ear4 ,the guitar is in   
all ,south ,america what the bag-pipes  
are to ,scotland-the national musical   
instrument of the people4 ,the ,criollo 
plays mostly plaintive1 broken airs--now
 so low as to be almost inaudible1 then 
high and shrill4 ,here and there he     
accompanies the music with snatches of  
song1 telling of an exploit or          
describing the dark eyes of some lovely 

maiden4 ,the airs strike one as being   
very strange1 and decidedly unlike the  
rolling songs of ,british music4  ,in   
those interior towns a very quiet life  
may be passed1 far away from the whistle
 of the railway engine4 ,everything is  
simplicity itself1 and it might almost  
be said of some that time itself seems  
at a standstill4 ,during the heat of the
 day the streets are entirely deserted2 
shops are closed1 and all the world is  
asleep1 for that is the siesta time4    
,they eat their dinners and go to       
sleep--and could they do better8  ,after
 this the barber draws his chair out to 
the causeway and shaves or cuts his     
customer's hair4 ,women and children sit
 at their doors drinking mt and watching
 the slowly drawn bullock-carts go up   
and down the uneven1 unmade roads1      
bordered1 not by the familiar maple1 but
 with huge dust-covered cactus plants1  
,the bullocks all draw with their horns1
 and the indolent driver sits on the    
yoke1 urging forward his sleepy animals 

with a poke of his cane1 on the end of  
which he has fastened a sharp nail4 ,the
 buey is very thick-skinned and would   
not heed a whip4 ,the wheels of the cart
 are often cut from a solid piece of    
wood1 and are fastened on with great    
hardwood pins in a most primitive style4
 ,soon after sunset all retire to their 
trestle beds4  ,in early morning the    
women hurry to mass4 ,the ,criollo does 
not break his fast until nearly mid-day1
 so they have no early meal to prepare4 
,even before it is quite light it is    
difficult to pass along the streets     
owing to the custom they have of        
carrying their praying-chairs with them 
to mass4 ,the rich lady will be followed
 by her dark-skinned maid bearing a     
sumptuously upholstered chair on her    
head4 ,the middle classes carry their   
own1 and the very poor take with them a 
palm-leaf mat of their own manufacture4 
,when mass is over religion is over for 
the day4 ,after service they make their 
way down to the river or pond1 carrying 

on their heads the soiled linen4        
,standing waist-high in the water1 they 
wash out the stains with black soap of  
their own manufacture1 beating each     
article with hardwood boards made       
somewhat like a cricketer's bat4 ,the   
cloths are then laid on the sand or     
stones of the shore4 ,the women gossip  
and smoke until these are dry and ready 
to carry home again ere the heat becomes
 too intense4  ,in a description of     
,argentine village life1 ,i could not   
possibly omit the priest1 the all in all
 to the native1 the temporal and        
spiritual king1 who bears in his hands  
the destinies of the living and the     
dead4 ,these men are the potentates of  
the people1 who refer everything to     
them1 from the most trivial matter to   
the weightier one of the saving of their
 souls after death4 ,bigotry and        
superstition are extreme4  ,renous1 the 
naturalist1 tells us that he visited one
 of these towns and left some           
caterpillars with a girl4 ,these she was

 to feed until his return1 that they    
might change to butterflies4 ,when this 
was rumored through the village1 priest 
and governor consulted together and     
agreed that it must be black heresy4    
,when poor ,renous returned some time   
afterwards he was arrested4  ,the       
,argentine village priest is a dangerous
 enemy to the ,protestant4 ,many is the 
time he has insulted me to my face1 or1 
more cowardly1 charged the school-boys  
to pelt and annoy me4 ,in the larger    
towns the priest has defamed me through 
the press1 and when ,i have answered him
 also by that means1 he has heaped      
insult upon injury1 excluded me from    
society1 and made me a pariah and a     
byword to the superstitious people4 ,i  
have been stoned and spat upon1 hurled  
to the ground1 had half-wild dogs set on
 me1 and my horse frightened that he    
might throw me4 ,i have been refused    
police help1 or been called to the      
office to give an account of myself1 all
 because ,i was a ,protestant1 or       

infidel1 as they prefer to term it4 ,at 
those times great patience was needed1  
for at the least sign of resistance on  
my part ,i should have been attacked by 
the whole village in one mass4 ,the     
policeman on the street has looked      
expectantly on1 eager to see me do this1
 and on one occasion he escorted me to  
the station for snatching a bottle from 
the hand of a boy who was in the act of 
throwing it at my head4 ,arriving there 
,i was most severely reprimanded1       
although1 fortunately1 not imprisoned4  
,women have crossed themselves and run  
from me in terror to seek the holy water
 bottle blessed by the father4 ,doors   
have been shut in my face1 and angry    
voices bade me begone1 at the           
instigation of this black-robed believer
 in the ,virgin4 ,congregations of      
worshippers in the dark-aisled church   
have listened to a fabulous description 
of my mission and character1 until the  
barber would not cut my hair or the     
butcher sell me his meat6 ,many a mother

 has hurriedly called her children in   
and precipitately shut the door1 that my
 shadow in passing might not enter and  
pollute her home4 ,perhaps a senorita1  
more venturesome1 with her black hair   
hanging in two long plaits behind each  
shoulder1 has run to her iron-barred    
window to smile at me1 and then         
penitently fallen before her patron     
saint imploring forgiveness1 or hurried 
to confess her sin to the wily padre4   
,if the confession was accompanied by a 
gift1 she has been absolved by him2 if  
she were poor1 her tear-stained face1   
perhaps resembling that of the suffering
 ,madonna over the confessional1 has    
moved his heart to tenderness1 for well 
he knows that       ,maidens1 like      
moths1 are ever caught by glare1        
,and ,mammon wins his way where seraphs 
might despair4  ,the punishment imposed 
has only been that she repeat fifty or a
 hundred ,ave ,marias or ,paternosters4 
,poor deluded creature6 ,her sin only   
consisted in permitting her black eyes  

to gaze on me as ,i passed down the     
street4  ,these poor creatures often go 
to confession1 not to be forgiven the   
wretched past1 but to get a new license 
to commit sin4 ,one woman1 to whom we   
offered a tract1 refused it1 and1       
showing us an indulgence of three       
hundred days1 said3 ',these are the     
papers ,i like4'  ,a young university   
man in the capital confessed that he had
 never read the ,new ,testament and     
never would read it1 because he knew it 
was against the ,church of ,rome4 ,the  
mass of the people have not the         
slightest notion of goodness1 as we     
count piety1 and lying is not considered
 wrong4 ,a native will often entreat the
 help of his favorite saint to commit a 
theft4  ,to the ,protestant the idea of 
religion without morals is              
inconceivable2 but in ,south ,america   
,romanism divorces morals and religion4 
,it is quite possible to break every    
command of the ,decalogue and yet be a  
devoted1 faithful ,romanist4 ,footnote3 

,rev4 ,j4 ,h4 ,la ,fetra1 in ,protestant
 ,missions in ,south ,america  ,i can   
only describe ,roman ,catholicism on the
 ,south ,american continent as a species
 of heathenism4 ,the ,church1 to gain   
proselytes1 accepted the old gods of the
 ,indians as saints1 and we find        
idolatrous superstition and ,catholic   
display blended together4 ,the most     
ignorant are invariably the most pious4 
,the more civilized the ,criollo        
becomes1 the less he believes in the    
,church1 and the priest in return       
condemns him to eternal perdition4  ,it 
is not necessary to detail the multitude
 of pagan superstitions with which the  
religion of ,south ,america is          
encumbered4 ,it is enough to point out  
that it does not preach ,christ         
crucified and risen again4 ,it preaches 
,mary1 whom it proclaims from the lips  
of thousands of lecherous priests to be 
of perpetual virginity4 ,and it is by   
its deliberate falsehood and deceit1 as 
well as by its misrepresentation1 that  

the ,roman ,catholic ,church in ,south  
,america has not only not taught        
,christianity1 but has directly fostered
 deception and untruth of character4    
,footnote3 ,missions in ,south ,america4
 ,robert ,e4 ,speer4  ,when ,i desired  
respectfully to enter a church with     
bared head and deferential mien1 they   
have followed me to see that ,i did not 
steal the trinkets from the saints or   
desecrate the altar4 ,if ,i have touched
 the font of holy water1 instead of it  
purifying me1 ,i have defiled it for    
their use2 and when ,i have looked at   
the images of the saints the people have
 seen them frown at me4 ,after my exit  
the priest would sprinkle holy water on 
the spots where ,i had stood1 to drive  
away the evil influence4  ,in those     
churches one may see an image1 with     
inscription beneath1 stating that those 
who kiss it receive an indulgence for   
sin and a promise of heaven4 ,when      
preaching in ,parana ,i inadvertently   
dropped a word in disparagement of the  

worship of the ,virgin1 when1 quick as  
thought1 a man dashed towards me with   
gleaming steel4 ,the ,criollo's knife   
never errs1 and one sharp lunge too well
 completes his task2 but an old         
,paraguayan friend then with me sprang  
upon him and dashed the knife to the    
ground1 thus leaving my heart's blood   
warm within me1 and not on the pavement4
 ,i admired my antagonist for the       
strength of his convictions--true       
loyalty he displayed for his goddess1   
who1 however1 does not1 ,i am sure1     
teach her devotees to assassinate those 
who prefer to put their faith rather in 
her ,divine ,son4 ,had ,i been killed   
the priest would on no account have     
buried me1 and would most willingly have
 absolved the assassin and kept him from
 the arm of justice4 ,that arm in those 
places is very short indeed1 for ,i have
 myself met dozens of murderers         
rejoicing in their freedom4 ,hell is    
only for ,protestants4  ,on the door of 
my lodging ,i found one morning a       

written paper1 well pasted on1 which    
read3  ,,muera6 ,,viva ,,la ,,virgen    
,,con ,,todos ,,los ,,santos6  ,die6    
,live the ,virgin and all the ,saints6  
,that paper ,i took from the door and   
keep as a souvenir of fanaticism4  ,the 
,bible is an utterly unknown book1      
except to the priests1 who forbid its   
entrance to the houses4 ,it1 however1   
could do little good or harm1 for the   
masses of the people are utterly        
unlettered4 ,all ,protestant literature 
stolen into the town is invariably      
gathered and burned by the priest1 who  
would not hesitate also to burn the     
bringer if he could without fear of some
 after-enquiry into the matter4         
,illustration3 ,,the ,,world',s         
,,largfst ,,rocking ,,stone1 ,,tandil1  
,,argentina4 ,this immense stone is so  
evenly poised that the wind or the      
slightest touch of the hand sets it in  
motion but the storms of the centuries  
have failed to dislodge it4   ,rome is  
to-day just what she always was4 ,her   

own claim and motto is3 ,semper idem    
7,always the same74 ,but for this age of
 enlightenment her inquisitorial fires  
would still burn4 ,rome's contention is1
 not that she does not persecute1 but   
only that she does not persecute saints4
 ,she punishes heretics--a very         
different thing4 ,in the ,rhemish ,new  
,testament there is a note on the words1
 'drunken with the blood of saints1'    
which runs as follows3 ',protestants    
foolishly expound this of ,rome because 
heretics are there put to death4 ,but   
their blood is not called the blood of  
saints1 any more than the blood of      
thieves or man-killers1 or other        
malefactors2 and for the shedding of it 
no commonwealth shall give account4'    
,during my residence in ,argentina a    
,jesuit priest in ,cordoba publicly     
stated that if he had his way he would  
burn to death every ,protestant in the  
country4  ,the following statements are 
from authorized documents1 laws and     
decrees of the ,papacy3  ,the papacy    

teaches all her adherents that it is a  
sacred duty to exterminate heresy4      
,urban ,,ii4 issued a decree that the   
murder of heretics was excusable4 ',we  
do not count them murderers who1 burning
 with the zeal of their ,catholic mother
 against the excommunicate1 may happen  
to have slain some of them4' ,footnote3 
,romanism and ,reformation4  ,in        
,argentine life the almanac plays an    
important part2 in that each day is     
dedicated to the commemoration of some  
saint1 and the child born must of       
necessity be named after the saint on   
whose day he or she arrives into the    
world4 ,the first question is1 ,what    
name does it bring8 ,the baby may have  
chosen to come at a time when the       
calendar shows an undesirable name1     
still the parents grumble not1 for a    
saint is a saint1 and whatever names    
they bear must be good4 ,the child is1  
therefore1 christened ,caraciollo1 or   
,john ,baptist1 when1 instead of growing
 up to be a forerunner of ,christ1 he or

 she may1 with more likelihood1 be a    
forerunner of the devil4 ,whatever name 
a child brings1 however1 has ,mary      
tacked on to it4  ,all names serve      
equally well for male or female         
children1 as a concluding o or a serves 
to distinguish the sex4 ,many men bear  
the name of ,joseph ,mary4 ,numbers1    
also1 both male and female1 have been   
baptized by the name of ,jesus1         
,saviour1 or ,redeemer4 ,if ,i were     
asked the old question1 ,what's in a    
name8 ,i should answer1 ,very little1   
for in ,south ,america the most insolent
 thief will often boast in the          
appellation of ,don ,justice1 and the   
lowest girl in the village may be       
,seorita ,celestial4 ,don ,jesus may be 
found incarcerated for riotous conduct1 
and ,i have known ,don ,saviour throw   
his unfortunate wife and children down a
 well2 ,don ,destroyer would have been a
 more appropriate name for him4 ,mrs4   
,angel her husband sometimes finds not  
such an angel after all1 when she puts  

poison into his mt cup1 a not infrequent
 occurrence4 ,let none be deceived in   
thinking that the appellation is any    
index to a man's character4  ,dark1     
needy people--,rome's true children6    
,the school-books read3 ,which is the   
greatest country8 ,ans41 ,spain4 ,who is
 the greatest man8 ,ans41 ,the ,pope4   
,why8 ,because he is infallible4  ,it is
 his wish1 and the priest's duty1 to    
keep them in this darkness4 ,yet1--,one 
came from ,god1 a light to lighten the  
,gentiles1 and ,he said1 ,i am the      
,light of the world4 ,some day they may 
hear of ,him and themselves see the     
,light4  ,already the day is breaking1  
and superstition must prepare to hide   
itself4 ,the uneducated native no longer
 pursues the railway train at thundering
 pace to lasso it because the priest    
raved against its being built4 ,he even 
in some cases doubts if it is an        
invention of hell1 as he was taught4    
,the educated native1 ,alberdi1 a       
publicist and an advocate of freedom1 in

 the discussion over religious rights of
 foreigners in the ,argentine1 wrote3   
,spanish ,america reduced to            
,catholicism1 with the exclusion of any 
other cult1 represents a solitary and   
silent convent of monks4 ,the dilemma is
 fatal1--either ,catholics and          
unpopulated1 or populated and prosperous
 and tolerant in the matter of religion4
     ,,chapter ,,iv4  ,,tee ,,prairie   
,,and ,,its ,,inhabitants4   ,the       
,pampas1 or prairie lands of the        
,argentine1 stretch to the south and    
west of ,buenos ,ayres1 and cover some  
#hjj1jjj square miles4 ,on this vast    
level plain1 watered by sluggish streams
 or shallow lakes1 boundless as the     
ocean1 seemingly limitless in extent1   
there is an exhilarating air and a rich 
herbage on which browse countless herds 
of cattle1 horses1 and flocks of sheep4 
,the grass grows tall1 and miles upon   
miles of rich scarlet1 white1 or yellow 
flowers mingle with or overtop it4 ,beds
 of thistles1 in which the cattle       

completely hide themselves1 stretch away
 for leagues and leagues1 and present an
 almost unbroken sheet of purple        
flowers4 ,so vast are these thistle-beds
 that a day's ride through them only    
leaves the traveller with the same      
purple forest stretching away to the    
horizon4 ,the florist would be enchanted
 to see whole tracts of land covered by 
the ,verbena ,melindres1 which appears1 
even long before you reach it1 to be of 
a bright scarlet4 ,there are also acres 
and acres of the many-flowered camomile 
and numberless other plants2 while large
 tracts of low-lying land are covered   
with coarse pampa grass1 affording      
shelter for numberless deer1 and many   
varieties of ducks1 cranes1 flamingoes1 
swans and turkeys4 ,wood there is none1 
with the exception of a solitary tree   
here and there at great distances1      
generally marking the site of some      
cattle establishment ,,op estancia4 ,an 
omb1 or cluster of blue gums1 is certain
 to be planted there4  ,on this prairie1

 man1 notwithstanding the fact that he  
is the lord of creation1 is decidedly in
 the minority4 ,millions of four-footed 
animals roam the plains1 but he may be  
counted by hundreds4 ,let us turn to    
him1 however1 in his isolated home1 for 
the ,gaucho has been described as one of
 the most interesting races on the face 
of the earth4 ,a descendant of the old  
conquerors1 who1 leaving their fair ones
 in the ,spanish peninsula1 took unto   
them as wives the unclothed women of the
 new world1 he inherits the color and   
habits of the one with the vices and    
dignity of the other4 ,living the wild1 
free life of the ,indian1 and retaining 
the language of ,spain2 the finest      
horseman of the world1 and perhaps the  
worst assassin2 the most open-handed and
 hospitable1 yet the accomplished       
purloiner of his neighbor's cattle2     
imitating the ,spaniard in the          
beautifully-chased silver trappings of  
his horse1 and the untutored ,indian in 
his miserable adobe hovel2 spending his 

whole wealth in heavy gold or silver    
bell-shaped stirrups1 bridle1 or spurs  
7the rowel of the latter sometimes      
having a diameter of six inches71 and   
leaving his home destitute of the       
veriest necessities of life--such is the
 ,gaucho4 ,a horn or shell from the     
river's bed makes his spoon1 gourds     
provide him with his plates and dishes2 
but his knife1 with gold or silver      
handle and sheath1 is almost a little   
fortune in itself4 ,content in his      
dwelling to sit on a bullock's skull1 on
 horseback his saddle must be mounted in
 silver4 ,his own beard and hair he     
seldom trims1 but his horse's mane and  
tail must be assiduously tended4 ,the   
baked-mud floor of his abode is littered
 with filth and dirt1 while he raves at 
a speck of mud on his embroidered silk  
saddle-cloth4  ,the ,gaucho is a strange
 contradiction4 ,he has blushed at my   
good but plain-looking saddle1 yet      
courteously asked me to take a skull    
seat4 ,he may possess five hundred      

horses1 but you search his kitchen in   
vain for a plate4 ,if you please him he 
will present you with his best horse1   
waving away your thanks4 ,if you        
displease him1 his long knife will just 
as readily find its way to your heart1  
for he kills his enemies with as little 
compunction as he kills the ostrich4    
,the ,gaucho1 with his proud and        
dissolute air1 is the most unique of all
 ,south ,american characters4 ,he is    
courageous and cruel1 active and        
tireless4 ,never more at ease than when 
on the wildest horse2 on the ground1 out
 of his element4 ,his politeness is     
excessive1 his nature fierce4 ,the      
children do not1 like ours1 play with   
toys1 but delight the parents' hearts by
 teasing a cat or dog4 ,these they will 
stick with a thorn or pointed bone to   
hear them yell1 or1 later on1 lasso and 
half choke them4 ,they will put out     
their eyes1 and such like childish      
games1 innocent little darlings that    
they are4 ,cold-blooded torture is their

 delight1 and they will cheer at the    
sight of blood4  ,to describe the dress 
of this descendant of ,adam ,i feel     
myself incapable4 ,a shirt and a big    
slouch hat seem to be the only articles 
of attire like ours4 ,coat1 trousers or 
shoes he does not wear4 ,instead of the 
first mentioned1 he uses the poncho1 a  
long1 broad blanket1 with a slit in the 
centre to admit his head4 ,for trousers 
he wears very wide white drawers1 richly
 embroidered with broad needlework and  
stiffly starched4 ,over these he puts a 
black chirip1 which really ,i cannot    
describe other than as similar to the   
napkins the mother provides for her     
child4 ,below this black and white leg  
covering come the long boots1 made from 
one piece of seamless hide4 ,these boots
 are nothing more than the skin from the
 hind legs of an animal--generally a    
full-grown horse4 ,the bend of the      
horse's leg makes the boot's heel4      
,naturally the toes protrude1 and this  
is not sewn up1 for the ,gaucho never   

puts more than his big toe in the       
stirrup1 which1 like the bit in his     
horse's mouth1 must be of solid silver4 
,a dandy will beautifully scallop these 
rawhide boots around the tops and toes1 
and keep them soft with an occasional   
application of grease4 ,no heel is ever 
attached4 ,around the man's waist1      
holding up his drawers and chiripa1 is  
wound a long colored belt1 with tasseled
 ends left hanging over his boot1 down  
the right side2 and over that he        
invariably wears a broad skin belt1     
clasped at the front with silver and    
adorned all around with gold or silver  
coins4 ,in this the long knife is       
carried4  ,what shall ,i say of the     
domestic life of these people8          
,unfortunately1 marriage is practically 
unknown among them4 ,the father gives   
his son a few cattle1 and the young man1
 after building himself a house1        
conducts thither his chosen one4        
,unhappily1 constancy in either man or  
woman is a rare virtue4  ,of the        

superstitious side of the ,gancho race  
,i might speak much4 ,in the saints the 
female especially implicitly believes4  
,these1 her deities1 are all-powerful1  
and to them she appeals for the         
satisfaction of her every desire4 ,saint
 ,clementina's help is sought by the    
girl when her lover betrays her4        
,another saint will aid her in poisoning
 him4 ,if the wife thinks her husband   
long in bringing the evening meal1 she  
has informed me1 a word with ,saint     
,anthony is sufficient1 and she hears   
the sound of his horse's hoofs4 ,saint  
,anthony seems to be useful on many     
occasions of distress4 ,one evening ,i  
called at a rancho made of dry          
thistle-stalks bound together with hide 
and thatched with reeds1 ,finding the   
inmates very hospitable1 ,i stayed there
 two or three hours to rest4 ,coming out
 of the house again1 ,i found to my     
dismay that during our animated gossip  
my horse had broken loose and left me4  
,now the loss of a horse is too trivial 

a matter to interest ,anthony the saint1
 but a horse having saddle and bridle   
attached to him makes it quite a        
different matter1 for these often cost  
ten times the price of the horse4 ,one  
of the saint's especial duties is to    
find a lost saddled horse1 if the owner 
or interested one only promises to burn 
a candle in his honor4 ,the night was   
very dark1 and no sign of the animal was
 to be seen4 ,mine host laid his ear to 
the ground and listened1 then1 leaping  
on his horse1 he galloped into the      
darkness1 from whence he brought my lost
 animal4 ,i did not learn until         
afterwards that ,mrs4 ,jesus1 for such  
was the woman's name1 had sought the    
help of ,saint ,anthony on my behalf4 ,i
 am sure she lost her previous good     
opinion of me when ,i thanked her       
husband but did not offer a special     
colored candle to her saint4  ,among    
these strange people ,i commenced a     
school1 and had the joy of teaching     
numbers of them to read the ,spanish    

,bible4 ,boys and girls came long       
distances on horseback1 and1 although   
some of them had perhaps never seen a   
book before1 ,i found them exceedingly  
quick to learn4 ,in four or five months 
the older ones were able to read any    
ordinary chapter4 ,in arithmetic they   
were inconceivably dull1 and after three
 months' tuition some of them could not 
count ten4  ,i have said the saints are 
greatly honored among these people4 ,my 
,christmas cards generally found their  
way to adorn their altars4 ,every house 
has its favorite1 and some of these are 
regarded as especially clever in curing 
sickness4 ,it being a very unhealthful1 
low-lying district where my school was1 
,i contracted malarial fever1 and went  
to bed very sick4 ,every day some of the
 children would come to enquire after   
me1 but ,celestino1 one of the larger   
boys1 came one morning with a very      
special message from his mother4 ,this  
communication was to the effect that    
they did not wish the school-teacher to 

die1 he being rather a nice kind of a   
man and well liked4 ,because of this she
 would be pleased to let me have her    
favorite saint4 ,this image ,i could    
stand at the head of my bed1 and its    
very presence would cure me4 ,when ,i   
refused this offer and smiled at its    
absurdity1 the boy thought me very      
strange4 ,to be so wise in some         
respects1 and yet so ignorant as to     
refuse such a chance1 was to him        
incomprehensible4 ,the saints1 ,i found1
 are there often lent out to friends    
that they may exercise their healing    
powers1 or rented out to strangers at so
 much a day1 ,when they are not thus on 
duty1 but in a quiet corner of the hut1 
they get lonely4 ,the woman will then go
 for a visit1 taking her saint with her1
 either in her arms or tied to the      
saddle4 ,this image she will place with 
the saint her host owns1 and they will  
talk together and teach one another4 ,a 
saint is supposed to know only its own  
particular work1 although one named     

,santa ,rita is said to be a worker of  
impossibilities4 ,some of them are only 
very rudely carved images1 dressed in   
tawdry finery4 ,i have sometimes thought
 that a ,parisian doll of modern make1  
able to open and close its eyes1 etc41  
would in their esteem be even competent 
to raise the dead6 ,footnote3 ,writing  
of ,spanish ,american ,romanism1        
,everybody's ,magazine says3 ,to the    
student of human nature1 which means the
 study of evil as well as good1 this    
religious body is of absorbing interest4
 ,one would look to find these          
enthusiasts righteous and virtuous in   
their daily life2 but1 apart from the   
annual week of penance1 their religion  
influences them not at all1 and on the  
whole the members of the ,brotherhood   
constitute a desperate class1 dangerous 
to society4  ,in cases of sickness very 
simple remedies are used1 and not a few 
utterly nonsensical4 ,to cure pains in  
the stomach they tie around them the    
skin of the comadreka1 a small1         

vile-smelling animal4 ,this they told me
 was a sovereign remedy4 ,if the        
sufferer be a babe1 a cross made on its 
stomach is sufficient to perfectly cure 
it4 ,i have seen seven pieces of the    
root of the white lily1 which there     
grows wild1 tied around the neck of an  
infant in order that its teeth might    
come with greater promptitude and less  
pain4 ,a string of dog's teeth serves   
the same purpose4 ,to cure a bad wound1 
the priest will be called in that he may
 write around the sore some ,latin      
prayer backwards4 ,headache is easily   
cured by tying around the head the      
cast-off skin of a snake4 ,two puppies  
are killed and bound one on each side of
 a broken limb4 ,if a charm is worn     
around the neck no poison can be        
harmful4 ,for a sore throat it is       
sufficient to expectorate in the fire   
three times1 making a cross4 ,lockjaw is
 effectually stopped by tying around the
 sufferer's jaws the strings from a     
virgin's skirt2 and they say also that  

powdered excrement of a dog1 taken in a 
glass of water1 cures the smallpox      
patient1  ,as ,mrs4 ,jesus sent her boy 
to my school1 so ,mrs4 ,flower sent her 
girl4 ,the latter was perhaps the most  
deluded woman ,i have met4 ,her every   
act was bad in itself or characterized  
by superstitious devotion4 ,she was one 
of the ,church's favorite worshippers1  
and while ,i was in the neighborhood she
 sold her cows and horses and presented 
the priest at the nearest town with a   
large and expensive silver cross--the   
emblem of suffering purity4 ,near her   
lived a person for whom she had an      
especial aversion1 but that enemy she   
got rid of in surely the strangest of   
ways1 which she described to me4        
,catching a snake1 and holding it so    
that its poison might not reach her1 she
 passed a threaded needle through both  
its eyes4 ,when this was done she let it
 go again1 alive1 and1 carefully        
guarding the needle1 approached the     
person from behind and made a cross with

 the thread4 ,the undesired one         
disappeared1 having probably heard of   
the enchantment1 and being equally      
superstitious1 or--the charm worked6    
,mrs4 ,flower was a most                
repulsive-looking creature4 ,her skin   
was exactly the color of an old copper  
coin4 ,she did not resemble any flower  
,i have seen in either hemisphere4 ,far 
was she from being a rose1 but she      
certainly possessed the thorn4 ,her love
 for the saints was most marked1 and ,i 
have known her promise ,st4 ,roque that 
she would walk six miles carrying his   
image if he would only grant her a      
certain prayer4 ,this petition he       
granted1 and off she trudged with her   
divine 787 load4 ,those acquainted with 
dwellers on the prairie know that this  
was indeed a great task1 horses being so
 cheap and riding so universal4 ,mrs4   
,flower was unaccustomed to walk even   
the shortest distance4 ,i myself can    
bear witness to the fact that even      
strong men find it hard to walk a mile  

after spending years in equestrian      
travel4 ,the native tells you that ,god 
formed your legs so that you might be   
able to sit on a horse rather than to   
walk with them4 ,a favorite expression  
with them is1 ,i was born on horseback4 
,stone not being found on the pampas1   
these people generally build their      
houses of square sods1 with a roof of   
plaited grasses--sometimes ,i have      
observed these beautifully woven        
together4 ,two or more holes1 according 
to the size of the house1 are left to   
serve for door and window4 ,wood cannot 
be obtained1 glass has not been         
introduced1 so the holes are left as    
open spaces1 across which1 when the     
pampa wind blows1 a hide is stretched4  
,no hole is left in the roof for the    
smoke of the fire to escape1 for this to
 the native is no inconvenience         
whatever4 ,when ,i have been compelled  
to fly with racking cough and splitting 
head1 he has calmly asked the reason4   
,never could ,i bear the blinding smoke 

that issues from his fire of sheep or   
cow dung burning on the earthen floor1  
though he heeds it not as1 sitting on a 
bullock's skull1 he ravenously eats his 
evening meal4  ,if entertaining a       
stranger1 he will press uncut joint     
after joint of his asado upon him4 ,this
 asado is meat roasted over the fire on 
a spit2 if beef1 with the skin and hair 
still attached4 ,meat cooked in this way
 is a real delicacy4 ,a favorite dish   
with them 7,i held a different opinion7 
is a half-formed calf1 taken before its 
proper time of birth4 ,the meat is often
 dipped in the ashes in lieu of salt4 ,i
 have said the ,gaucho has no chair4 ,i 
might add that neither has he a table1  
for with his fingers and knife he eats  
the meat off the fire4 ,forks he is     
without1 and a horn or shell spoon      
conveys the soup to his mouth direct    
from the copper pan4 ,so universal is   
the use of the shell for this service   
that the native does not speak of it as 
caracol1 the real word for shell1 but   

calls it cuchara del agua1 or water     
spoon4 ,of knives he possesses more than
 enough1 and heavy1 long1 sharp-pointed 
ones they are4 ,when his hunger is      
appeased the knife goes1 not to the     
kitchen1 but to his belt1 where1 when   
not in his hand1 you may always see it4 
,with that weapon he kills a sheep1 cuts
 off the head of a serpent--seemingly1  
however1 not doing it much harm1 for it 
still wriggles--sticks his horse when in
 anger1 and1 alas1 as ,i have said1     
sometimes stabs his fellow-man4 ,being  
so far isolated from the coast1 he is   
necessarily entirely uneducated4 ,the   
forward march of the outer world        
concerns him not2 indeed he imagines    
that his native prairie stretches away  
to the end of the world4 ,he will gaze  
with wonder on your watch1 for his only 
mode of ascertaining the time is by the 
shadow the sun casts4 ,as that luminary 
rises and sets1 so he sleeps and wakes4 
,his only bed is the sheepskin1 which   
when riding he fastens over his saddle1 

and the latter article forms his pillow4
 ,his coverlet is the firmament of      
heaven1 the ,southern ,cross and other  
constellations1 unseen by dwellers in   
the ,northern ,hemisphere1 seeming to   
keep watch over him2 or in the colder   
season his poncho1 which ,i have already
 described4 ,around his couch flit the  
fireflies1 resembling so many stars of  
earth with their strangely radiant      
lights4 ,the brightness of one1 when    
held near the face of my watch1 made    
light enough to enable me to ascertain  
the hour1 even on the darkest night4    
,the ,gaucho with his horse is at home  
anywhere4 ,when on a journey he will    
stop for the evening meal beside the dry
 bones of some dead animal4 ,with these 
and grass he will make a fire and cook  
the meat he carries hanging behind him  
on the saddle4 ,i have known an animal  
killed and the meat cooked with its own 
bones1 but this is not usual4 ,dry bones
 burn better1 and thistle-stalks better 
still4 ,he will then lie down on mother 

earth with the horse-cloth under him and
 the saddle for a pillow4 ,when         
travelling with these men ,i have known 
them1 without any comment1 stretch      
themselves on the ground1 even though   
the rain was falling1 and soon be in    
dreamland4 ,after having passed a       
wretched night myself1 ,i have asked    
them1 ,how did you sleep8 ,muy ,bien1   
,senor 7,very good1 sir71 has been the  
invariable answer4 ,they would often    
growl much1 however1 over the wet       
saddle-cloths1 for these soon cause a   
horse's back to become sore4  ,here and 
there1 but sometimes at long distances  
apart1 there is a pulperia on the road4 
,this is always designated by having a  
white flag flying on the end of a long  
bamboo4 ,at these places cheap spirits  
of wine and very bad rum can be bought1 
along with tobacco1 hard ship-biscuits  
7very often full of maggots1 as ,i know 
only too well71 and a few other more    
necessary things4 ,i have observed in   
some of these wayside inns counters made

 of turf1 built in blocks as bricks     
would be4 ,here the natives stop to     
drink long and deep1 and stew their     
meagre brains in bad spirits4 ,these    
draughts result in quarrels and         
sometimes in murder4  ,the ,gaucho1 like
 the ,indian1 cannot drink liquor       
without becoming maddened by it4 ,he    
will then do things which in his sober  
moments he would not dream of4 ,i was   
acquainted with a man who owned a horse 
of which he was very fond ,this animal  
bore him one evening to a pulperia some 
miles distant1 and was left tied outside
 while he imbibed his fill inside4      
,coming out at length beastly           
intoxicated1 he mounted his horse and   
proceeded homeward4 ,arriving at a fork 
in the path1 the faithful horse took the
 one leading home1 but the rider1       
thinking in his stupor that the other   
way was the right one1 turned the       
horse's head4 ,as the poor creature     
wanted to get home and have the saddle  
taken off1 it turned again4 ,this       

affront was too much for the ,gaucho1   
who is a man of volcanic passions1 so   
drawing his knife1 he stabbed it in the 
neck1 and they dropped to the ground    
together4 ,when he realized that he had 
killed his favorite horse he cried like 
a child4 ,i passed this dead animal     
several times afterwards and saw the    
vultures clean its bones4 ,it served me 
as a witness to the results of          
ungoverned passion4  ,the ,gaucho does  
not1 and would not under any            
consideration1 ride a mare2             
consequently1 for work she is           
practically valueless4 ,strain1 who rode
 across the pampas1 says3 ,in a single  
year ten million hides were exported4   
,for one or two dollars each the buyer  
may purchase any number2 indeed1 of such
 little worth are the mares that they   
are very often killed for their hide1 or
 to serve as food for swine4 ,at one    
estancia ,i visited ,i was informed that
 one was killed each day for pig feed4  
,the mare can be driven long distances1 

even a hundred miles a day1 for several 
successive days1 ,the ,argentine army   
must surely be the most mobile of any in
 the world1 for its soldiers1 when on   
the march1 get nothing but mare's flesh 
and the custom gives them great facility
 of movement4 ,the horse has1 more or   
less1 its standard value1 and costs four
 or five times the price of the mare4   
,illustration3 ,,the ,,author ,,in      
,,gaucho ,,dress4   ,sometimes it       
happens that the native finds a colt    
which is positively untamable4 ,on the  
cheek of such an animal the ,gaucho will
 burn a cross and then allow it to go   
free1 like the scape-goat mentioned in  
the book of ,leviticus4  ,the native    
horse is rather small1 but very wiry and
 wild4 ,i was once compelled1 through   
sickness1 to make a journey of          
ninety-seven miles1 being in the saddle 
for seventeen consecutive hours1 and yet
 my poor horse was unable to get one    
mouthful of food on the journey1 and the
 saddle was not taken off his back for a

 moment4 ,he was very wild1 yet one     
evening between five and eight o'clock1 
he bore me safely a distance of         
thirty-six miles1 and returned the same 
distance with me on the following       
morning4 ,he had not eaten or drunk     
anything during the night1 for the      
locusts had devoured all pasturage and  
no rain had fallen for a space of five  
months4  ,the horse is not indigenous to
 ,america1 although ,darwin tells us    
that ,south ,america had a native horse1
 which lived and disappeared ages ago4  
,spanish history informs us that they   
were first landed in ,buenos ,ayres in  
#aecg4 ,we are further told that the    
,indians flew away in terror at the     
sight of a man on horseback1 which they 
took to be one animal of a strange1     
two-headed shape4 ,when the colony was  
for a time deserted these horses were   
suffered to run wild4 ,those animals so 
multiplied and spread over such a vast  
area that they were found1 forty-three  
years later1 even down to the ,straits  

of ,magellan1 a distance of eleven      
hundred miles4 ,with good pasture and a 
limitless expanse to roam over1 they    
soon turned from the dozens to          
thousands1 and may now be counted by    
millions4 ,the ,patagonian foot ,indians
 quickly turned into horse ,indians1 for
 on those wide prairie lands a man      
without a horse is almost comparable to 
a man without legs4 ,in former years1   
thousands of wild horses roamed over    
these extensive plains1 but the struggle
 of mankind in the battle of life turned
 men's attention to them1 and they were 
captured and branded by whomsoever had  
the power and cared to take the trouble4
 ,in the more isolated districts1 there 
may still be found numbers which are    
born and die without ever feeling the   
touch of saddle or bridle4 ,far away    
from the crowded busses and perpetually 
moving hansoms of the city1 they feel   
not the driver's whip nor the strain of 
the wagon1 as1 with tail trailing on the
 ground and head erect1 they gallop in  

freedom of life4 ,happy they6  ,in all  
directions on the prairie ostriches are 
found4 ,the natives catch them with     
boliadoras1 an old ,indian weapon1 which
 is simply three round stones1 incased  
in bags of hide1 tied together by       
twisted ropes1 also of hide4 ,when the  
hunters have1 by galloping from         
different directions1 baffled the bird  
in his flight1 they thunder down upon   
him1 and1 throwing the boliadoras round 
his legs1 where they entangle1          
effectually stop his flight4 ,i have    
seen this weapon thrown a distance of   
about eighty yards4  ,the ostrich is a  
bird with wonderful digestive powers1   
which ,i often have envied him2 he eats 
grass or pebbles1 insects or bones1 as  
suits his varying fancy4 ,if you drop   
your knife or any other article1 he will
 stop to examine it1 being most         
inquisitive1 and1 if possible1 he will  
swallow it4 ,the flesh of the ostrich is
 dry and tough1 and its feathers are not
 to be compared in beauty with those of 

the ,african specimen4 ,generally a very
 harmless bird1 he is truly formidable  
during breeding time4 ,if one of the    
eggs is so much as touched he will break
 the whole number to shivers4 ,woe to   
the man whom he savagely attacks at such
 times2 one kick of his great foot1 with
 its sharp claws1 is sufficient to open 
the body of man or horse4 ,the ,gaucho  
uses the skin from the neck of this bird
 as a tobacco pouch1 and the eggs are   
considered a great delicacy4 ,one is    
equal to about sixteen hen's eggs4  ,as 
all creation has its enemy1 the ostrich 
finds his in the iguana1 or lizard--an  
unsightly1 scaly1 long-tailed species of
 land crocodile4 ,this animal1 when     
full-grown1 attains the length of five  
feet1 and is of a dark green color4 ,he1
 when he can procure them1 feeds on the 
ostrich eggs1 which ,i believe must be a
 very strengthening diet4 ,the lizard1  
after fattening himself upon them during
 the six hotter months of the year1 is  
enabled to retire to the recesses of his

 cave1 where he tranquilly sleeps       
through the remaining six4 ,the shell of
 the ostrich's egg is about the         
thickness of an antique china cup1 but  
the iguana finds no difficulty in       
breaking it open with a slash of his    
tail ,this wily animal is more astute   
than the bird1 which lays its eggs in   
the open spaces1 for the lizard1 with   
her claws1 digs a hole in the ground1 in
 which hers are dropped to the number of
 dozens4 ,the lizard does not provide   
shells for her eggs1 but only covers    
them with a thick1 soft skin1 and they1 
buried in the soil1 eventually hatch    
themselves4  ,when the ,gaucho cannot   
obtain a better meal1 the tail of the   
lizard is not considered such a         
despicable dish by him1 for he is no    
epicure4 ,when he has nothing he is also
 contented4 ,his philosophy is3 ,nunca  
tenga hambre cuando no hay que comer    
7,never be hungry when no food is to be 
had74  ,the estancia1 or catile ranch1  
is a feature of the ,argentine prairie4 

,some of these establishments are very  
large1 even up to one hundred square    
miles in extent4 ,on them hundreds of   
thousands of cattle1 sheep and horses   
are herded4 ,it is not improbable that  
there are more cattle in the pampas and 
llanos of ,south ,america than in all   
the rest of the world4 ,footnote3 ,dr4  
,hartwig in ,argentina1 #aiaj ,an       
estancia is almost invariably called by 
the name of some saint1 as are the      
different fields belonging to it4 ,holy 
,mary field and ,saint ,joseph field are
 common names4 ,notwithstanding the fact
 that there may be thousands of cows on 
a ranch1 the visitor may be unable to   
get a drop of milk to drink4 ,cows are  
not made to milk1 but to eat1 they say4 
,life on these establishments is rough  
and the fare generally very coarse4     
,even among the wealthy people ,i have  
visited you may sit down to dinner with 
nothing but meat put before you1 without
 a bite of bread or any vegetables4 ,all
 drink water out of an earthenware      

pitcher of peculiar shape1 which is the 
centrepiece of the table4  ,around the  
ranches of the people are many mice1    
which must be of a ferocious nature1 for
 if one is caught in a trap it will be  
found next morning half1 if not almost  
wholly1 eaten by its own comrades4 ,well
 is it called the cannibal mouse4  ,in  
times of drought the heat of the sun    
dries up all vegetation4 ,the least     
spark of fire then suffices to create a 
mighty blaze1 especially if accompanied 
by the pampero wind1 which blows with   
irresistible force in its sweep over    
hundreds of miles of level ground4 ,the 
fire1 gathering strength as it goes1    
drives all before it1 or wraps          
everything in its devouring flames4     
,casting a lurid light in the heavens1  
towards which rise volumes of smoke1 it 
attracts the attention of the native1   
who lifts his starting eyes towards     
heaven in a speechless prayer to the    
,holy ,virgin4 ,madly leaping on his    
fleetest horse1 without saddle1 and     

often without bridle1 he wildly gallops 
down the wind1 as the roaring1 crackling
 fire gains upon him4 ,in this mad race 
for life1 men1 horses1 ostriches1 deer1 
bullocks1 etc41 join1 striving to excel 
each other in speed4 ,strange to say1   
the horse the native rides1 cheered on  
by the touch of his master1 is often the
 first to gain the lake or river1 where1
 beneath its waters at least1 refuge may
 be found4 ,in their wild stampede1 vast
 herds of cattle trample and fall on one
 another and are drowned4 ,a more       
complete destruction could not overtake 
the unfortunate traveller than to be    
caught by this remorseless foe1 for not 
even his ashes could be found by        
mourning friends4 ,the ground thus burnt
 retains its heat for days4 ,i have had 
occasion to cross blackened wastes a    
week after this most destructive force  
in nature had done its work1 and my     
horse has frequently reared in the air  
at the touch of the hot soil on his     
hoofs4  ,the ,gaucho has a strange      

method of fighting these fires4 ,several
 mares are killed and opened1 and they1 
by means of lassos1 are dragged over the
 burning grass4  ,the immensity of the  
pampas is so great that one may travel  
many miles without sighting a single    
tree or human habitation4 ,the weary    
traveller finds his only shade from the 
sun's pitiless rays under the broad brim
 of his sombrero4 ,at times1 with ears  
forward and extended nostrils1 the horse
 gazes intently at the rippling blue    
waters of the mirage1 that most         
tantalizingly deceptive phenomenon of   
nature4 ,may it never be the lot of my  
reader to be misled by the illusive     
mirage as ,i have been4 ,how could ,i   
mistake vapor for clear1 gurgling water8
 ,yet1 how many times was ,i here       
deceived6 ,visions of great lakes and   
broad rivers rose up before me1 lapping 
emerald green shores1 where ,i could    
cool my parched tongue and lave in their
 crystal depths2 yet to-day those waters
 are as far off as ever1 and exist only 

in my hopes of ,paradise4 ,not until ,i 
stand by the ,river of ,life shall ,i   
behold the reality4  ,the inhabitant of 
these treeless1 trackless solitudes1    
which1 with their waving grass1 remind  
one of the bosom of the ocean1 develops 
a keen sight ,where the stranger1 after 
intently gazing1 descries nothing1 he   
will not only inform him that animals   
are in sight1 but will1 moreover1 tell  
him what they are4 ,i am blest with a   
very clear vision1 but even when1 after 
standing on my horse's back1 ,i have    
made out nothing1 the ,gaucho could tell
 me that over there was a drove of      
cattle1 a herd of deer1 a troop of      
horses1 or a house4  ,it is estimated   
that there are two hundred and forty    
millions of acres of wheat land in the  
,argentine1 and of late years the       
prairie has developed into one of the   
largest wheat-producing countries in the
 world1 and yet only one per cent1 of   
its cultivable area is so far occupied4 
,the ,gaucho is no farmer1 and all his  

land is given up to cattle grazing1 so  
chacras are worked generally by foreign 
settlers4 ,the province of ,entre ,rios 
has been settled largely by ,swiss and  
,italian farmers from the ,piedmont     
,hills4 ,baron ,hirsch has also planted 
a colony of ,russian ,jews there1 and   
provided them with farm implements4     
,wheat1 corn1 and linseed are the       
principal crops1 but sweet potatoes1    
tobacco1 and fruit trees do well in this
 virgin ground1 fertilized by the dead  
animals of centuries4 ,the soil is rich1
 and two or three crops can often be    
harvested in a year4  ,no other part of 
the world has in recent years suffered  
from such a plague of locusts as the    
agricultural districts of ,argentina4   
,they come from the north in clouds that
 sometimes darken the sun4 ,some of the 
swarms have been estimated to be sixty  
miles long and from twelve to fifteen   
miles wide4 ,fields which in the morning
 stand high with waving corn1 are by    
evening only comparable to ploughed or  

burnt lands4 ,even the roots are eaten  
up4  ,in #aijg the ,argentine           
,government organized a bureau for the  
destruction of locusts1 and in #aijh    
#d1ejj1jjj was placed by ,congress at   
the disposal of this commission4 ,an    
organized service1 embracing thousands  
of men1 is in readiness at any moment to
 send a force to any place where danger 
is reported4 ,railway trains have been  
repeatedly stopped1 and literally many  
tons of them have had to be taken off   
the track4 ,a fine of #ajj is imposed   
upon any settler failing to report the  
presence of locust swarms or hopper eggs
 on his land4 ,various means are adopted
 by the land-owner to save what he can  
from the voracious insects4 ,men1 women 
and children mount their horses and     
drive flocks of sheep to and fro over   
the ground to kill them4 ,a squatter    
with whom ,i stayed got his laborers to 
gallop a troop of mares furiously around
 his garden to keep them from settling  
there4 ,all1 however1 seemed useless4   

,about midsummer the locust lays its    
eggs under an inch or two of soil4 ,each
 female will drop from thirty to fifty  
eggs1 all at the same time1 in a mass   
resembling a head of wheat4 ,as many as 
#ej1jjj eggs have been counted in a     
space less than three and a half feet   
square4  ,during my sojourn in ,entre   
,rios1 the province where this insect   
seems to come in greatest numbers1 a law
 was passed that every man over the age 
of fourteen years1 whether native or    
foreigner1 rich or poor1 was compelled  
to dig out and carry to ,government     
depots1 four pounds weight of locusts'  
eggs4 ,it was supposed that this        
energetic measure would lessen their    
numbers4 ,many tons were collected and  
burnt1 but1 ,i assure the reader1 no    
appreciable difference whatever was made
 in their legions4 ,the young jumpers   
came1 eating all before them1 and their 
numbers seemed infinite4 ,men dug       
trenches1 kindled fires1 and burned     
millions of them4 ,ditches two yards    

wide and deep and two hundred feet long 
were completely filled up by these      
living waves4 ,but all efforts were     
unavailing--the earth remained covered4 
,a ,waldensian acquaintance suffered for
 several years from this fearful plague4
 ,some seasons he was not even able to  
get back so much as the seed he planted4
 ,if the locusts passed him1 it so      
happened that the pampero wind blew with
 such terrific force that we have looked
 in vain even for the straw4 ,the latter
 was actually torn up by the roots and  
whirled away1 none knew whither4 ,at    
other times large hailstones1 for which 
the country is noted1 have destroyed    
everything1 or tens of thousands of     
green paroquets have done their         
destructive work4 ,when a five-months'  
drought was parching everything1 ,i have
 heard him reverently pray that ,god    
would spare him wheat sufficient to feed
 his family4 ,this food ,god gave him1  
and he thankfully invited me to share   
it4 ,i rejoice in being able to say that

 he afterwards became rich1 and had his 
favorite saying1 ,dios no me olvida     
7,god will not forget me71 abundantly   
verified4  ,notwithstanding natural     
drawbacks1 which every country has1     
,argentina can claim to have gone       
forward as no other country has during  
the last ten years4 ,there are many     
estates worth more than a million       
dollars4 ,dr4 ,w4 ,a4 ,hirot1 in        
,argentina1 says3 ,argentina has more   
live stock than any other country of the
 world4 ,ten million hides have been    
exported in one year1 and it is not     
improbable that there are more cattle in
 ,south ,america than there are in all  
the rest of the world combined4 ,belgium
 has #bbj people occupying the space one
 person has in ,argentina1 so who can   
prophesy as to its future8     ,,part   
,,ii4  ,,bolivia   ,illustration        
,have you gazed on naked grandeur where 
there's nothing     else to gaze on1    
,set pieces and drop curtain scenes     
galore1    ,big mountains heaved to     

heaven1 which the blinding sunsets      
blazon1    ,black canyons where the     
rapids rip and roar8                    
--,robert ,w4 ,service4     ,,bolivia   
,bolivia1 having no sea-coast1 has been 
termed the ,hermit ,republic of ,south  
,america4 ,its territory is over        
#fjj1jjj square miles in extent1 and    
within its bounds ,nature displays      
almost every possible panorama1 and all 
climates4 ,there are burning plains1 the
 home of the emu1 armadillos1 and ants2 
sandy deserts1 where the wind drifts the
 sand like snow1 piling it up in        
ever-shifting hills about thirty feet in
 height4 ,bolivia1 shut in              
geographically and politically1 is a    
world in itself--a world of variety1 in 
scenery1 climate1 products and people4  
,its capital city1 ,la ,paz1 has a      
population of #gj1jjj1 but the vast     
interior is almost uninhabited4 ,in the 
number of inhabitants to the square     
mile1 ,bolivia ranks the lowest of all  
the nations of the earth4  ,perhaps no  

country of the world has been1 and is1  
so rich in precious metals as ,bolivia4 
,the mines of ,potosi alone have        
furnished the world over #a1ejj1jjj1jjj 
worth of silver since the ,spaniards    
first took possession of them4          
,footnote3 ,protestant ,missions in     
,south ,america4  ,bolivia can lay claim
 to the most wonderful body of water in 
the world--,lake ,titicaca4 ,this lake1 
nearly two and a half miles high in the 
air1 is literally in the clouds4 ,its   
lonely waters have no outlet to the sea1
 but are guarded on their southern      
shores by gigantic ruins of a           
prehistoric empire--palaces1 temples1   
and fortresses--silent1 mysterious      
monuments of a long-lost golden age4    
,some of the largest and most remarkable
 ruins of the world are found on the    
shores of ,lake ,titicaca1 and as this  
was the centre of the great ,incan      
,dynasty1 that remarkable people have   
also left wonderful remains1 to build   
which stones thirty-eight feet long1    

eighteen feet wide1 and six feet thick1 
were quarried1 carried and elevated4    
,the ,temple of the ,sun4 the most      
sacred edifice of the ,incas1 was one of
 the richest buildings the sun has ever 
shone upon1 and it was itself a mine of 
wealth4 ,from this one temple1 ,pizarro1
 the ,spanish conqueror1 took #bd1jjj   
pounds of gold and #hb1jjj pounds of    
silver4 ,ninety million dollars' worth  
of precious metals was torn from ,inca  
temples alone4 ,the old monarch of the  
country1 ,atahuallpa1 gave ,pizarro     
twenty-two million dollars in gold to   
buy back his country and his liberty    
from the ,spaniards1 but their first act
 on receiving the vast ransom was to    
march him after a crucifix at the head  
of a procession1 and1 because he refused
 to become a ,roman ,catholic1 put him  
to death4 ,perhaps never in the world's 
history was there a baser act of        
perfidy1 but this was urged by the      
soldier-priest of the conquerors1       
,father ,valverde1 who himself signed   

the ,king's death-warrant4 ,this priest 
was afterwards made ,bishop of          
,atahuallpa's capital4  ,surely no      
country of the world has had a darker or
 a sadder history than this land of the 
,incas4 ,the ,spaniards arrived when the
 ,children of the ,sun were at the      
height of their prosperity4 ,the affair 
of reducing the country was committed to
 the hands of irresponsible individuals1
 soldiers of fortune1 desperate         
adventurers who entered on conquest as a
 game which they had to play in the most
 unscrupulous manner1 with little care  
but to win it4 ,the lands1 and the      
persons as well1 of the conquered races 
were parcelled out and appropriated by  
the victors as the legitimate spoils of 
victory4 ,every day outrages were       
perpetrated1 at the contemplation of    
which humanity shudders4 ,they suffered 
the provident arrangements of the ,incas
 to fall into decay4 ,the poor ,indian1 
without food1 now wandered half-starved 
and naked over the plateau4 ,even those 

who aided the ,spaniards fared no       
better1 and many an ,inca noble roamed a
 mendicant over the fields where he once
 held rule2 and if driven1 perchance1 by
 his necessities to purloin something   
from the superfluity of his conquerors1 
he expiated it by a miserable death4    
,footnote3 ,prescott's ,conquest of     
,peru4  ,charles ,kingsley says there   
were cruelties and miseries unexampled  
in the history of ,christendom1 or      
perhaps on earth1 save in the conquests 
of ,sennacherib and ,zinghis-,khan4     
,millions perished at the forced labor  
of the mines1 ,the ,incan ,empire had1  
it is calculated1 a population of twenty
 millions at the arrival of the         
,spaniards1 ,in two centuries the       
population fell to four millions4  ,when
 the groans of these beasts of burden   
reached the ears of the good 787 ,queen 
,isabel of ,spain1 she enacted a law    
that throughout her new dominions no    
,indian1 man or woman1 should be        
compelled to carry more than three      

hundred pounds' weight at one load6 ,is 
it cause for wonder that the poor1      
down-trodden natives1 seeing the        
flaunting flag of ,spain1 with its      
stripe of yellow between stripes of red1
 should regard it as representing a     
river of gold between two rivers of     
blood8  ,not infrequently1 said a       
reliable witness1 ,i have seen the      
,spaniards1 long after the ,conquest1   
amuse themselves by hunting down the    
natives with blood hounds1 for mere     
sport1 or in order to train their dogs  
to the game4 ,the most unbounded scope  
was given to licentiousness4 ,the young 
maiden was torn remorselessly from the  
arms of her family to gratify the       
passion of her brutal conqueror4 ,the   
sacred houses of the ,virgins of the    
,sun were broken open and violated1 and 
the cavalier swelled his harem with a   
troop of ,indian girls1 making it seem  
that the crescent would have been a more
 fitting emblem for his banner than the 
immaculate cross4  ,with the inexorable 

conqueror came the more inexorable      
priest4 ,attendance at ,roman ,catholic 
worship was made compulsory4 ,men and   
women with small children were compelled
 to journey as much as thirty-six miles 
to attend mass4 ,absentees were         
punished1 therefore the ,indian feared  
to disobey4 ,footnote3 ,neely1 ,spanish 
,america4  ,as is well known1 the       
ancient inhabitants worshipped the sun  
and the moon4 ,the ,spanish priest1 in  
order to gain proselytes with greater   
facility1 did not forbid this worship1  
but placed the crucifix between the two4
 ,where the ,inca suns and moons were of
 solid gold and silver1 they were soon  
replaced by painted wooden ones4 ,the   
crucifix1 with sun and moon images on   
each side1 is common all over ,bolivia  
to-day4  ,now1 four hundred years later1
 see the ,indian under priestly rule4   
,the following is taken from an official
 report of the ,governor of ,chimborazo3
 ,the religious festivals that the      
,indians celebrate--not of their own    

will1 but by the inexorable will of the 
priest--are1 through the manner in which
 they are kept1 worse than those        
described to us of the times of         
,paganism1 and of monstrous consequences
 to morality and the national welfare   
444 they may be reckoned as a barbarous 
mixture of idolatry and superstition1   
sustained by infamous avarice4 ,the     
,indian who is chosen to make a feast   
either has to use up in it his little   
savings1 leaving his family submerged in
 misery1 or he has to rob in order to   
invest the products of his crime in     
paying the fees to the priest and for   
church ceremonies4 ,these are simply    
brutal orgies that last many days1 with 
a numerous attendance1 and in which all 
manner of crimes and vices have free    
license4  ,for the idols of the         
aborigines were substituted the images  
of the ,virgin ,mary and the ,roman     
saints4 ,the ,indians gave up their old 
idols1 but they went on with their      
image-worship4 ,image-worship is        

idolatry1 whether in ,india1 ,africa1 or
 anywhere else1 and the worship of      
,roman images is essentially idolatry as
 much as the worship of any other kind  
of images4 ,romanism substituted for one
 set of idols another set4 ,so the      
,indians who were idolaters continued to
 be idolaters1 only the new idols had   
other names and1 possibly1 were a little
 better-looking4 ,footnote3 ,neely1     
,south ,america4  ,what has ,romanism   
done for the ,indians of ,bolivia in its
 four hundred years of rule8 ,compare   
the people of that peaceful1 law-keeping
 dynasty which the ,spaniards found with
 the ,bolivian ,indian of to-day6 ,now  
the traveller can report3 ,the ,indians 
are killing the whites wherever they    
find them1 and practising great         
cruelties1 having bored holes in the    
heads of their victims and sucked the   
brains out while they were yet alive4   
,sixteen whites are said to have been   
killed in this way6 ,these same ,indians
 are those who have been ,christianized 

by the ,roman priests for the past three
 centuries1 but such cruelties as they  
have been practising show that as yet   
not a ray of ,christ's love has entered 
their darkened minds4 ,how can the      
priest teach what he is himself ignorant
 of8  ,where the ,indian has been       
civilized1 as well as ,romanized1 ,mr4  
,milne1 of the ,american ,bible         
,society1 could write3  ,since the      
,spanish conquest the progress of the   
,indians has been in the line of        
deterioration and moral degradation4    
,they are oppressed by the ,romish      
clergy1 who can never drain             
contributions enough out of them1 and   
who make the children render service to 
pay for masses for deceased parents and 
relatives4 ,tears came to our eyes as   
,mr4 ,penzotti and ,i watched them      
practising their heathen rites in the   
streets of ,la ,paz1 the chief city of  
,bolivia4 ,they differ from the other   
,indians in that they are domesticated1 
but they know no more of the ,gospel    

than they did under the rule of the     
,incas4  ,what is to be the future of   
these natives8 ,shall they disappear    
from the stage of the world's history   
like so many other aborigines1 victims  
of civilization1 or will a hand yet be  
stretched out to help them8             
,civilization1 after all1 is not        
entirely made up of greed and lust1 but 
in it there is righteousness and truth4 
,may the day soon dawn when some of the 
latter may be extended to them ere they 
take the long1 dark trail after their   
fathers1 and have hurled the last       
malediction at their cursed white       
oppressors6    ,we suffer yet a little  
space    ,until we pass away1   ,the    
relics of an ancient race    ,that ne'er
 has had its day4  ,for four hundred    
years ,bolivia has thus been held in    
chains by ,romish priestcraft4 ,since   
its ,incan rulers were massacred1 its   
civilization has been of the lowest4    
,buildings1 irrigation dams1 etc41 were 
suffered to fall into disrepair1 and the

 country went back to pre-,incan days4  
,the first ,christian missionaries to   
enter the country were imprisoned and   
murdered4 ,now the morning light is     
breaking4 ,a law has been passed        
granting liberty of worship4  ,bolivia1 
with its vast natural riches1 must come 
to the forefront1 and already strides   
are being taken forward4 ,she can export
 over five million dollars' worth of    
rubber in one year1 and is now spending 
more than fifty million dollars on      
railways4 ,so ,bolivia is a country of  
the past and the future4     ,,chapter  
,v4  ,,journey ,,to ,,the ,,unexplored  
,,lake4   ,since the days when          
,pizarro's adventurers discovered the   
hitherto undreamed-of splendor of the   
,inca ,dynasty1 ,bolivia has been a land
 of surprises and romantic discovery4   
,strange to say1 even yet much of the   
eastern portion of this great republic  
remains practically unexplored4 ,the    
following account of exploration in     
those regions1 left for men of the      

twentieth century1 may not1 ,i am       
persuaded1 be without interest to the   
general reader4 ,bolivia has for many   
years been seriously handicapped through
 having no adequate water outlet to the 
sea1 and the immense resources of wealth
 she undoubtedly possesses have1 for    
this reason1 been suffered to go1 in a  
measure1 unworked4 ,now1 however1 in the
 onward progress of nations1 ,bolivia   
has stepped forward4 ,in the year #aijj1
 the ,government of that country        
despatched an expedition to locate and  
explore ,lake ,gaiba1 a large sheet of  
water said to exist in the far interior 
of ,bolivia and ,brazil1 on the line    
dividing the two republics4 ,the        
expedition staff consisted of ,captain  
,bolland1 an ,englishman2 ,m4 ,barbiere1
 a ,frenchman2 ,dr4 ,perez1 ,bolivian2  
,m4 ,gerard ,d',avezsac1 ,french artist 
and hunter1 and the writer of these     
pages4 ,the crew of ten men was made up 
of ,paraguayans and ,argentines1 white  
men and colored1 one ,bolivian1 one     

,italian1 and one ,brazilian4 ,strange  
to relate1 there was no ,scotchman1 even
 the ship's engineer being ,french4     
,perhaps the missing ,scotch engineer   
was on his way to the ,pole1 in order to
 be found sitting there on its discovery
 by----787  ,the object of this costly  
journey was to ascend the rivers ,la    
,plata1 ,paraguay and ,alto ,paraguay1  
and see if it were possible to establish
 a port and town in ,bolivian territory 
on the shores of the lake4 ,after some  
months of untiring energy and           
perseverance1 there was discovered for  
,bolivia a fine port1 with depth of     
water for any ordinary river steamer1   
which will now be known to the world as 
,puerto ,quijarro4 ,a direct fluvial    
route1 therefore1 exists between the    
,atlantic and this far inland point4    
,the expedition left ,buenos ,ayres1 the
 capital of the ,argentine ,republic4   
,sailing up the western bank of the     
,river of ,silver1 we entered the       
,parana ,river1 and after an uneventful 

voyage of six days1 passed the mouth of 
the ,river of ,gold1 and turned into the
 ,paraguay4  ,three hundred miles up the
 ,higher ,parana1 a mighty stream       
flowing from the northeast1 which we    
here left to our right1 are the ,falls  
of ,yguas4 ,these falls have been seen  
by few white men4 ,the land on each side
 of the river is infested by the ,bugres
 ,indians1 a tribe of cannibals1 of     
excessively ferocious nature4 ,the      
,falls of ,big ,water must be the       
largest in the world--and the writer is 
well acquainted with ,niagara4  ,the    
river1 over two and a half miles wide1  
containing almost as much water as all  
the rivers of ,europe together1 rushes  
between perpendicular cliffs4 ,with a   
current of forty miles an hour1 and a   
volume of water that cannot be less than
 a million tons a minute1 the mighty    
torrent rushes with indescribable fury  
against a rocky island1 which separates 
it into two branches1 so that the total 
width is about two miles and a half4    

,the ,brazilian arm of the river forms a
 tremendous horseshoe here1 and plunges 
with a deafening roar into the abyss two
 hundred and thirteen feet below4 ,the  
,argentine branch spreads out in a sort 
of amphitheatre form1 and finishes with 
one grand leap into the jagged rocks1   
more than two hundred and twenty-nine   
feet below1 making the very earth       
vibrate1 while spray1 rising in columns1
 is visible several miles distant4      
,below the island the two arms unite and
 flow on into the ,parana ,river4 ,from 
the ,brazilian bank the spectator1 at a 
height of two hundred and eighty feet1  
gazes out over two and a half miles of  
some of the wildest and most fantastic  
water scenery he can ever hope to see4  
,waters stream1 seethe1 leap1 bound1    
froth and foam1 'throwing the sweat of  
their agony high in the air1 and1       
writhing1 twisting1 screaming and       
moaning1 bear off to the ,parana4'      
,under the blue vault of the sky1 this  
sea of foam1 of pearls1 of iridescent   

dust1 bathes the great background in a  
shower of beauty that all the more adds 
to the riot of tropical hues already    
there4 ,when a high wind is blowing1 the
 roar of the cataract can be heard      
nearly twenty miles away4 ,a rough      
estimate of the horse-power represented 
by the falls is fourteen million4       
,proceeding up the ,paraguay ,river1 we 
arrived at ,asuncion1 the capital of    
,paraguay1 and anchored in a beautiful  
bay of the river1 opposite the city4 ,as
 many necessary preparations had still  
to be made1 the expedition was detained 
in ,asuncion for fifteen days1 after    
which we boarded the ,s4,s4 ,leda1 for  
the second stage of our journey4        
,steaming up the ,alto ,paraguay1 we    
passed the orange groves of that sunny  
land on the right bank of the river1 and
 on the left saw the encampments of the 
,tobas ,indians1 ,the dwellings of these
 people are only a few branches of trees
 stuck in the ground4 ,further on1 we   
saw the ,chamococos ,indians1 a fine    

muscular race of men and women1 who     
cover their bronze-colored bodies with  
the oil of the alligator1 and think a   
covering half the size of a             
pocket-handkerchief quite sufficient to 
hide their nakedness4 ,as we stayed to  
take in wood1 ,i tried to photograph    
some of these1 our brothers and sisters1
 but the camera was nothing but an      
object of dread to them4 ,one old woman1
 with her long1 black1 oily hair        
streaming in the breeze1 almost withered
 me with her flashing eyes and barbarous
 language1 until ,i blushed as does a   
schoolboy when caught in the act of     
stealing apples4 ,nevertheless1 ,i got  
her photo4  ,the ,pilcomayo1 which      
empties its waters into the ,paraguay1  
is one of the most mysterious of rivers4
 ,rising in ,bolivia1 its course can be 
traced down for some considerable       
distance1 when it loses itself in the   
arid wastes1 or1 as some maintain1 flows
 underground4 ,its source and mouth are 
known1 but for many miles of its passage

 it is invisible4 ,numerous attempts to 
solve its secrets have been made4 ,they 
have almost invariably ended            
disastrously4 ,the ,spanish traveller1  
,ibarete1 set out with high hopes to    
travel along its banks1 but he and      
seventeen men perished in the attempt4  
,two half-famished1 prematurely-old1    
broken men were all that returned from  
the unknown wilds4 ,the ,pilcomayo1     
which has proved itself the river of    
death to so many brave men1 remains to  
this day unexplored4 ,the ,indians      
inhabiting these regions are savage in  
the extreme1 and the ,french explorer1  
,creveaux1 found them inhuman enough to 
leave him and most of his party to die  
of hunger4 ,the ,tobas and the          
,angaitaes tribes are personally known  
to me1 and ,i speak from experience when
 ,i say that more cruel men ,i have     
never met4 ,the ,argentine ,government1 
after twenty years of warfare with them1
 was compelled1 in #aijj1 to withdraw   
the troops from their outposts and leave

 the savages in undisputed possession4  
,if the following was the type of       
civilization offered them1 then they are
 better left to themselves3 ,two hundred
 ,indians who have been made prisoners  
are compelled to be baptized4 ,the      
ceremony takes place in the presence of 
the ,governor and officials of the      
district1 and a great crowd of          
spectators4 ,the ,indians kneel between 
two rows of soldiers1 an officer with   
drawn sword compels each in turn to open
 his mouth1 into which a second officer 
throws a handful of salt1 amid general  
laughter at the wry faces of the        
,indians4 ,then a ,franciscan padre     
comes with a pail of water and          
besprinkles the prisoners4 ,they are    
then commanded to rise1 and each        
receives a piece of paper inscribed with
 his new name1 a scapulary1 and--a glass
 of rum ,footnote3 ,report of ,british  
and ,foreign ,bible ,society1 #aijj4    
,what countries these for missionary    
enterprise6  ,after sailing for eighteen

 days up the river1 we transhipped into 
a smaller steamer going to ,bolivia4    
,sailing up the bay1 you pass1 on the   
south shore1 a small ,brazilian customs 
house1 which consists of a square roof  
of zinc1 without walls1 supported on    
four posts1 standing about two meters   
from the ground4 ,a ,brazilian1 clothed 
only in his black skin1 came down the   
house ladder and stared at us as we     
passed4 ,the compliment was returned1   
although we had become somewhat         
accustomed to that style of dress--or   
undress4 ,a little farther up the bay1 a
 white stone shone out in the sunlight1 
marking the ,bolivian boundary1 and     
giving the name of ,piedra ,blanca to   
the village4 ,this landmark is shaded by
 a giant tamarind tree1 and numerous    
barrel trees1 or palo boracho1 grow in  
the vicinity4 ,in my many wanderings in 
tropical ,america1 ,i have seen numerous
 strange trees1 but these are           
extraordinarily so4 ,the trunk comes out
 of the ground with a small             

circumference1 then gradually widens out
 to the proportions of an enormous      
barrel1 and at the top closes up to the 
two-foot circumference again4 ,two      
branches1 like giant arms spread        
themselves out in a most weird-looking  
manner on the top of all4 ,about five   
leaves grow on each bough1 and1         
instinctively1 you consider them the    
fingers of the arms4  ,it was only three
 leagues to the ,bolivian town of       
,piedra ,blanca1 but the ,bahia do      
,marengo took three hours to steam the  
short distance1 for five times we had to
 stop on the way1 owing to the bearings 
becoming heated4 ,these the ,brazilian  
engineer cooled with pails of water4    
,in the beautiful ,bay of ,caceres1 much
 of which was grown over with lotus and 
,victoria ,regia1 we finally anchored4  
,this ,bolivian village is about        
eighteen days' sail up the river from   
,montevideo on the seacoast4            
,chartering the ,general ,pando1 a      
steamer of #be h4p4 and #gj ft4 long1 we

 there completed our preparations1 and  
finally steamed away up the ,alto       
,paraguay1 proudly flying the ,bolivian 
flag of red1 yellow1 and green4 ,as a   
correct plan of the river had to be     
drawn1 the steamer only travelled by    
day1 when we were able to admire the    
grandeur of the scenery1 which daily    
grew wilder as the mountains vied with  
each other in lifting their rugged peaks
 toward heaven4 ,from time to time we   
passed one of the numerous islands the  
,paraguay is noted for4 ,these are      
clothed with such luxuriant vegetation  
that nothing less than an army of men   
with axes could penetrate them4 ,the    
land is one great1 wild1 untidy1        
luxuriant hot-house1 built by nature for
 herself4 ,the puma1 jaguar and wildcat 
are here at home1 besides the anaconda  
and boa constrictor1 which grow to      
enormous lengths4 ,the ,yaci ,ret1 or   
,island of the ,moon1 is the ideal haunt
 of the jaguar1 and as we passed it a   
pair of those royal beasts were playing 

on the shore like two enormous cats4 ,as
 they caught sight of us1 one leapt into
 the mangrove swamp1 out of sight1 and  
the other took a plunge into the river1 
only to rise a few yards distant and    
receive an explosive bullet in his head4
 ,the mangrove tree1 with its twisting  
limbs and bright green foliage1 grows in
 the warm water and ftid mud of tropical
 countries4 ,it is a type of death1 for 
pestilence hangs round it like a cloud4 
,at early morning this cloud is a very  
visible one4 ,the peculiarity of the    
tree is that its hanging branches       
themselves take root1 and1 nourished by 
such putrid exhalations1 it quickly     
spreads4  ,there were also many floating
 islands of fantastic shape1 on which   
birds rested in graceful pose4 ,we saw  
the garza blanca1 the aigrets of which  
are esteemed by royalty and commoner    
alike1 along with other birds new and   
strange4 ,to several on board who had   
looked for years on nothing but the flat
 ,argentine pampas1 this change of      

scenery was most exhilarating1 and when 
one morning the sun rose behind the     
,golden ,mountains1 and illuminated peak
 after peak1 the effect was glorious4   
,so startlingly grand were some of the  
colors that our artist more than once   
said he dare not paint them1 as the     
world would think that his coloring was 
not true to nature4  ,many were the     
strange sights we saw on the shore4     
,once we were amused at the ludicrous   
spectacle of a large bird of the stork  
family1 which had built its nest in a   
tree almost overhanging the river4 ,the 
nest was a collection of reeds and      
feathers1 having two holes in the       
bottom1 through which the legs of the   
bird were hanging4 ,the feet1 suspended 
quite a yard below the nest1 made one   
wonder how the bird could rise from its 
sitting position4  ,every sight the     
traveller sees1 however1 is not so      
amusing4 ,as darkness creeps over earth 
and sky1 and the pale moonbeams shed a  
fitful light1 it is most pathetic to see

 on the shore the dead trunk and limbs  
of a tree1 in the branches of which has 
been constructed a rude platform1 on    
which some dark-minded ,indian has      
reverently lifted the dead body of his  
comrade4 ,the night wind1 stirring the  
dry bones and whistling through the     
empty skull1 makes weird music6  ,the   
banks of the stream had gradually come  
nearer and nearer to us1 and the great  
river1 stretching one hundred and fifty 
miles in width where it pours its volume
 of millions of tons of water into the  
sea at ,montevideo1 was here a silver   
ribbon1 not half a mile across4  ,far be
 it from me to convey the idea that life
 in those latitudes is ,eden4 ,the      
mosquitos and other insects almost drive
 one mad4 ,the country may truly be     
called a naturalists' paradise1 for     
butterflies1 beetles1 and creeping      
things are multitudinous1 but the       
climate1 with its damp1 sickly heat1 is 
wholly unsuited to the ,anglo-,saxon4   
,day after day the sun in all his       

remorseless strength blazes upon the    
earth1 is if desirous of setting the    
whole world on fire4 ,the thermometer in
 the shade registered #aaj1 #aab and    
#aad degrees ,fahrenheit1 and on one or 
two memorable days #aah degrees4 ,the   
heat in our little saloon at times rose 
as high as #acj degrees1 and the        
perspiration poured down in streams on  
our almost naked bodies4 ,we seemed to  
be running right into the brazen sun    
itself4  ,one morning the man on the    
look-out descried deer on the starboard 
bow1 and arms were quickly brought out1 
ready for use4 ,our ,french hunter was  
just taking aim when it struck me that  
the deer moved in a strange way4 ,i     
immediately asked him to desist4 ,those 
dark forms in the long grass seemed1 to 
my somewhat trained eyes1 naked         
,indians1 and as we drew nearer to them 
so it proved1 and the man was thankful  
he had withheld his fire4  ,after       
steaming for some distance up the river 
several dug-outs1 filled with ,guatos   

,indians1 paddled alongside us4 ,an     
early traveller in those head-waters    
wrotes of these3 ,some of the smaller   
tribes were but a little removed from   
the wild brutes of their own jungles4   
,the lowest in the scale1 perhaps1 were 
the ,guatos1 who dwell to the north of  
the ,rio ,apa4 ,this tribe consisted of 
less than one hundred persons1 and they 
were as unapproachable as wild beasts4  
,no other person1 ,indian or foreigner1 
could ever come near but they would fly 
and hide in impenetrable jungles4 ,they 
had no written language of their own1   
and lived like unreasoning animals1     
without laws or religion4  ,the ,guato  
,indian seems now to be a tame and      
inoffensive creature1 but well able to  
strike a bargain in the sale of his     
dug-out canoes1 home-made guitars and   
other curios4 ,in the wrobbling canoe   
they are very dexterous1 as also in the 
use of their long bows and arrows2 the  
latter have points of sharpened bone4   
,when hungry1 they hunt or fish4 ,when  

thirsty1 they drink from the river2 and 
if they wish clothing1 wild cotton grows
 in abundance4  ,these ,indians1 living1
 as they do1 along the banks of the     
river and streams1 have recently been   
frequently visited by the white man on  
his passage along those natural         
highways4 ,it is1 therefore superfluous 
for me to add that they are now         
correspondingly demoralized4 ,it is a   
most humiliating fact that just in      
proportion as the paleface advances into
 lands hitherto given up to the ,indian 
so those races sink4 ,this degeneration 
showed itself strikingly among the      
,guatos in their inordinate desire for  
cachaca1 or firewater4 ,although        
extremely cautious and wary in their    
exchanges to us1 refusing to barter a   
bow and arrows for a shirt1 yet1 for a  
bottle of cachaca1 they would gladly    
have given even one of their canoes4    
,these ketchiveyos1 twenty or           
twenty-five feet long by about twenty   
inches wide1 they hollow from the trunk 

of the cedar1 or lapacho tree4 ,this is 
done with great labor and skill2 yet1 as
 ,i have said1 they were boisterously   
eager to exchange this week's work for  
that which they knew would lead them to 
fight and kill one another4  ,as a mark 
of special favor1 the chief invited me  
to their little village1 a few miles    
distant4 ,stepping into one of their    
canoes--a large1 very narrow boat1 made 
of one tree-trunk hollowed out by       
fire--,i was quickly paddled by three   
naked ,indians up a narrow creek1 which 
was almost covered with lotus4 ,the     
savages1 standing in the canoe1 worked  
the paddles with a grace and elegance   
which the civilized man would fail to   
acquire1 and the narrow craft shot      
through the water at great speed4 ,the  
chief sat in silence at the stern4 ,i   
occupied a palm-fibre mat spread for me 
amidships4 ,the very few words of       
,portuguese my companions spoke or      
understood rendered conversation        
difficult1 so the stillness was broken  

only by the gentle splash of the        
paddles4 ,on each side the dense forest 
seemed absolutely impenetrable1 but we  
at last arrived at an opening4 ,as we   
drew ashore ,i noticed that an ,indian  
path led directly inland4  ,leaving our 
dug-out moored with a fibre rope to a   
large mangrove tree1 we started to      
thread our way through the forest1 and  
finally reached a clearing4 ,here we    
came upon a crowd of almost naked and   
extremely dejected-looking women4 ,many 
of these1 catching sight of me1 sped    
into the jungle like frightened deer4   
,the chief's wife1 however1 at a word   
from him1 received me kindly1 and after 
accepting a brass necklace with evident 
pleasure1 showed herself very affable4  
,poor lost ,guatos6 ,their dejected     
countenances1 miserable grass huts1     
alive with vermin1 and their extreme    
poverty1 were most touching4            
,inhabiting1 as they do1 one of the     
hottest and dampest places on the       
earth's surface1 where mosquitos are    

numberless1 the wonder is that they     
exist at all4 ,truly1 man is a strange  
being1 who can adapt himself to         
equatorial heat or polar frigidity4 ,the
 ,guatos' chief business in life seemed 
to consist in sitting on fibre mats     
spread on the ground1 and driving away  
the bloodthirsty mosquitos from their   
bare backs4 ,for this they use a fan of 
their own manufacture1 made from wild   
cotton1 which there seems to abound4    
,writing of mosquitos1 let me say these 
,indian specimens were a terror to us   
all4 ,what numbers we killed6 ,i could  
write this account in their blood4 ,it  
was my blood1 though--before they got   
it6 ,men who hunt the tiger in cool     
bravery boiled with indignation before  
these awful pests1 which stabbed and    
stung with marvellous persistency1 and  
disturbed  the solitude of nature with  
their incessant humming4 ,i write the   
word incessant advisedly1 for ,i learned
 that there are several kinds of        
mosquitos4 ,some work by day and others 

by night4 ,naturalists tell us that only
 the female mosquito bites4 ,did they   
take a particular liking to us because  
we were all males8  ,some of the        
,indians paint their naked bodies in    
squares1 generally with red and black   
pigment4 ,their huts were in some cases 
large1 but very poorly constructed4     
,when any members of the tribe are taken
 sick they are supposed to be possessed 
by a stronger evil power1 and the       
sickness is starved out4 ,when the      
malady flies away the life generally    
accompanies it4 ,the dead are buried    
under the earth inside the huts1 and in 
some of the dwellings graves are quite  
numerous4 ,this custom of interior      
burial has probably been adopted because
 the wild animals of the forest would   
otherwise eat the corpse4 ,horrible to  
relate1 their own half-wild dogs        
sometimes devour the dead1 though an    
older member of the tribe is generally  
left home to mount guard4  ,seeing by   
the numerous gourds scattered around    

that they were drinking chicha1 ,i      
solicited some1 being anxious to taste  
the beverage which had been used so many
 centuries before by the old ,incas4    
,the wife of the chief immediately tore 
off a branch of the feather palm growing
 beside her1 and1 certainly within a    
minute1 made a basket1 into which she   
placed a small gourd4 ,going to the     
other side of the clearing1 she         
commenced1 with the agility of a monkey1
 to ascend a long sapling which had been
 laid in a slanting position against a  
tall palm tree4 ,the long1 graceful     
leaves of this cabbage palm had been    
torn open1 and the heart thus left to   
ferment4 ,from the hollow cabbage the   
woman filled the gourd1 and lowered it  
to me by a fibre rope4 ,the liquid ,i   
found to be thick and milky1 and the    
taste not unlike cider4  ,prescott tells
 us that ,atahuallpa1 the ,peruvian     
monarch1 came to see the conqueror1     
,pizarro1 quaffing chicha from golden   
goblets borne by his attendants4        

,footnote3 ,este ,embajador traia       
servicio de ,senor1 i cinco o seis      
,vasos de ,oro fino1 con que bebia1 i   
con ellos daba a beber a los ,espanoles 
de la chicha que traia4--,xerez4 ,golden
 goblets did not mean much to ,king     
,atahuallpa1 however1 for his palace of 
five hundred different apartments is    
said to have been tiled with beaten     
gold4  ,in these ,guato ,indians ,i     
observed a marked difference to any     
others ,i had visited1 in that they     
permitted the hair to grow on their     
faces4 ,the chief was of quite          
patriarchal aspect1 with full beard and 
mild1 intelligent-looking eyes4 ,the    
savages inhabiting the ,chaco consider  
this custom extremely dirty4  ,before   
leaving these people ,i procured some of
 their bows and arrows1 and also several
 cleverly woven palm mats and cotton    
fans4  ,some liquor our cook gave away  
had been taken out by the braves to     
their women in another encampment4      
,these spirits had so inflamed the      

otherwise retiring1 modest females that 
they1 with the men1 returned to the     
steamer1 clamoring for more4 ,all the   
stores1 along with some liquors we      
carried1 were under my care1 and ,i kept
 them securely locked up1 but in my     
absence at the ,indian camp the         
store-room had been broken open1 and our
 men and the ,indians--men and          
women--had drunk long and deep4 ,a scene
 like ,bedlam1 or ,dante's ,inferno1 was
 taking place when ,i returned4 ,willing
 as they were to listen to my counsel   
and admit that ,i was certainly a great 
white teacher1 with superior wisdom1 on 
this love for liquor and its debasing   
consequences they would hear no words4  
,the women and girls1 like the men1     
would clamor for the raw alcohol1 and   
gulp it down in long draughts4 ,when    
ardent spirits are more sought after by 
women and girls than are beads and      
looking-glasses it surely shows a       
terribly depraved taste4 ,even the      
chattering monkeys in the trees overhead

 would spurn the poison and eagerly     
clutch the bright trinket4 ,perhaps the 
looking-glasses ,i gave the poor females
 would1 after the orgies were over1     
serve to show them that their beauty was
 not increased by this beastly carousal1
 and thus be a means of blessing4 ,it   
may be asked1 ,can the savage be        
possessed of pride and of self-esteem8  
,i unhesitatingly answer yes1 as ,i have
 had abundant opportunity of seeing4    
,they will strut with peacock pride when
 wearing a specially gaudy-colored      
headdress1 although that may be their   
only article of attire4  ,having on     
board far more salt than we ourselves   
needed1 ,i was enabled to generously    
distribute much of that invaluable      
commodity among them4 ,that also1       
working in a different way1 might be a  
means of restoring them to a normal     
soundness of mind after we left4  ,poor 
lost creatures6 ,for this draught of the
 white man's poison1 far more terrible  
to them than the deadly nightshade of   

their forests1 more dangerous than the  
venom of the loathsome serpent gliding  
across their path1 they are willing to  
sell body or soul4 ,soul1 did ,i say8   
,they have never heard of that4 ,to     
them1 so far as ,i could ascertain1 a   
future life is unknown4 ,the explorer   
has penetrated some little way into     
their dark forests in search of rubber1 
or anything else which it would pay to  
exploit1 but the missionary of the      
,cross has never sought to illumine     
their darker minds4 ,they live their    
little day and go out into the unknown  
unconscious of the fact that ,one called
 ,jesus1 who was the ,incarnate ,god1   
died to redeem them4 ,as a traveller1 ,i
 have often wondered why men should be  
willing to pay me hundreds of dollars to
 explore those regions for ultimate     
worldly gain1 and none should ever offer
 to employ me in proclaiming the        
greatest wonder of all the ages--the    
story of ,calvary--for eternal gain4    
,after all1 are the ,indians more blind 

to the future than we are8 ,yet1 strange
 to say1 we profess to believe in the   
teachings of that ,one who inculcated   
the practice of laying up treasure in   
heaven1 while they have not even heard  
,his name4 ,for love of gain men have   
been willing to accompany me through the
 most deadly fever-breeding morass1 or  
to brave the poisoned arrows of the     
lynx-eyed ,indian1 but few have ever    
offered to go and tell of ,him whom they
 profess to serve4  ,the suffocating    
atmosphere quite precluded the idea of  
writing1 for a pen1 dipped in ink1 would
 dry before reaching the paper1 and the 
latter be saturated with perspiration in
 a few seconds2 so these observations   
were penned later4 ,so far as ,i could  
ascertain1 the ,romish ,church has never
 touched the ,guatos1 and1              
notwithstanding all ,i have said about  
them1 ,i unhesitatingly affirm that it  
is better so4 ,geo4 ,r4 ,witte1         
missionary to ,brazil1 says3 ,with one  
exception1 all the priests with whom ,i 

came in contact 7when on a journey      
through ,northern ,brazil7 were immoral1
 drunken1 and ignorant4 ,the tribes who 
have come under priestly care are       
decidedly inferior in morals1 industry1 
and order to the tribes who refuse to   
have anything to do with the whites4    
,the ,charentes and ,apinages have been1
 for years1 under the care of ,catholic 
friars--this is the way ,i found them3  
both men and women walk about naked4    
,we heard not one contradiction of the  
general testimony that the people who   
were not under the influence of the     
,roman ,catholic ,church as it is in ,s4
 ,america were better morally than those
 who were4 ,footnote3 ,robert ,e4       
,speer1 ,missions in ,south ,america4   
,in ,christendom organs peal out the    
anthems of ,divine love1 and            
well-dressed worshippers chant in       
harmonious unison1 ,lord1 incline our   
hearts to keep ,thy law4 ,that law says3
 ,thou shalt love thy neighbor as       
thyself4 ,to the question3 ,who is my   

neighbor8 the ,divine voice answers3 ,a 
certain man4 ,may he not be one of these
 neglected ,indians8     ,,chapter ,,vi4
  ,,arrival ,,at ,,the ,,lake4    ,it   
sleeps among a hundred hills    ,where  
no man ever trod1   ,and only ,nature's 
music fills    ,the silences of ,god4   
,after going about two thousand three   
hundred miles up this serpentine river1 
we discovered the entrance to the lake4 
,many had been the conjectures and      
counsels of would-be advisers when we   
started4 ,some said that there was no   
entrance to the lake from the river2    
others1 that there was not sufficient   
depth of water for the steamer to pass  
through4 ,on our port bow rose frowning 
rocks of forbidding aspect4 ,drawing    
nearer1 we noticed1 with mingled        
feelings of curiosity and wonder1 that  
the face of these rocks was rudely      
carved by unmistakably ,indian art4     
,there were portrayed a rising sun1     
tigers' feet1 birds' feet1 etc4 ,why    
were they thus carved8 ,are those rocks 

the everlasting recorders of some old   
history--some deed of ,indian daring in 
days of old8 ,what these hieroglyphics  
signify we may never know2 the workman  
is gone1 and his stone hammer is buried 
with him4 ,to twentieth century         
civilization his carving tells nothing4 
,no ,indians inhabit the shores of the  
lake now1 perhaps because of this       
writing on the wall4  ,with the leadsman
 in his place we slowly and cautiously  
entered the unexplored lake1 and thus   
for the first time in the world's       
history its waters were ploughed by a   
steamer's keel4  ,soon after our arrival
 the different guards were told off for 
the silent watches4 ,night shut in upon 
the lake1 and all nature slept4 ,the    
only lights on shore were those of the  
fire-flies as they danced through the   
myrtle boughs4 ,the stars in the heavens
 twinkled above us4 ,now and again an   
alligator thrust his huge1 ugly nose out
 of the water and yawned1 thus          
disturbing for the moment its placid    

surface1 which the pale moon illuminated
 with an ethereal light2 otherwise      
stillness reigned1 or1 rather1 a calm   
mysterious peace which was deep and     
profound4 ,somehow1 the feeling crept   
upon us that we had become detached from
 the world1 though yet we lived4        
,afterwards1 when the tigers ,footnote3 
,jaguars are invariably called tigers in
 ,south ,america4 on shore had scented  
our presence1 sleep was often broken by 
angry roars coming from the beach1 near 
which we lay at anchor2 but before dawn 
our noisy visitors always departed1     
leaving only their footprints4 ,early   
next morning1 while the green moon was  
still shining 7the color of this        
heavenly orb perplexed us1 it was a pure
 bottle green71 each one arose to his   
work4 ,this was no pleasure excursion1  
and duties1 many and arduous1 lay before
 the explorers4 ,the hunter sallied     
forth with his gun1 and returned laden  
with pheasant and mountain hen1 and over
 his shoulder a fine duck1 which1       

unfortunately1 however1 had already     
begun to smell--the heat was so intense4
 ,in his wanderings he had come upon a  
huge tapir1 half eaten by a tiger1 and  
saw footprints of that lord of the      
forest in all directions4  ,let me here 
say1 that to our hunter we were indebted
 for many a good dish1 and when not     
after game he lured from the depths of  
the lake many a fine perch or turbot4   
,fishing is an art in which ,i am not   
very skilled1 but one evening ,i        
borrowed his line4 ,after a few moments'
 waiting ,i had a bite1 and commenced to
 haul in my catch1 which struggled1     
kicked1 and pulled until ,i shouted for 
help4 ,my fish was one of our           
,paraguayan sailors1 who for sport had  
slipped down into the water on the other
 side of the steamer1 and1 diving to my 
cord1 had grasped it with both hands4   
,not every fisher catches a man6  ,lake 
,gaiba is a stretch of water ten miles  
long1 with a narrow mouth opening into  
the ,river ,paraguay4 ,the lake is      

surrounded by mountains1 clad in        
luxuriant verdure on the ,bolivian side1
 and standing out in bare1 rugged lines 
on the ,brazilian side4 ,the boundary of
 the two countries cuts the water into  
two unequal halves4 ,the most prominent 
of the mountains are now marked upon the
 exhaustive chart drawn out4 ,their     
christening has been a tardy one1 for   
who can tell what ages have passed since
 they first came into being8 ,looking at
 ,mount ,ray1 the highest of these      
peaks1 at sunset1 the eye is startled by
 the strange hues and rich tints there  
reflected4 ,frequently we asked         
ourselves3 ,is that the sun's radiance1 
or are those rocks the fabled ',cliffs  
of ,opal' men have searched for in vain8
 ,we often sat in a wonder of delight   
gazing at the scene1 until the sun sank 
out of sight1 taking the opal cliffs    
with it1 and leaving us only with the   
dream4  ,on the shores of the lake the  
beach is covered with golden sand and   
studded with innumerable little stones1 

clear as crystal1 which scintillate with
 all the colors of the rainbow4 ,among  
these pebbles ,i found several          
arrowheads of jasper4 ,in other parts   
the primeval forest creeps down to the  
very margin1 and the tree-roots bathe in
 the warm waters4 ,looking across the   
quivering heat-haze1 the eye rests upon 
palms of many varieties1 and giant trees
 covered with orchids and parasites1 the
 sight of which would completely        
intoxicate the horticulturist4          
,butterflies1 gorgeous in all the colors
 of the rainbow1 flit from flower to    
flower2 and monkeys1 with curiously     
human faces1 stare at the stranger from 
the tree-tops4 ,white cotton trees1     
tamarinds1 and strangely shaped fruits  
grow everywhere1 and round about all are
 entwined festoons of trailing creepers1
 or the loveliest of scarlet mistletoe1 
in which humming-birds build their      
nests4 ,blue macaws1 parrots1 and a     
thousand other birds fly to and fro1 and
 the black fire-bird darts across the   

sky1 making lightning with every flutter
 of his wings1 which1 underneath1 are   
painted a bright1 vivid red4 ,serpents  
of all colors and sizes creep silently  
in the undergrowth1 or hang from the    
branches of the trees1 their emerald    
eyes ever on the alert2 and the         
broad-winged eagle soars above all1     
conscious of his majesty4  ,here and    
there the coast is broken by silent     
streams flowing into the lake from the  
unexplored regions beyond4 ,these       
riachos are covered with lotus leaves   
and flowers1 and also the ,victoria     
,regia in all its gorgeous beauty4      
,papyrusa1 reeds and aquatic plants of  
all descriptions grow on the banks of   
the streams1 making a home for the white
 stork or whiter garza4 ,looking into   
the clear warm waters you see little    
golden and red fishes1 and on the bed of
 the stream shells of pearl4  ,on the   
south side of the ,gaiba1 at the foot of
 the mountains1 the beach slopes gently 
down1 and is covered with golden sand1  

in which crystals sparkle as though set 
in fine gold by some cunning workman4 ,a
 ,workman1 yes--but not of earth1 for   
nature is here untouched1 unspoilt as   
yet by man1 and the traveller can look  
right away from it to its ,creator4     
,during our stay in these regions the   
courses of several of the larger streams
 were traced for some distance4 ,on the 
,brazilian side there was a river up    
which we steamed4 ,not being acquainted 
with the channel1 we had the misfortune 
to stick for two days on a tosca reef1  
which extended a distance of sixty-five 
feet4 ,footnote3 ,the finding of tosca  
at this point confirms the extent inland
 of the ancient ,pampean sea4--,colonel 
,church1 in ,proceedings of the ,royal  
,geographical ,society1 ,january1 #aijb4
 ,during this time1 a curious phenomenon
 presented itself to our notice4 ,in one
 day we clearly saw the river flow for  
six hours to the north-west1 and for    
another six hours to the south-east4    
,this1 of course1 proved to us that the 

river's course depends on the wind4  ,on
 the bank1 right in front of where we   
lay1 was a gnarled old tree1 which      
seemed to be the home1 or parliament    
house1 of all the paroquets in the      
neighborhood4 ,scores of them kept up an
 incessant chatter the whole time4 ,in  
the tree were two or three hanging      
nests1 looking like large sacks         
suspended from the boughs4 ,ten or      
twenty birds lay in the same nest1 and  
you might find in them1 at the one time1
 eggs just laid1 birds recently hatched1
 and others ready to fly4 ,sitting and  
rearing go on concurrently4 ,i procured 
a tame pair of this lovely breed of     
paroquets from the ,guatos4 ,their      
prevailing color was emerald green1     
while the wings and tail were made up of
 tints of orange1 scarlet1 and blue1 and
 around the back of the bird was a      
golden sheen rarely found even in       
equatorial specimens4 ,whether the bird 
is known to ornithologists or not ,i    
cannot tell4 ,one night our camp was    

pitched near an anthill1 inhabited by   
innumerable millions of those insects4  
,none of us slept well1 for1 although   
our hammocks were slung1 as we thought1 
away from them1 they troubled us much4  
,what was my horror next morning when   
the sun1 instead of lighting up the     
rainbow tints of my birds1 showed only a
 black moving mass of ants6 ,my parrots 
had literally been eaten alive by them6 
,but ,i am wandering on and the ship is 
still aground on the reef6 ,after much  
hauling and pulling and breaking of     
cables1 she at last was got off into    
deep water4 ,we had not proceeded far1  
however1 when another shock made the    
vessel quiver4 ,were we aground again8  
,no1 the steamer had simply pushed a    
lazy alligator out of its way1 and he   
resented the insult by a diabolical     
scowl at us4  ,continuing on our way1 we
 entered another body of hitherto       
unexplored water1 a fairy spot1 covered 
with floating islands of lotus1 anchored
 with aquatic cables and surrounded by  

palm groves4 ,on the shallow1 pebbly    
shore might be seen1 here and there1    
scarlet flamingoes4 ,these beautiful    
birds stood on one leg1 knee deep1      
dreaming of their enchanted home4 ,truly
 it is a perfect paradise1 but it is    
almost as inaccessible as the ,paradise 
which we all seek4 ,what long-lost      
civilizations have ruled these now      
deserted solitudes8 ,penetrate into the 
dark1 dank forest1 as ,i have done1 and 
ask the question4 ,the only answer is   
the howling of the monkeys and the      
screaming of the cockatoos4 ,you may    
start when you distinctly hear a bell   
tolling1 but it is no call to worship in
 some stately old ,inca temple with its 
golden sun and silver moon as deities4  
,it is the wonderful bell-bird1 which   
can make itself heard three miles away1 
but it is found only where man is not4  
,ruins of the old ,incan and older      
pre-,incan civilizations are come       
across1 covered now with dense jungle1  
but their builders have disappeared4 ,to

 have left behind them until this day   
ruins which rank with the pyramids for  
extent1 and ,karnak for grandeur1 proves
 their intelligence4  ,the peculiar     
rasping noise you now hear in the       
undergrowth has nothing to do with busy 
civilization--'tis only the rattlesnake 
drawing his slimy length among the dead 
leaves or tangled reeds4 ,no1 all that  
is past1 and this is an old new world   
indeed1 and romance must not rob you of 
self possession1 for the rattle means   
that in the encounter either he dies--or
 you4  ,meanwhile the work on shore     
progressed4 ,paths were cut in different
 directions and the wonders of nature   
laid bare4 ,the ring of the axe and the 
sound of falling trees marked the       
commencement of civilization in those   
far-off regions4 ,ever and anon a loud  
report rang out from the woods1 for it  
might almost be said that the men worked
 with the axe in one hand and a rifle in
 the other4 ,once they started a giant  
tapir taking his afternoon snooze4 ,the 

beast lazily got up and made off1 but   
not before he had turned his piercing   
eyes on the intruders1 as though        
wondering what new animals they were4   
,surely this was his first sight of the 
lords of creation1 and probably his     
last1 for a bullet quickly whizzed after
 him4 ,another day the men shot a puma  
searching for its prey1 and numerous    
were the birds1 beasts and reptiles that
 fell before our arms4 ,the very        
venomous jaracuc1 a snake eight to      
twelve feet long1 having a double row of
 teeth in each jaw1 is quite common     
here4  ,the forests are full of birds   
and beasts in infinite variety1 as also 
of those creatures which seem neither   
bird nor beast4 ,there are large black  
howling monkeys1 and little black-faced 
ones with prehensile tails1 by means of 
which they swing in mid-air or jump from
 tree to tree in sheer lightness of     
heart4 ,there is also the sloth1 which1 
as its name implies1 is painfully       
deliberate in its motions4 ,were ,i a   

,scotchman ,i should say that ,i dinna  
think that in a' nature there is a mair 
curiouser cratur4 ,sidney ,smith's      
summary of this strange animal is that  
it moves suspended1 rests suspended1    
sleeps suspended1 and passes its whole  
life in suspense4 ,this latter state may
 also aptly describe the condition of   
the traveller in those regions2 for man1
 brave though he may be1 does not relish
 a vis--vis with the enormous anaconda1 
also to be seen there at most           
inconvenient times4 ,i was able to      
procure the skins of two of these giant 
serpents4  ,the leader of the forest    
gang1 a ,paraguayan1 wore round his neck
 a cotton scapular bought from the      
priest before he started on the         
expedition4 ,this was supposed to save  
him from all dangers1 seen and unseen4  
,poor man1 he was a good ,roman         
,catholic1 and often counted his beads1 
but he was an inveterate liar and thief4
  ,taking into consideration the wild   
country1 and the adventurous mission    

which had brought us together1 our men  
were not at all a bad class4 ,one of    
them1 however1 a black ,brazilian1 used 
to boast at times that he had killed his
 father while he slept4 ,in the quiet of
 the evening hour he would relate the   
story with unnatural gusto4  ,we        
generally slept on the deck of the      
steamer1 each under a thin netting1     
while the millions of mosquitos buzzed  
outside--and inside when they could     
steal a march4 ,mosquitos8 ,why         
mosquitos  la ,paris was one of the     
items on our menu one day4 ,the course  
was not altogether an imaginary one     
either4 ,having the good fortune to     
possess candles1 ,i used sometimes to   
read under my gauzy canopy4 ,this would 
soon become so black with insects of all
 descriptions as to shut out from my    
sight the outside world4  ,after        
carefully surveying the ,bolivian shore1
 we fixed upon a site for the future    
port and town4 ,footnote3 ,the latitude 
of ,port ,quijarro is #ag #dg' #ce1 and 

the longitude1 west of ,greenwich1 #eg  
#dd' #ch4 ,height above the sea1 #eeh   
feet4 ,planting a hugh palm in the      
ground1 with a long bamboo nailed to the
 crown1 we then solemnly unfurled the   
,bolivian flag4 ,this had been made     
expressly for the expedition by the     
hands of ,seora ,quijarro1 wife of the  
,bolivian minister residing in ,buenos  
,ayres4 ,as the sun for the first time  
shone upon the brilliant colors of the  
flag1 nature's stillness was broken by a
 good old ,english hurrah1 while the    
hunter and several others discharged    
their arms in the air1 until the parrots
 and monkeys in the neighborhood must   
have wondered 7or is wondering only     
reserved for civilized man87 what new   
thing had come to pass4 ,there we1 a    
small company of men in nature's        
solitudes1 each signed his name to the  
,act of ,foundation of a town1 which in 
all probability will mean a new era for 
,bolivia4 ,we fully demonstrated the    
fact that ,puerto ,quijarro will be an  

ideal port1 through which the whole     
commerce of south-eastern ,bolivia can  
to advantage pass4  ,next day the       
,secretary drew out four copies of this 
,act4 ,one was for ,his ,excellency     
,general ,pando1 ,president of the      
,bolivian ,republic2 another for the    
,mayor of ,holy ,cross1 the nearest     
,bolivian town1 #cej miles distant2 a   
third for ,seor ,quijarro2 while the    
fourth was enclosed in a stone bottle   
and buried at the foot of the flagstaff1
 there to await the erection of the     
first building4 ,thus a commencement has
 been made2 the lake and shores are now 
explored4 ,the work has been thoroughly 
done1 and the sweat of the brow was not 
stinted1 for the birds of the air       
hovered around the theodolite1 even on  
the top of the highest adjacent         
mountain4 ,footnote3 ,the opening of the
 country must1 from its geographical    
situation1 be productive of political   
consequences of the first magnitude to  
,south ,america4--,report of the ,royal 

,geographical ,society1 ,january1 #aijb4
  ,at last1 this work over and an       
exhaustive chart of the lake drawn up1  
tools and tents collected1 specimens of 
soil1 stones1 iron1 etc41 packed and    
labelled1 we prepared for departure4    
,the weather had been exceptionally warm
 and we had all suffered much from the  
sun's vertical rays1 but towards the end
 of our stay the heat was               
sweltering--killing6 ,the sun was not   
confined to one spot in the heavens1 as 
in more temperate climes2 here he filled
 all the sky1 and he scorched us        
pitilessly6 ,only at early morning1 when
 the eastern sky blushed with warm gold 
and rose tints1 or at even1 when the    
great liquid ball of fire dropped behind
 the distant violet-colored hills1 could
 you locate him4 ,does the ,indian      
worship this awful majesty out of fear1 
as the ,chinaman worships the devil8    
,next morning dawned still and          
portentous4 ,not a zephyr breeze stirred
 the leaves of the trees4 ,the          

sweltering heat turned to a suffocating 
one4 ,as the morning dragged on we found
 it more and more difficult to breathe2 
there seemed to be nothing to inflate   
our lungs4 ,by afternoon we stared      
helplessly at each other and gasped as  
we lay simmering on the deck4 ,were we  
to be asphyxiated there after all8 ,i   
had known as many as two hundred a day  
to die in one ,south ,american city from
 this cause4 ,surely mortal men never   
went through such awful1 airless heat as
 this and lived4 ,we had been permitted 
to discover the lake1 and if the world  
heard of our death1 would that flippant 
remark be used again1 as with previous  
explorers1 ,to make omelettes eggs must 
be broken8  ,however1 we were not to    
melt4 ,towards evening the barometer1   
which had been falling all day1 went    
lower and lower4 ,all creation was      
still4 ,not a sound broke the awful     
quiet2 only in our ears there seemed to 
be an unnatural singing which was       
painful1 and we closed our eyes in      

weariness1 for the sun seemed to have   
blistered the very eyeballs4 ,when we   
mustered up sufficient energy to turn   
our aching eyes to the heavens1 we saw  
black storm-clouds piling themselves one
 above another1 and hope1 which springs 
eternal in the human breast1 saw in them
 our hope1 our salvation4  ,the fall of 
the barometer1 and the howling of the   
monkeys on shore also1 warned us of the 
approaching tempest1 so we prepared for 
emergencies by securing the vessel fore 
and aft under the lee of a rugged sierra
 before the storm broke--and break it   
did in all its might4  ,suddenly the    
wind swept down upon us with            
irresistible fury1 and we breathed--we  
lived again4 ,so terrific was the sweep 
that giant trees1 which had braved a    
century's storms1 fell to the earth with
 a crash4 ,the hurricane was truly      
fearful4 ,soon the waters of the lake   
were lashed into foam4 ,great drops of  
rain fell in blinding torrents1 and     
every fresh roll of thunder seemed to   

make the mountains tremble1 while the   
lightning cleft asunder giant trees at  
one mighty stroke4   ,illustration3     
,,victoria ,,regia1 ,,the ,,world',s    
,,largest ,,flower   ,in the old legends
 of the ,inca1 read on the ,quipus1 we  
find that ,pachacamac and ,viracocha1   
the highest gods1 placed in the heavens 
,nusta1 a royal princess1 armed with a  
pitcher of water1 which she was to pour 
over the earth whenever it was needed4  
,when the rain was accompanied by       
thunder1 lightning1 and wind1 the       
,indians believed that the maiden's     
royal brother was teasing her1 and      
trying to wrest the pitcher from her    
hand4 ,nusta must indeed have been      
fearfully teased that night1 for the    
lightning of her eyes shot athwart the  
heavens and the sky was rent in flame4  
,often in those latitudes no rain falls 
for long months1 but when once the      
clouds open the earth is deluged6 ,weeks
 pass1 and the zephyr breezes scarcely  
move the leaves of the trees1 but in    

those days of calm the wind stores up   
his forces for a mighty storm4 ,on this 
dark1 fearful night he blew his fiercest
 blasts4 ,the wild beast was affrighted 
from his lair and rushed down with a    
moan1 or the mountain eagle screamed out
 a wail1 indistinctly heard through the 
moaning sounds4 ,during the whole night1
 which was black as wickedness1 the wind
 howled in mournful cadence1 or went    
sobbing along the sand4 ,as the hours   
wore on we seemed to hear1 in every     
shriek of the blast1 the strange tongue 
of some long-departed ,indian brave1    
wailing for his happy hunting-grounds1  
now invaded by the paleface4 ,coats and 
rugs1 that had not for many months been 
unpacked1 were brought out1 only in some
 cases to be blown from us1 for the wind
 seemed to try his hardest to impede our
 departure4 ,the rain soaked us through 
and through4 ,mists rose from the earth1
 and mists came down from above4 ,next  
morning the whole face of nature was    
changed4  ,after the violence of the    

tempest abated we cast off the ropes and
 turned the prow of our little vessel   
civilizationward4 ,when we entered the  
lake the great golden sun gave us a warm
 welcome1 now1 at our farewell1 he      
refused to shine4 ,the rainy season had 
commenced1 but1 fortunately for us1     
after the work of exploration was done4 
,this weather continued--day after day  
clouds and rain4 ,down the rugged1      
time-worn face of the mountains foaming 
streams rushed and poured1 and this was 
our last view--a good-bye of copious    
tears6 ,thus we saw the lake in sunshine
 and storm1 in light and darkness4 ,it  
had been our aim and ambition to reach  
it1 and we rejoiced in its discovery4   
,remembering that we were the first who 
ever burst into that silent sea1 we     
seemed to form part of it1 and its      
varying moods only endeared it to us the
 more4 ,in mining parlance1 we had      
staked out our claims there1 for--      
,o'er no sweeter lake shall morning     
break1    ,or noon cloud sail2   ,no    

fairer face than this shall take    ,the
 sunset's golden veil4     ,,chapter    
,,vii4  ,,piedra ,,blanca4   ,in due    
time we again reached ,piedra ,blanca1  
and1 notwithstanding our ragged1        
thorn-torn garments1 felt we were once  
more joined on to the world4  ,the      
bubonic plague had broken out farther   
down the country1 steamboats were at a  
standstill1 so we had to wait a passage 
down the river4 ,piedra ,blanca is an   
interesting little spot4 ,one evening a 
tired mule brought in the postman from  
the next town1 ,holy ,joseph4 ,he had   
been eight days on the journey4 ,another
 evening a string of dusty mules        
arrived1 bringing loads of rubber and   
cocoa4 ,they had been five months on the
 way4  ,when the ,chiquitana women go   
down to the bay for water1 with their   
pitchers poised on their heads1 the     
sight is very picturesque4 ,sometimes a 
little boy will step into one of the    
giant1 traylike leaves of the ,victoria 
,regia1 which1 thus transformed into a  

fairy boat1 he will paddle about the    
quiet bay4  ,the village is built on the
 edge of the virgin forest1 where the   
red man1 with his stone hatchet1 wanders
 in wild freedom4 ,it contains1 perhaps1
 a hundred inhabitants1 chiefly         
civilized ,chiquitanos ,indians4 ,there 
is here a customs house1 and a regular  
trade in rubber1 which is brought in    
from the interior on mule-back1 a       
journey which often takes from three to 
four months4  ,one evening during our   
stay two men were forcibly brought into 
the village1 having been caught in the  
act of killing a cow which they had     
stolen4 ,these men were immediately     
thrown into the prison1 a small1 dark1  
palm-built hut4 ,next morning1 ere the  
sun arose1 their feet were thrust into  
the stocks1 and a man armed with a long 
hide whip thrashed them until the blood 
flowed in streamlets down their bare    
backs6 ,what struck us as being         
delicately thoughtful was that while the
 whipping proceeded another official    

tried his best to drown their piercing  
shrieks by blowing an old trumpet at its
 highest pitch6  ,the women1 although   
boasting only one loose white garment1  
walk with the air and grace of queens1  
or as though pure ,inca blood ran in    
their veins4 ,their only adornment is a 
necklace of red corals and a few inches 
of red or blue ribbon entwined in their 
long raven-black hair1 which hangs down 
to the waist in two plaits4 ,their      
houses are palm-walled1 with a roof of  
palm-leaves1 through which the rain     
pours and the sun shines4 ,their chairs 
are logs of wood1 and their beds are    
string hammocks4 ,their wants are few1  
as there are no electric-lighted store  
windows to tempt them4 ,let us leave    
them in their primitive simplicity4     
,their little1 delicately-shaped feet   
are prettier without shoes and          
stockings1 and their plaited hair       
without ,parisian hats and ,european    
tinsel4 ,they neither read nor write1   
and therefore cannot discuss politics4  

,women's rights they have never heard   
of4 ,their bright-eyed1 naked little    
children play in the mud or dust round  
the house1 and the sun turns their      
already bronze-colored bodies into a    
darker tint2 but the ,chiquitana woman  
has never seen a white baby1 and knows  
nothing of its beauty1 so is more than  
satisfied with her own4 ,the ,indian    
child does not suffer from teething1 for
 all have a small wooden image tied     
round the neck1 and the little one1     
because of this1 is supposed to be saved
 from all baby ailments6 ,their husbands
 and sons leave them for months while   
they go into the interior for rubber or 
cocoa1 and when one comes back1 riding  
on his bullock or mule1 he is           
affectionately but silently received4   
,the ,chiquitano seldom speaks1 and in  
this respect he is utterly unlike the   
,brazilian4 ,the women differ from our  
mothers and sisters and wives1 for they 
7the ,chiquitanas7 have nothing to say4 
,after all1 ours are best1 and a        

headache is often preferable to         
companioning with the dumb4 ,i          
unhesitatingly say1 give me the music1  
even if ,i have to suffer the           
consequences4  ,the waiting-time was    
employed by our hunter in his favorite  
sport4 ,one day he shot a huge alligator
 which was disporting itself in the     
water some five hundred yards from the  
shore4 ,taking a strong rope1 we went   
out in an ,indian dug-out to tow it to  
land4 ,as my friend was the more        
dexterous in the use of the paddle1 he  
managed the canoe1 and ,i1 with much    
difficulty1 fixed the rope by a noose to
 the monster's tail4 ,when the towing1  
however1 commenced1 the beast seemed to 
regain his life4 ,he dived and struggled
 for freedom until the water was lashed 
into foam4 ,he thrust his mighty head   
out of the water and opened his jaws as 
though warning us he could crush the    
frail dug-out with one snap4 ,being     
anxious to obtain his hide1 and         
momentarily expecting his death1 for he 

was mortally wounded1 ,i held on to the 
rope with grim persistency4 ,he dived   
under the boat and lifted it high1 but  
as his ugly nose came out on the other  
side the canoe regained its position in 
the water4 ,he then commenced to tow us1
 but1 refusing to obey the helm1 took us
 to all points of the compass4 ,after an
 exciting cruise the alligator gave a   
deep dive and the rope broke1 giving him
 his liberty again4 ,on leaving us he   
gave what ,waterton describes as a      
long-suppressed1 shuddering sigh1 so    
loud and so peculiar that it can be     
heard a mile4 ,the bullet had entered   
the alligator's head1 but next morning  
we saw he was still alive and able to   
paddle his own canoe4 ,the reader may be
 surprised to learn that these repulsive
 reptiles lay an egg with a pure white  
shell1 fair to look upon1 and that the  
egg is no larger than a hen's4  ,one day
 ,i was called to see a dead man for    
whom a kind of wake was being held4 ,he 
was lying in state in a grass-built     

hovel1 and raised up from the mud floor 
on two packing-cases of suspiciously    
,british origin4 ,his hard ,indian face 
was softened in death1 but the observant
 eye could trace a stoical resignation  
in the features4 ,several men and women 
were sitting around the corpse counting 
their beads and drinking native spirits1
 with a dim1 hazy belief that that was  
the right thing to do4 ,they had given  
up their own heathen customs1 and1 being
 civilized1 must1 of course1 be ,roman  
,catholics4 ,they were reduced1 as ,holy
 ,mother ,church calls it1 long ago1    
and1 of course1 believe that            
civilization and ,roman ,catholicism are
 synonymous terms4 ,poor souls6 ,how    
they stared and wondered when they that 
morning heard for the first time the    
story of ,jesus1 who tasted death for us
 that we might live4 ,to those in the   
home lands this is an old story1 but do 
they who preach it or listen to it      
realize that to millions it is still the
 newest thing under the sun8  ,next day 

the man was quietly carried away to the 
little forest clearing reserved for the 
departed1 where a few wooden crosses    
lift their heads among the tangled      
growth4 ,some of these crosses have four
 rudely carved letters on them1 which   
you decipher as ,i4 ,n4 ,r4 ,i4 ,the    
,indian cannot tell you their meaning1  
but he knows they have something to do  
with his new religion4  ,as far as ,i   
could ascertain1 the departed had no    
relatives4 ,one after another had been  
taken from him1 and now he had gone1 for
 when he is forsaken1 withered and      
shaken1 what can an old man do but      
die8--it is the end of all flesh4 ,poor 
man6 ,had he been able to retain even a 
spark of life until ,holy ,week1 he     
might then have been saved from         
purgatory4 ,rome teaches that on two    
days in the year--,holy ,thursday and   
,corpus ,christi--the gates of heaven   
are unguarded1 because1 they say1 ,god  
is dead4 ,all people who die on those   
days go straight to heaven1 however bad 

they may have been6 ,at no other time is
 that gate open1 and every soul must    
pass through the torments of purgatory4 
,a missionary in ,oruru wrote3 ,the     
,thursday and ,friday of so-called ,holy
 ,week1 when ,christ's image lay in a   
coffin and was carried through the      
streets1 ,god being dead1 was the time  
for robberies1 and some one came to     
steal from us1 but only got about fifty 
dollars' worth of building material4    
,holy ,week terminates with the         
',saturday of ,glory1' when spirits are 
drunk till there is not a dram left in  
the drink-shops1 which frequently bear  
such names as ',the ,saviour of the     
,world1' ',the ,grace of ,god1' ',the   
,fountain of ,our ,lady1' etc4 ,the poor
 deluded ,romanists have a holiday on   
that day over the tragic end of ,judas4 
,a life-size representation of the      
betrayer is suspended high in the air in
 front of the cafs4 ,at ten a4m4 the    
church bells begin to ring1 and this is 
the signal for lighting the fuse4 ,then1

 with a flash and a bang1 every vestige 
of the effigy has disappeared6 ,at      
night1 if the town is large enough to   
afford a theatre1 the crowds wend their 
way thither4 ,this place of very        
questionable amusement will often bear  
the high-sounding name1 ,theatre of the 
,holy ,ghost6  ,there is no church or   
priest in the village of ,piedra        
,blanca4 ,down on the beach there is a  
church bell1 which the visitor concludes
 is a start in that direction1 but he is
 told that it is destined for the town  
of ,santa ,cruz de la ,sierra1 three    
hundred miles inland4 ,the bell was a   
present to the church by some pious     
devotee1 but the money donated did not  
provide for its removal inland4 ,this   
cost the priests refuse to pay1 and the 
,chiquitanos equally refuse to transport
 it free4 ,there is no resident priest  
to make them1 so there it stays4 ,in the
 meantime the bell is slung up on three 
poles4 ,it was solemnly beaten with a   
stick on ,christmas ,eve to commemorate 

the time when the ,mother of ,heaven    
gave birth to her child ,jesus4 ,in one 
of the principal houses of the village  
the scene was most vividly reproduced4  
,a small arbor was screened off by palm 
leaves1 in which were hung little       
colored candles4 ,angels of paper were  
suspended from the roof1 that they might
 appear to be bending over the ,virgin1 
which was a highly-colored fashion-plate
 cut from a ,parisian journal that      
somehow had found its way there4 ,the   
child ,jesus appeared to be a ,mellin's 
,food-fed infant4 ,round this fairy     
scene the youth and beauty of the place 
danced and drank liberal potations of   
chicha1 the ,bolivian spirits1 until far
 on into morning1 when all retired to   
their hammocks to dream of their goddess
 and her lovely babe4  ,after this paper
 ,virgin the next most prominent object 
of worship ,i saw in ,piedra ,blanca was
 a saint with a dress of vegetable      
fibre1 long hair that had once adorned a
 horse's tail1 and eyes of pieces of    

clamshell4  ,poor1 dark ,bolivia6 ,it   
would be almost an impossible thing to  
exaggerate the low state of religion    
there4 ,a communication from ,sucre     
reads3 ,the owners of images of ,jesus  
as a child have been getting masses said
 for their figures4 ,a band of music is 
employed1 and from the church to the    
house a procession is formed4 ,a scene  
of intoxication follows1 which only ends
 when a good number lie drunk before the
 image--the greater the number the      
greater the honor to the image8 ,the    
peddler of chicha carries around a large
 stone jar1 about a yard in depth4 ,the 
payment for every drink sold is dropped 
into the jar of liquor1 so the last     
customers get the most tasty decoction4 
,naturally the masses like a religion of
 license1 and are as eager as the       
priests to uphold it4 ,read a tale of   
the persecution of a nineteenth century 
missionary there4 ,mr4 ,payne in graphic
 language tells the story3              
,excommunication was issued4 ,to attend 

a meeting was special sin1 and only     
pardoned by going on the knees to the   
bishop4 ,sermons against us were        
preached in all the churches4 ,i was    
accused before the ,criminal ,court4 ,it
 was said ,i carried with me the        
'special presence' of the devil1 and had
 blasphemed the ,blessed ,virgin1 and   
everyone passing should say3 ',maria1   
,joseph4' ,one day a crowd collected1   
and sacristans mixed with the multitude1
 urging them on to 'vengeance on the    
,protestants4' ,about two p4m4 we heard 
the roar of furious thousands1 and like 
a river let loose they rushed down on   
our house4 ,paving-stones were quickly  
torn up1 and before the police arrived  
windows and doors were smashed1 and     
about a thousand voices were crying for 
blood4 ,we cried to the ,lord1 not      
expecting to live much longer4 ,the     
,chief of ,police and his men were swept
 away before the mob1 and now the door  
burst in before the huge stones and     
force used4 ,there were two parties1 one

 for murder and one for robbery4 ,i was 
beaten and dragged about1 while the cry 
went up1 ',death to the ,protestant6'   
,the fire was blazing outside1 as they  
had lots of kerosene1 and with all the  
forms1 chairs1 texts1 clothes and books 
the street was a veritable bonfire4     
,everything they could lay hands on was 
taken4 ,at this moment the cry arose    
that the soldiers were coming1 and a    
cavalry regiment charged down the       
street1 carrying fear into the hearts of
 the people4 ,a second charge cleared   
the street1 and several soldiers rode   
into the patio slashing with their      
swords4  ,in this riot the missionary   
had goods to the value of one thousand  
dollars burnt1 and was himself hauled   
before the magistrates and1 after a     
lengthy trial1 condemned to die for     
heresy6  ,baronius1 a ,roman ,catholic  
writer1 says3 ,the ministry of ,peter is
 twofold--to feed and to kill2 for the  
,lord said1 ',feed ,my sheep1' and he   
also heard a voice from heaven saying1  

',kill and eat4' ,bellarmine argues for 
the necessity of burning heretics4 ,he  
says3 ,experience teaches that there is 
no other remedy1 for the ,church has    
proceeded by slow steps1 and tried all  
remedies4 ,first1 she only              
excommunicated4 ,then she added a fine  
of money1 and afterwards exile4 ,lastly 
she was compelled to come to the        
punishment of death4 ,if you threaten a 
fine of money1 they neither fear ,god   
nor regard men1 knowing that fools will 
not be wanting to believe in them1 and  
by whom they may be sustained4 ,if you  
shut them in prison1 or send them into  
exile1 they corrupt those near to them  
with their words1 and those at a        
distance with their books4 ,therefore1  
the only remedy is to send them betimes 
into their own place4  ,as this         
mediaeval sentence against ,mr4 ,payne  
could hardly be carried out in the      
nineteenth century1 he was liberated1   
but had to leave the country4 ,he       
settled in another part of the          

,republic4 ,in a letter from him now    
before me as ,i write he says3 ,the     
priests are circulating all manner of   
lies1 telling the people that we keep   
images of the ,virgin in order to       
scourge them every night4 ,at           
,colquechaca we were threatened with    
burning1 as it was rumored that our     
object was to do away with the ,roman   
,catholic religion1 which would mean a  
falling off in the opportunities for    
drunkenness4 ,so we see he is still     
persecuted4  ,the ,rev4 ,a4 ,g4 ,baker1 
of the ,canadian ,baptist ,mission1     
wrote3 ,the ,bishop of ,la ,paz has sent
 a letter to the ,minister of ,public   
,worship of which the following is the  
substance3 ',it is necessary for me to  
call attention to the ,protestant       
meetings being held in this city1 which 
cause scandal and alarm throughout the  
whole district1 and which are contrary  
to the law of ,bolivia4 ,moreover1 it is
 indispensable that we prevent the sad  
results which must follow such          

teachings1 so contrary to the true      
religion4 ,on the other hand1 if this is
 not stopped1 we shall see a repetition 
of the scenes that recently took place  
in ,cochabamba4' ,footnote3 ,referring  
to the sacking and burning of ,mr4      
,payne's possessions previously referred
 to4  ,bolivia was one of the last of   
the ,republics to hold out against      
liberty of worship1 but in #aijg this   
was at last declared4 ,great efforts    
were made that this law should not be   
passed4  ,in my lectures on this        
continent ,i have invariably stated that
 in ,south ,america the priest is the   
real ruler of the country4 ,i append a  
recent despatch from ,washington1 which 
is an account of a massacre of          
revolutionary soldiers1 under most      
revolting circumstances1 committed at   
the instigation of the ecclesiastical   
authorities3 ,the ,department of ,state 
has been informed by the ,united ,states
 ,minister at ,la ,paz1 ,bolivia1 that  
,col4 ,pando sent #abj men to ,ayopaya4 

,on arriving at the town of ,mohoza1 the
 commander demanded a loan of two       
hundred dollars from the priest of the  
town1 and one hundred dollars from the  
mayor4 ,these demands being refused1 the
 priest and the mayor were imprisoned4  
,meanwhile1 however1 the priest had     
despatched couriers to the ,indian      
village1 asking that the natives attack 
,pando's men4 ,a large crowd of ,indians
 came1 and1 in spite of all measures    
taken to pacify them1 the arms of the   
soldiers were taken away1 the men       
subjected to revolting treatment1 and   
finally locked inside the church for the
 night4 ,in the morning the priest1     
after celebrating the so-called 'mass of
 agony1' allowed the ,indians to take   
out the unfortunate victims1 two by two1
 and #ajc were deliberately murdered1   
each pair by different tortures4        
,seventeen escaped death by having      
departed the day previous on another    
mission4  ,after ,gen4 ,pando was       
elected ,president of the ,republic of  

,bolivia1 priestly rule remained as     
strong as ever4 ,to enter on and retain 
his office he must perforce submit to   
,church authority4 ,when in his employ1 
however1 ,i openly declared myself a    
,protestant missionary2 and1 because of 
exploration work1 was made a ,bolivian  
citizen4  ,in #ahig it was my great joy 
to preach the gospel in ,ensenada4 ,many
 and attentive were the listeners as for
 the first time in their lives they were
 told of the ,man of ,calvary who died  
that they might live4 ,with exclamations
 of wonder they sometimes said3 ,what   
fortunate people we are to have heard   
such words6 ,four men and five women    
were born again4 ,ensenada1 built on a  
malarial swamp1 was reeking with miasma1
 and the houses were raised on posts    
about a yard above the slime4 ,i was in 
consequence stricken with malarial      
fever4 ,one day a man who had attended  
the meetings came into my room1 and1    
kneeling down1 asked the ,lord not to   
let me suffer1 but to take me quickly4  

,after long weeks of illness1 ,god1     
however1 raised me up again1 and the    
meetings were resumed1 when the reason  
of the priest's non-interference was    
made known to me4 ,he had been away on a
 long vacation1 and1 on his return1     
hearing of my services1 he ordered the  
church bells rung furiously4 ,on my     
making enquiries why the bells clanged  
so1 ,i was informed that a special      
service was called in the church4 ,at   
that service a special text was         
certainly taken1 for ,i was the text4   
,during the course of the sermon1 the   
preacher in his fervid eloquence even   
forbade the people to look at me4 ,after
 that my residence in the town was most 
difficult4 ,the barber would not cut my 
hair1 nor would the butcher sell me his 
meat1 and ,i have gone into stores with 
the money ostentatiously showing in my  
hand only to hear the word1 ,afuera6    
7,get out67 ,when ,i appeared on the    
street ,i was pelted with stones by the 
men1 while the women ran away from me   

with covered faces6 ,it was now a sin to
 look at me6  ,i reopened the little    
hall1 however1 for public services4 ,it 
had been badly used and was splashed    
with mud and filth4 ,the first night men
 came to the meetings in crowds just to 
disturb1 and one of these shot at me1   
but the bullet only pierced the wall    
behind4 ,a policeman marched in and bade
 me accompany him to the police station1
 and on the way thither ,i was severely 
hurt by missiles which were thrown at   
me4 ,an official there severely         
reprimanded me for thus disturbing the  
quiet town1 and ,i was ushered in before
 the judge4 ,that dignified gentleman   
questioned me as to the object of my    
meetings4 ,respectfully answering1 ,i   
said3 ,to tell the people how they can  
be saved from sin4 ,then1 as briefly as 
possible1 ,i unfolded my mission4 ,the  
man's countenance changed4 ,surely my   
words were to him an idle tale--he knew 
them not4 ,after cautioning me not to   
repeat the offence1 he gave me my       

liberty1 but requested me to leave the  
town4 ,rev4 ,f4 ,penzotti1 of the ,b4   
,f4 ,b4 ,society1 was imprisoned in a   
dungeon for eight long months1 so ,i was
 grateful for deliverance4  ,an         
acquaintance who was eye-witness to the 
scene1 though himself not a ,christian1 
tells the following sad story3  ,away   
near the foot of the great ,andes1      
nestling quietly in a fertile valley1   
shut away1 one would think1 from all the
 world beyond1 lay the village of ,e---4
 ,the inhabitants were a quiet1         
home-loving people1 who took life as    
they found it1 and as long as they had  
food for their mouths and clothes for   
their backs1 cared little for anything  
else4 ,one matter1 however1 had for some
 little time been troubling them1 viz41 
the confession of their sins to a       
priest4 ,after due consideration1 it was
 decided to ask ,father ,a41 living some
 seventeen leagues distant1 to state the
 lowest sum for which he would come to  
receive their confessions4 ',one hundred

 dollars1' he replied1 'is the lowest ,i
 can accept1 and as soon as you send it 
,i will come4'  ,after a great effort1  
for they were very poor1 forty dollars  
was raised amongst them1 and word was   
sent to ,father ,a4 that they could not 
possibly collect any more4 ,would he    
take pity on them and accept that sum8  
',what6 only forty dollars in the whole 
of ,e---1' was his reply1 'and you dare 
to offer me that6 ,no6 ,i will not come1
 and1 furthermore1 from this day ,i     
pronounce a curse on your village1 and  
every living person and thing there4    
,your children will all sicken and die1 
your cattle all become covered with     
disease1 and you will know no comfort   
nor happiness henceforth4 ,i1 ,father   
,a41 have said it1 and it will come to  
pass4'  ,where was the quiet1 peaceful  
scene of a few weeks before8 ,gone1 and 
in its place all terror and confusion4  
,these ignorant people1 believing the   
words of the priest1 gathered together  
their belongings and fled4 ,as ,i saw   

those poor1 simple people leaving the   
homes which had sheltered them for      
years1 as well as their ancestors before
 them1 and with feverish haste hurrying 
down the valley--every few minutes      
looking back1 with intense sorrow and   
regret stamped on their faces--,i       
thought surely these people need some   
one to tell them of ,jesus1 for1 little 
as ,i know about ,him1 ,i am convinced  
that ,he does not wish them to be       
treated thus4  ,the priest is satisfied 
with nothing less than the most complete
 submission of the mind and body of his 
flock4 ,a woman must often give her last
 money for masses1 and a man toil for   
months on the well-stocked land of the  
divine father to save his soul4 ,if he  
fail to do this1 or any other sentence  
the priest may impose1 he is condemned  
to eternal perdition4  ,mr4 ,patrick1 of
 the ,r4 ,b4 ,m4 ,u41 has described to  
me how1 soon after he landed in         
,trujilla1 he attended service at a     
,jesuit church4 ,he had introduced some 

gospels into the city1 and a special    
sermon was preached against the ,bible4 
,during the service the priest produced 
one of the gospels1 and1 holding it by  
the covers1 solemnly put the leaves into
 the burning candle by his side1 and    
then stamped on the ashes on the pulpit 
floor4 ,the same priest1 however1       
,ricardo ,gonzales by name1 thought it  
no wrong to have seventeen children to  
various mothers1 and his daughters were 
leaders in society4 ,men love darkness  
rather than light because their deeds   
are evil4 ,in ,trujilla1 right opposite 
my friend's house1 there lived1 at the  
same time1 a highly respected priest1   
who had1 with his own hands1 lit the    
fire that burnt alive a young woman who 
had embraced ,christianity through      
missionary preaching4 ,bear in mind1    
reader1 ,i am not writing of the dark   
ages1 but of what occurred just outside 
,trujilla during my residence in the    
country4 ,even in #aiaj1 ,missionary    
,chapman writes of a convert having his 

feet put in the stocks for daring to    
distribute ,god's ,word4 ,footnote3 ,i  
never saw greater darkness excepting in 
,central ,africa4 ,i visited #gj of the 
largest cathedrals1 and1 after diligent 
enquiry1 found only one ,bible1 and that
 a ,protestant ,bible about to be       
burned--,dr4 ,robert ,e4 ,speer1 in     
,missionary ,review of the ,world1      
,august1 #aiaa4  ,up to four years ago1 
the statute was in force that ,every one
 who directly or through any act        
conspires to establish in ,bolivia any  
other religion than that which the      
republic professes1 namely1 that of the 
,roman ,catholic ,apostolic ,church1 is 
a traitor1 and shall suffer the penalty 
of death4  ,after a week's stay in      
,piedra ,blanca1 during which ,i had    
ample time for such comparisons as these
 ,i have penned1 quarantine lifted1 and 
the expedition staff separated4 ,i      
departed on horseback to inspect a tract
 of land on another frontier of ,bolivia
 #a1cjj miles distant4     ,,part ,,iii4

  ,,paraguay  ,illustration3 ,,an       
,,indian ,,and ,,his ,,god ,,nandeyara  
,i need not follow the beaten path2   ,i
 do not hunt for any path2   ,i will go 
where there is no path1   ,and leave a  
trail4     ,,paraguay  ,paraguay1 though
 one of the most isolated republics of  
,south ,america1 is one of the oldest4  
,a hundred years before the ,mayflower  
sailed from old ,plymouth there was a   
permanent settlement of ,spaniards near 
the present capital4 ,the country has   
#ih1jjj square miles of territory1 but a
 population of only #hjj1jjj4 ,paraguay 
may almost be called an ,indian         
republic1 for the traveller hears       
nothing but the soft ,guarani language  
spoken all over the country4 ,it is in  
this republic that the yerba mt grows4  
,that is the chief article of commerce1 
for at least fifteen millions of ,south 
,americans drink this tea1 already      
frequently referred to4 ,thousands of   
tons of the best oranges are grown1 and 
its orange groves are world-famed4  ,the

 old capital1 founded in #aecg1 was     
built without regularity of plan1 but   
the present city1 owing to the despotic 
sway of ,francia1 is most symmetrical4  
,that ,south ,american ,nero issued     
orders for all houses that were out of  
his lines to be demolished by their     
owners4 ,one poor man applied to know   
what remuneration he was to have1 and   
the dictator's answer was3 ',a lodgment 
gratis in the public prison4' ,another  
asked where he was to go1 and the answer
 was1 ',to a state dungeon4' ,both      
culprits were forthwith lodged in their 
respective new residences1 and their    
houses were levelled to the ground4     
,such was the terror inspired by the man
 that the news that he was out would    
clear the streets4 ,a white ,paraguayan 
dared not utter his name4 ,during his   
lifetime he was ',el ,supremo1' and     
after he was dead for generations he was
 referred to simply as ',el ,difunto4'  
,footnote3 ,robertson's ,reign of       
,terror4  ,paraguay1 of all countries1  

has been most under the teaching of the 
,jesuit priest1 and the people in       
consequence are found to be the most    
superstitious4 ,being an inland         
republic1 its nearest point a thousand  
miles from the sea-coast1 it has been   
held in undisputed possession4  ,here   
was waged between #ahfb and #ahgj what  
history describes as the most           
annihilating war since ,carthage fell4  
,the little republic1 standing out for  
five and a half years against five other
 republics1 fought with true ,indian    
bravery and recklessness1 until for     
every man in the country there could be 
numbered nine women 7some authorities   
say eleven72 and this notwithstanding   
the fact that the women in thousands    
carried arms and fought side by side    
with the men4 ,the dictator ,lopez1 who 
had with such determination of purpose  
held out so long1 was finally killed1   
and his last words1 ,muero con la patria
 7,i die with the country7 were truly   
prophetic1 for the country has never    

risen since4  ,travellers agree in      
affirming that of all ,south ,americans 
the ,paraguayans are the most           
mild-mannered and lethargic2 yet when   
these people are once aroused they fight
 with tigerish pertinacity4 ,the pages  
of history may be searched in vain for  
examples of warfare waged at such odds2 
but the result is invariably the same1  
the weaker nation1 whether right or     
wrong1 goes under4 ,although the        
national mottoes vary with the different
 flags1 yet the ,chilian is the most    
universally followed in ,south ,america1
 as elsewhere3 ,por la razon  la fuerza 
7,by right or by might74 ,the           
,paraguayans contended heroically for   
what they considered their rights1 and  
such bloody battles were fought that at 
,curupait alone #e1jjj dead and dying   
were left on the field6 ,added to the   
carnage of battle was disease on every  
hand4 ,the worst epidemic of smallpox   
ever known in the annals of history was 
when the ,brazilians lost #dc1jjj men1  

while this war was being waged against  
,paraguay4 ,one hundred thousand bodies 
were left unburied1 and on them the wild
 animals and vultures gorged themselves4
 ,the saying now is a household word1   
that the jaguar of those lands is the   
most to be dreaded1 through having      
tasted so much human blood4  ,lopez1 the
 cause of all this sacrifice and misery1
 has gone to his final account1 his soul
 stained with the blood of seven hundred
 thousand of his people1 the victims of 
his ambition and cruelty4  ,towns which 
flourished before the outbreak of       
hostilities were sacked by the          
emboldened ,indians from the ,chaco and 
wiped off the map1 ,san ,salvador 7,holy
 ,saviour7 being a striking example4 ,i 
visited the ruins of this town1 where   
formerly dwelt about #h1jjj souls4 ,now 
the streets are grass-grown1 and the    
forest is creeping around church and    
barracks1 threatening to bury them4 ,i  
rode my horse through the high portal of
 the cannon-battered church1 while the  

stillness of the scene reminded me of a 
city of the dead4 ,city of the dead1    
truly--men and women and children who   
have passed on6 ,my horse nibbled the   
grass growing among the broken tiles of 
the floor1 while ,i1 in imagination1    
listened to the passing bell in the     
tower above me1 and under whose shade ,i
 sought repose4 ,a traveller1 describing
 this site1 says3 ,it is a place of     
which the atmosphere is one great mass  
of malaria1 and the heat                
suffocating--where the surrounding      
country is an uninterrupted marsh--where
 venomous insects and reptiles abound4  
,san ,salvador as a busy mart has ceased
 to exist1 and the nearest approach to  
the human form divine1 found            
occasionally within its walls1 is the   
howling monkey4 ,such are the           
consequences of war6 ,during the last   
ten years ,paraguay has been slowly     
recovering from the terrible effects of 
this war1 but a republic composed mostly
 of women is severely handicapped4      

,footnote3 ,would the suffragettes      
disagree with the writer here8          
,paraguay is a poor land2 the value of  
its paper currency1 like that of most   
,south ,american countries1 fluctuates  
almost daily4 ,in #ahii the dollar was  
worth only twelve cents1 and for five   
gold dollars ,i have received in        
exchange as many as forty-six of theirs4
 ,yet there is a great future for       
,paraguay4 ,it has been called the      
,paradise of ,south ,america1 and       
although the writer has visited sixteen 
different countries of the world1 he    
thinks of ,paraguay with tender longing4
 ,it is perhaps the richest land on     
earth naturally1 and produces so much   
mte that one year's production would    
make a cup of tea for every man1 woman  
and child on the globe4 ,oranges and    
bananas can be bought at six cents a    
hundred1 two millions of cattle fatten  
on its rich pasture lands2 but1 of all  
the countries the writer has travelled  
in1 ,mexico comes first as a land of    

beggars1 and poor ,paraguay comes       
second4     ,,chapter ,,viii4           
,,asuncion4   ,being in ,england in     
#aijj for change and rest1 ,i was       
introduced to an eccentric old gentleman
 of miserly tendencies1 but possessed of
 #e1jjj1jjj4 ,hearing of my wanderings  
in ,south ,america1 he told me that he  
owned a tract of land thirteen miles    
square in ,paraguay1 and would like to  
know something of its value4 ,the       
outcome of this visit was that ,i was   
commissioned by him to go to that       
country and explore his possession1 so  
,i proceeded once more to my old field  
of labor4 ,arriving at the mouth of the 
,river ,plate1 after five weeks of      
sea-tossing1 ,i was1 with the rest1     
looking forward to our arrival in       
,buenos ,ayres1 when a steam tug came   
puffing alongside1 and we were informed 
that as the ship had touched at the     
infected port of ,bahia1 all passengers 
must be fumigated1 and that we must     
submit to three weeks' quarantine on    

,flores ,island4 ,the ,port doctor has  
sent a whole ship-load to the island for
 so trifling a cause as that a sailor   
had a broken collar-bone1 so we knew    
that for us there was nothing but       
submission4 ,disembarking from the ocean
 steamer on to lighters1 we gave a last 
look at the coveted land1 so near and   
yet so far1 and were towed away to three
 small islands in the centre of the     
river1 about fifty miles distant4 ,one  
island is set apart as a burial ground1 
one is for infected patients1 and the   
other1 at which we were landed1 is for  
suspects4 ,on that desert island1 with  
no other land in sight than the sister  
isles1 we were given time to chew the   
cud of bitter reflection4 ,they gave us 
little else to chew6 ,the food served up
 to us consisted of strings of dried    
beef1 called charqui1 which was brought 
from the mainland in dirty canvas bags4 
,this was often supplemented by boiled  
seaweed4 ,being accustomed to           
self-preservation1 ,i was able to       

augment this diet with fish caught while
 sitting on the barren rocks of our     
sea-girt prison4 ,prison it certainly   
was1 for sentries1 armed with           
,remingtons1 herded us like sheep4  ,the
 three weeks' detention came to an end1 
as everything earthly does1 and then an 
open barge1 towed by a steam-launch1    
conveyed us to ,montevideo4 ,quite a    
fresh breeze was blowing1 and during our
 eleven hours' journey we were          
repeatedly drenched with spray4         
,delicate ladies lay down in the bottom 
of the boat in the throes of            
seasickness1 and were literally washed  
to and fro1 and saturated1 as they said1
 to the heart4 ,we landed1 however1 and 
,i took passage up to ,asuncion in the  
,olympo4  ,the ,olympo is a palatial    
steamer1 fitted up like the best        
,atlantic liners with every luxury and  
convenience4 ,on the ship there were    
perhaps one hundred cabin passengers1   
and in the steerage were six hundred    
,russian emigrants bound for            

,corrientes1 three days' sail north4    
,two of these women were very sick1 so  
the chief steward1 to whom ,i was known1
 hurried me to them1 and ,i was thankful
 to be able to help the poor females4   
,the majestic river is broad1 and in    
some parts so thickly studded with      
islands that it appears more like a     
chain of lakes than a flowing stream4   
,as we proceeded up the river the       
weather grew warmer1 and the native     
clothing of sheepskins the ,russians had
 used was cast aside4 ,the men1 rough   
and bearded1 soon had only their under  
garments on1 and the women wore simply  
that three-quarter length loose garment 
well known to all females1 yet they     
sweltered in the unaccustomed heat4  ,at
 midnight of the third day we landed    
them at ,corrientes1 and the women1 in  
their white 787 garments1 with their    
babies and ikons1 and bundles--and      
husbands--trod on terra firma for the   
first time in seven weeks4  ,after about
 twelve days' sail we came to ,bella    

,vista1 at which point the river is     
eighteen miles wide4 ,sixteen days after
 leaving the mouth of the river1 we     
sighted the red-tiled roofs of the      
houses at ,asuncion1 the capital of     
,paraguay1 built on the bank of the     
river1 which is there only a mile wide1 
but thirty feet deep4 ,the river boats  
land their passengers at a rickety      
wooden wharf1 and ,indians carry the    
baggage on their heads into the dingy   
customs house4 ,after this has been     
inspected by the cigarette-smoking      
officials1 the dark-skinned porters are 
clamorously eager to again bend         
themselves under the burden and take    
your trunks to an hotel1 where you      
follow1 walking over the exceedingly    
rough cobbled streets4 ,there is not a  
cab for hire in the whole city4 ,the two
 or three hotels are fifth-rate1 but    
charge only about thirty cents a day4   
,asuncion is a city of some #cj1jjj     
inhabitants ,owing to its isolated      
position1 a thousand miles from the     

sea-coast1 it is perhaps the most       
backward of all the ,south ,american    
capitals4 ,although under ,spanish rule 
for three hundred years1 the natives    
still retain the old ,indian language   
and the ,guarani idiom is spoken by all4
  ,the city is lit up at night with     
small lamps burning oil1 and these      
lights shed fitful gleams here and      
there4 ,the oil burned bears the        
high-sounding trade-mark1 ,light of the 
,world1 and that is the only light of   
the world the native knows of4 ,the     
lamps are of so little use that females 
never dream of going out at night       
without carrying with them a little tin 
farol1 with a tallow dip burning inside4
  ,i have said the street lamps give    
little light4 ,i must make exception of 
one week of the year1 when there is     
great improvement4 ,that week they are  
carefully cleaned and trimmed1 for it is
 given up as a feast to the ,virgin1 and
 the lights are to shed radiance on     
gaudy little images of that august lady 

which are inside of each lamp4 ,the     
,pal1 or father priest1 sees that these 
images are properly honored by the      
people4 ,he is here as elsewhere1 the   
moving spirit4  ,san ,bias is the patron
 saint of the country1 ,it is said he   
won for the ,paraguayans a great victory
 in an early war4 ,st4 ,cristobel       
receives much homage also because he    
helped the ,virgin ,mary to carry the   
infant ,jesus across a river on the way 
to ,egypt4  ,asuncion was for many years
 the recluse headquarters of the        
,jesuits1 so of all enslaved            
,spanish-,americans probably the        
,guaranis are the worst4 ,during ,lent  
they will inflict stripes on their      
bodies1 or almost starve themselves to  
death2 and their abject humility to the 
,pa is sad to witness4 ,on special      
church celebrations large processions   
will walk the streets1 headed by the    
priests1 chanting in ,latin4 ,the people
 sometimes fall over one another in     
their eager endeavors to kiss the       

priest's garments1 ,they prostrate      
themselves1 count their beads1 confess  
their sins1 and seek the coveted        
blessing of this demi-god1 who shuts the
 kingdom of heaven1 and keeps the key in
 his own pocket4  ,a noticeable feature 
of the place is that all the inhabitants
 go barefooted4 ,ladies 787 will pass   
you with their stiffly-starched white   
dresses1 and raven-black hair neatly    
done up with colored ribbons1 but with  
feet innocent of shoes4 ,soldiers and   
policemen tramp the streets1 but neither
 are provided with footwear1 and their  
clothes are often in tatters4 ,the      
,jesuits taught the ,indians to make    
shoes1 but they alone wore them1        
exporting the surplus4 ,shoes are not   
for common people1 and when one of them 
dares to cover his feet he is considered
 presumptuous4 ,hats they never wear1   
but they have the beautiful custom of   
weaving flowers in their hair4 ,when    
flowers are not worn the head is covered
 by a white sheet called the tupo1 and  

in some cases this garment is richly    
embroidered4 ,these females are devoted 
,romanists1 as will be seen from the    
following description of a feast held to
 ,st4 ,john3  ,doa ,juana's first care  
was to decorate with uncommon splendor a
 large image of ,st4 ,john1 which1 in a 
costly crystal box1 she preserved as the
 chief ornament of her principal        
drawing-room4 ,he was painted anew and  
re-gilded4 ,he had a black velvet robe  
purchased for him1 and trimmed with deep
 gold lace4 ,hovering over him was a    
cherub4 ,every friend of ,doa ,juana had
 lent some part of her jewellery for the
 decoration of the holy man4 ,rings     
sparkled on his fingers2 collars hung   
around his neck2 a tiara graced his     
venerable brow4 ,the lacings of his     
sandals were studded with pearls2 a     
precious girdle bound his slender waist1
 and six large wax candles were lighted 
up at the shrine4 ,there1 embosomed in  
fragrant evergreens--the orange1 the    
lime1 the acacia--stood the favorite    

saint1 destined to receive the first    
homage of every guest that should       
arrive4 ,these all solemnly took off    
their hats to the image4  ,such         
religious mummery as this is painful to 
witness1 and to see the saint borne     
round in procession1 with men carrying  
candles1 and white-clad girls with large
 birds' wings fastened to their         
shoulders1 dispels the idea of its being
 ,christianity at all4  ,the people are 
gentle and mild-spoken4 ,white-robed    
women lead strings of donkeys along the 
streets1 bearing huge panniers full of  
vegetables1 among which frequently play 
the women's babies4 ,the panniers are   
about a yard deep1 and may often be seen
 full to the brim with live fowls       
pinioned by the legs4 ,other women go   
around with large wicker trays on their 
heads1 selling chip1 the native bread1  
made from ,indian corn1 or mandioca     
root1 the staple food of the country4   
,wheat is not grown in ,paraguay1 and   
any flour used is imported4 ,these      

daughters of ,eve often wear nothing    
more than a robe-de-chambre1 and        
invariably smoke cigars six or eight    
inches long4 ,their figure is erect and 
stately1 and the laughing eyes full of  
mischief and merriment2 but they fade   
into old age at forty4 ,until then they 
seem proud as children of their brass   
jewellery and red coral beads4 ,the     
,paraguayans are the happiest race of   
people ,i have met2 care seems undreamed
 of by them4  ,in the post-office of the
 capital ,i have sometimes been unable  
to procure stamps1 and ,dypore 7,we have
 none7 has been the civil answer of the 
clerk4 ,when they had stamps they were  
not provided with mucilage1 but a brush 
and pot of paste were handed the buyer4 
,if you ask for a one cent stamp the    
clerk will cut a two cent stamp and give
 you a half4 ,they have1 however1 stamps
 the tenth part of a cent in value1 and 
a bank note in circulation whose face   
value is less than a cent4 ,there are   
only four numerals in the ,guarani      

language3 #a1 petei2 #b1moncoi2         
#c1;bohapy2 #d1;irund4 ,it is not       
possible to express five or six4 ,no    
wonder1 therefore1 that when ,i bought  
five #dj-;cent stamps1 ,i found the     
clerk was unable to count the sum1 and  
,i had to come to the rescue and tell   
him it was #b4jj4 ,at least eighty per  
cent4 of the people are unable to read4 
,when they do1 it is of course in       
,spanish1 ,a young man to whom ,i gave  
the ,gospel of ,john carefully looked at
 it1 and then1 turning to me1 said3 ,is 
this a history of that wonderful lawyer 
we have been hearing about8 ,to those   
interested in the dissemination of      
,scriptures1 let me state that no single
 ,gospel has as yet been translated into
 ,guarani4  ,a tentative edition of the 
,sermon on the ,mount has recently been 
issued by the ,british and ,foreign     
,bible ,society1 a copy of which ,i had 
the honor to be the first to present to 
the head executive4  ,gentle simplicity 
is the chief characteristic of the      

people4 ,if the traveller relates the   
most ordinary events that pass in the   
outside world1 they will join in the    
exclamation of surprise-,b-eh-pic6      
,b-eh-pic6  ,information that tends to  
their lowering is not always accepted   
thus1 however1 for a colonel in the     
army1 when told that ,asuncion could be 
put into a large city graveyard1 hastily
 got up from the dinner table and went  
away in wounded pride and incredulity4  
,the one who is supposed to know a      
little likes to keep his position1 and  
the ,spanish proverb is exemplified3 ,en
 tierra de los ciegos1 el tuerto es rey 
7,in the blind country the one-eyed are 
kings74 ,the native is most guileless   
and ignorant1 as can well be understood 
when his language is an unwritten one4  
,paraguay is essentially a land of      
fruit1 #bjj oranges may be bought for   
the equivalent of six cents4 ,small     
mountains of oranges may always be seen 
piled up on the banks ready to be       
shipped down the river4 ,women are      

employed to load the vessels with this  
fruit1 which they carry in baskets on   
their heads4 ,everything is carried on  
their heads1 even to a glass bottle4 ,my
 laundress1 ,cuacarai ,footnote3 ,the   
,guarani idiom can boast of but few     
words1 and ,mr41 ,mrs4 and ,miss are    
simply rendered carai 7man71 cuna-carai 
7woman7 and cunatai 7young woman72 mita 
cuna is girl1 mita cuimbai is boy1 and  
mita mishi--baby4 ,jesus1 although an   
old woman1 could bear almost incredible 
weights on her hard skull4  ,as the     
climate is hot1 a favorite occupation   
for men and women is to sit             
half-submerged in the river1 smoking    
vigorously ,the ,paraguayans are an     
amphibious race1 neither wholly seamen  
nor wholly landsmen1 but partaking of   
both4 ,all sleep in cotton              
hammocks1--beds are almost unknown4 ,the
 hammocks are slung on the verandah of  
the house in the hotter season and all  
sleep outside1 taking off their garments
 with real sang froid4 ,in the cooler   

season the visitor is invited to hang   
his hammock along with the rest inside  
the house1 and in the early morning     
naked little children bring mt to each  
one4 ,if the family is wealthy this will
 be served in a heavy silver cup and    
bombilla1 or sucking tube1 of the same  
metal4 ,after this drink and a bite of  
chip1 a strangely shaped1 thin-necked   
bottle1 made of sun-baked clay1 is      
brought1 and from it water is poured on 
the hands4 ,the towels are spotlessly   
white and of the finest texture4 ,they  
are hand-made1 and are so delicately    
woven and embroidered that ,i found it  
difficult to accustom myself to use     
them4 ,the beautifully fine lace called 
nandut 7literally spider's web7 is also 
here made by the ,indian women1 who have
 long been civilized4 ,some of the      
handkerchiefs they make are worth #ej   
each in the fashionable cities of       
,america and ,europe4 ,a month's work   
may easily be expended on such a dainty 
fabric4  ,the women seem exceptionally  

fond of pets4 ,monkeys and birds are    
common in a house1 and the housewife    
will show you her parrot and say1 ,in   
this bird dwells the spirit of my       
departed mother4 ,an enemy1 somehow1 has
 always turned into an alligator--a     
reptile much loathed by them4  ,in even 
the poorest houses there is a shrine and
 a ,saint4 ,these deities can answer all
 prayers if they choose to4 ,sometimes1 
however1 they are not in the humor1 and 
at one house the saint had refused1 so  
he was laid flat on the floor1 face     
downwards4 ,the woman swore that until  
he answered her petition she would not  
lift him up again4 ,he laid thus all    
night2 whether longer or not ,i do not  
know4  ,having heard much concerning the
 moralit of the people1 ,i asked the    
maid at a respectable private house     
where ,i was staying3 ,have you a       
father8 ,no1 sir1 she answered1 we      
,paraguayans are not accustomed to have 
a father4 ,children of five or six1 when
 asked about that parent1 will often    

answer1 ,father died in the war4 ,the   
war ended thirty-nine years ago1 but    
they have been taught to say this by the
 mother4  ,as in ,argentina the first   
word the stranger learns is maana       
7to-morrow71 so here the first is dy-qui
 7,i don't know74 ,whatever question you
 ask the ,guarani1 he will almost       
invariably answer1 ,dy-qui4 ,ask him his
 age1 he answers ,dy-qui ,to your       
question3 ,are you twenty or one hundred
 and twenty8 he will reply ,dy-qui4     
,through the long rule of the ,jesuits  
the natives stopped thinking2 they had  
it all done for them4 ,at the same time 
that they enslaved them1 they tortured  
them into the profession of the religion
 they had imported2 and as they had seen
 that in the old land the love of this  
world and the deceitfulness of riches   
were ever in the way of conversion to   
the true faith1 they piously relieved   
the ,indians of these snares of the     
soul1 even going so far in the discharge
 of this painful duty as to relieve them

 of life at the same time1 if necessary 
to get their possessions into their own 
hands1 ,footnote3 ,robertson's ,letters 
on ,paraguay4  ,the stories of their    
hardness1 and perfidy1 and immorality   
beggar description4 ,the children of the
 priests have become so numerous that   
the shame is no longer considered4      
,footnote3 ,service4  ,as the           
,mahometans have their ,mecca1 so the   
,paraguayans have ,caacup2 and the image
 of the ,virgin in that village is the  
great wonder-worker4 ,prayers are       
directed to her that she will raise the 
sick1 etc41 and promises are made her if
 she will do this4 ,one morning ,i had  
business with a storekeeper1 and went to
 his office4 ,is the cara in8 ,i asked4 
,no1 ,i was answered1 he has gone to    
,caacup to pay a promise4 ,that promise 
was to burn so many candles before the  
,virgin1 and further adorn her          
bejewelled robes4 ,she had1 as he       
believed1 healed him of a sickness4     
,the village of ,caacup is about forty  

miles from ,asuncion4 ,the ,bishop of   
,paraguay formally inaugurated the      
worship of the ,virgin of ,caacup1      
sending forth an episcopal letter       
accrediting the practice1 and promising 
indulgences to the pilgrims who should  
visit the shrine4 ,thus the worship     
became legal and orthodox4 ,multitudes  
of people visit her1 carrying offerings 
of valuable jewels4 ,there are several  
well-authenticated cases of persons1    
whose offerings were of inferior        
quality1 being overtaken with some      
terrible calamity4 ,footnote3           
,washburn's ,history of ,paraguay4      
,funds must be secured somehow1 for the 
present ,bishop's sons1 to whom ,i was  
introduced as among the aristocrats of  
the capital1 certainly need a large     
income from the lavish manner ,i noticed
 them treat all and sundry in the hotel4
 ,it is admitted by all1 that in ,south 
,america the church is decadent and     
corrupt4 ,the immorality of the priests 
is taken for granted4 ,priests' sons and

 daughters1 of course not born in       
wedlock1 abound everywhere1 and no      
stigma attaches to them or to their     
fathers and mothers4 ,footnote3 ,the    
,continent of ,opportunity4 ,dr4 ,clark4
 ,hon4 ,s4 ,h4 ,blake1 in the ,neglected
 ,continent1 writes3 ,i was especially  
struck by the statement of a ,roman     
,catholic--a ,consular agent with a     
large amount of information as to the   
land and its inhabitants4 ,he stopped me
 in speaking of the priests by saying1  
',i know all that4 ,you cannot          
exaggerate their immorality4 ,everybody 
knows it--but the ,latin race is a      
degenerate race4 ,nothing can be done   
with it4 ,the ,roman ,church has had    
four centuries of trial and has made a  
failure of it4'  ,when a person is      
dying1 the ,pa is hurriedly sent for4   
,to this call he will readily respond4  
,a procession will be formed1 and1      
preceded by a boy ringing a bell1 the   
,host1 or1 to use an everyday           
expression1 ,god1 will be carried from  

the church down the street to the sick  
one4 ,all passers-by must kneel as this 
goes along1 and the police will arrest  
you if you do not at least take off your
 hat4 ,liberty of conscience is a most  
diabolical thing1 to be stamped out at  
any cost1 is the maxim of ,rome1 and the
 ,guarani has learned his lesson well4  
,in ,inquisition ,square men were burned
 for daring to think1 therefore men     
stopped thinking when death was the     
penalty4  ,wakes for the dead are always
 held1 and in the case of a child the   
little one lies in state adorned with   
gilded wings and tinselled finery4 ,all 
in the neighborhood are invited to the  
dance which takes place that evening    
around the corpse4 ,at a funeral the ,pa
 walks first1 followed by a crowd of    
men1 women and children bearing candles1
 some of which are four and five feet   
long4 ,the dead are carried through the 
streets in a very shallow coffin1 and   
the head is much elevated4 ,an old woman
 generally walks by the side1 bearing   

the coffin lid on her head4 ,the dead   
are always buried respectfully1 for an  
old law reads3 ,no person shall ride in 
the dead cart except the corpse that is 
carried1 and1 therefore1 nobody shall   
get up and ride behind4 ,it is against  
,christian piety to bury people with    
irreverent actions1 or drag them in     
hides1 or throw them into the grave     
without consideration1 or in a position 
contrary to the practice of the ,church4
  ,all ,saints ,day is a special time   
for releasing departed ones out of      
purgatory4 ,hundreds of people visit the
 cemeteries then1 and pay the waiting   
priests so much a prayer1 ,if that      
liberator of souls sings the prayer the 
price is doubled1 but it is considered  
doubly efficacious4  ,a good feature of 
,romanism in ,paraguay is that the      
people have been taught something of    
,christ1 but there seems to be an utter 
want of reverence toward ,his person1   
for one may see a red flag on the public
 streets announcing that there are the  

,auction ,rooms of the child ,god4 ,in  
his ,letters on ,paraguay1 ,robertson   
relates the following graphic account of
 the celebration of ,his death3 ,i found
 great preparations making at the       
cathedral for the sermon of 'the agony  
on the cross4' ,a wooden figure of our  
,saviour crucified was affixed against  
the wall1 opposite the pulpit2 a large  
bier was placed in the centre of the    
cathedral1 and the great altar at the   
eastern extremity was hung with black2  
while around were disposed lighted      
candles and other insignia of a great   
funeral4 ,when the sermon commenced1 the
 cathedral was crowded to suffocation1 a
 great proportion of the audience being 
females4 ,the discourse was interrupted 
alternately by the low moans and        
sobbings of the congregation4 ,these    
became more audible as the preacher     
warmed with his discourse1 which was    
partly addressed to his auditory and    
partly to the figure before him2 and    
when at length he exclaimed1 ',behold6  

,behold6 ,he gives up the ghost6' the   
head of the figure was slowly depressed 
by a spring towards the breast1 and one 
simultaneous shriek--loud1 piercing1    
almost appalling--was uttered by the    
whole congregation4 ,the women now all  
struggled for a superiority in giving   
unbounded vent to apparently the most   
distracting grief4 ,some raved like     
maniacs1 others beat their breasts and  
tore their hair4 ,exclamations1 cries1  
sobs and shrieks mingled1 and united in 
forming one mighty tide of clamor1      
uproar1 noise and confusion4 ,in the    
midst of the raging tempest could be    
heard1 ever and anon1 the stentorian    
voice of the preacher1 reproaching in   
terms of indignation and wrath the      
apathy of his hearers6 ',can you1 oh1   
insensate crowd6' he would cry1 ',can   
you sit in silence8'--but here his voice
 was drowned in an overwhelming cry of  
loudest woe1 from every part of the     
church2 and for five minutes all further
 effort to make himself heard was       

unavailing4 ,this singular scene        
continued for nearly half an hour2 then1
 by degrees1 the vehement grief of the  
congregation abated1 and when ,i left   
the cathedral it had subsided once more 
into low sobs and silent tears4  ,i now 
took my way1 with many others1 to the   
,church of ,san ,francisco1 where1 in an
 open space in front of the church1 ,i  
found that the duty of the day had      
advanced to the funeral service1 which  
was about being celebrated4 ,there a    
scaffolding was erected1 and the        
crucifixion exactly represented by      
wooden figures1 not only of our ,lord1  
but of the two thieves4 ,a pulpit was   
erected in front of the scaffold2 and   
the whole square was covered by the     
devout inhabitants of the city4 ,the    
same kind of scene was being enacted    
here as at the cathedral1 with the      
difference1 however1 of the             
circumstantial funeral in place of the  
death4 ,the orator's discourse when ,i  
arrived was only here and there         

interrupted by a suppressed moan1 or a  
struggling sigh1 to be heard in the     
crowd4 ,but when he commenced giving    
directions for the taking down of the   
body from the cross1 the impatience of  
grief began to manifest itself on all   
sides1 ',mount up1' he cried1 'ye holy  
ministers1 mount up1 and prepare for the
 sad duty which ye have to perform6'    
,here six or eight persons1 covered from
 head to foot with ample black cloaks1  
ascended the scaffold4 ,now the groans  
of the people became more audible2 and  
when at length directions were given to 
strike out the first nail1 the cathedral
 scene of confusion1 which ,i have just 
described1 began1 and all the rest of   
the preacher's oratory was dumb show4   
,the body was at length deposited in the
 coffin1 and the groaning and shrieking 
of the assembled multitude ceased4 ,a   
solemn funeral ceremony took place3     
every respectable person received a     
great wax taper to carry in the         
procession3 the coffin after being      

carried all round was deposited in the  
church3 the people dispersed2 and the   
great day of ,passion ,week was brought 
to a close4     ,,chapter ,,ix4         
,,expedition ,,to ,,the                 
,,sun-,,worshippers4 ,footnote3 ,an     
account of this expedition was requested
 by and sent to the ,royal ,geographical
 ,society of ,london1 ,eng4   ,i took   
passage on the ,urano1 a steamer of     
#a1ejj tons1 for ,concepcion1 #bjj miles
 north of ,asuncion4  ,on the second day
 of our journey the people on board     
celebrated a church feast1 and the      
pilot1 in his anxiety to do it well1 got
 helplessly drunk4 ,the result was that 
during that night ,i was thrown out of  
the top berth ,i occupied by a terrific 
thud4 ,the steamer had run on the       
sandbank of an uninhabited island1 and  
there she stuck fast--immovable4 ,we    
were landed on the shore1 and there had 
further time for reflection on the      
mutability of things4 ,in the white sand
 there were distinct footprints of a    

large jaguar and cub1 probably come to  
prey on the lazy alligators that were   
lying on the beach2 and ,i caught sight 
of a large spotted serpent1 which glided
 into the low jungle where the tiger    
also doubtless was in hiding4  ,after   
three days' detention here1 a ,brazilian
 packet took us off4 ,on stepping       
aboard1 ,i saw what ,i thought to be two
 black pigs lying on the deck4 ,i assure
 the reader that it was some seconds    
before ,i discovered that one was not a 
pig1 but a man6  ,at sunset it is the   
custom on these river boats for all to  
have a bath4 ,the females go to one side
 of the ship1 and the males to the      
other2 buckets are lowered1 and in turn 
they throw water over each other4 ,after
 supper1 in the stillness of the        
evening1 dancing is the order1 and bare 
feet keep time to the twang of the      
guitar4  ,we occasionally caught sight  
of savages on the west bank of the      
river1 and the captain informed me that 
he had once brought up a bag of beans to

 give them4 ,the beans had been         
poisoned1 in order that the miserable   
creatures might be swept off the earth6 
,we landed at ,concepcion1 and ,i walked
 ashore4 ,i found the only ,british     
subject living there was a university   
graduate1 but--a prodigal son ,owing to 
his habit of constant drinking1 the     
authorities of the town compelled him to
 work4 ,as ,i passed up the street ,i   
saw him mending a road of the far       
country ,there ,i procured five horses1 
a stock of beads1 knives1 etc1 for      
barter1 and made ready for my land      
journey into the far interior4 ,the     
storekeeper1 hearing of my plans1       
strongly urged me not to attempt the    
journey1 and soon all the village       
talked4 ,vague rumors of the unknown    
savages of the interior had been heard1 
and it was said the expedition could    
only end in disaster1 especially as ,i  
was not even going to get the blessing  
of the ,pa before starting4 ,i was      
fortunate1 however1 in securing the     

companionship of an excellent man who   
bore the suggestive name of ,old        
,stabbed ,arm2 and ,doa ,dolores 7,mrs4 
,sorrows71 true to her name1 whom ,i    
engaged to make me about twenty pounds  
of chip1 said she would intercede with  
her saint for me4 ,loading the          
pack-horse with chip1 beads1            
looking-glasses1 knives1 etc41 ,old     
,stabbed ,arm and ,i mounted our horses1
 and1 each taking a spare one by the    
halter1 drove the pack-saddle mare in   
front1 leaving the tenderhearted ,mrs4  
,sorrows weeping behind4 ,the roads are 
simply paths through deep red sand1 into
 which the horses sank up to their      
knees2 and they are so uneven that one  
side is frequently two feet higher than 
the other1 so we could travel only very 
slowly4 ,from time to time we had to    
push our way into the dense forest on   
either side1 in order to give space for 
a string of bullock carts to go past4   
,these vehicles are eighteen or twenty  
feet long1 but have only two wheels4    

,they are drawn by ten or twelve oxen1  
which are urged on by goads fastened to 
a bamboo1 twenty feet long1 suspended   
from the roof of the cart1 which is     
thatched with reeds4 ,the goads are     
artistically trimmed with feathers of   
parrots and macaws1 or with bright      
ribbons4 ,these are of all colors1 but  
those around the sharp nail at the end  
are further painted with red blood every
 time the goad is used4  ,the carts1    
rolling and straining like ships in foul
 weather1 can be heard a mile off1 owing
 to the humming screech of the wheels1  
which are never greased1 but on the     
contrary have powdered charcoal put in  
them to increase the noise4 ,without    
this music 787 the bullocks do not work 
so well4 ,how the poor animals could    
manage to draw the load was often a     
mystery to me1 ,sections of the road    
were partly destroyed by landslides and 
heavy rains1 but down the slippery banks
 of rivers1 through the beds of torrents
 or up the steep inclines they somehow  

managed to haul the unwieldy vehicle4   
,strings of loaded donkeys or mules1    
with jingling bells1 also crawled past1 
and ,i noticed with a smile that even   
the animals in this idolatrous land     
cannot get on without the ,virgin1 for  
they have tiny statuettes of her        
standing between their ears to keep them
 from danger4 ,near the town the rivers 
and streams are bridged over with tree  
trunks placed longitudinally1 and the   
crevices are filled in with boughs and  
sods4 ,some of them are so unsafe and   
have such gaping holes that ,i          
frequently dismounted and led my horse  
over4  ,the tropical scenery was superb4
 ,thousands of orange trees growing by  
the roadside1 filled with luscious fruit
 on the lower branches1 and on the top  
with the incomparable orange blossoms1  
afforded delight to the eye1 and        
notwithstanding the heat1 kept us cool1 
for as we rode we could pluck and eat4  
,tree ferns twenty and thirty feet high 
waved their feathery fronds in the      

gentle breeze1 and wild pineapples      
growing at our feet loaded the air with 
fragrance4  ,there was the graceful     
pepper tree1 luxuriant hanging lichens1 
or bamboos forty feet high1 which       
riveted the attention and made one think
 what a beautiful world ,god has made4  
,many of the shrubs and plants afford   
dyes of the richest hues1 ,azara found  
four hundred new species of the         
feathered tribe in the gorgeous woods   
and coppices of ,paraguay1 and all1 with
 the melancholy caw1 caw of the toucans 
overhead1 spoke of a tropical land4     
,parrots chattered in the trees1 and    
sometimes a serpent glided across the   
red sand road4 ,unfortunately1 flies    
were so numerous and so tormenting that1
 even with the help of a green branch1  
we could not keep off the swarms1 and   
around the horses' eyes were dozens of  
them4 ,several menacing hornets also    
troubled us4 ,they are there so fierce  
that they can easily sting a man or a   
horse to death6  ,as night fell we came 

to an open glade1 and there beside a    
clear1 gurgling brook staked out our    
horses and camped for the night4        
,building a large fire of brushwood1 we 
ate our supper1 and then lay down on our
 saddlecloths1 the firmament of ,god    
with its galaxy of stars as our covering
 overhead4  ,by next evening we reached 
the village of ,pegwaomi4 ,on the way we
 had passed a house here and there1 and 
had seen children ten or twelve years of
 age sucking sticks of sugar-cane1 but  
content with no other clothing than     
their rosary1 or an image of the ,virgin
 round their necks1 like those the mules
 wear4 ,pegwaomi1 ,i saw1 was quite a   
village1 its pretty houses nestling     
among orange and lime trees1 with       
luscious bananas in the background4     
,there was no ,pa in ,pegwaomi1 so ,i   
was able to hold a service in an open   
shed1 with a roof but no walls4 ,the    
chief man of the village gave me        
permission to use this novel building1  
and twenty-three people came to hear the

 stranger speak4 ,after the service a   
poor woman was very desirous of         
confessing her sins to me1 and she      
thought ,i was a strange preacher when  
,i told her of ,one in heaven to whom   
she should confess4  ,paraguay1 from its
 first settlement1 never departed from  
'the age of faith' ,neither doubt nor   
free-thinking in regard to spiritual    
affairs ever perplexed the people1 but  
in all religious matters they accepted  
the words of the fathers as the         
unquestionable truth4 ,unfortunately1   
the priests were1 with scarcely an      
exception1 lazy and profligate2 yet the 
people were so superstitious and        
credulous that they feared to disobey   
them1 or reserve anything which they    
might be required to confess4 ,footnote3
 ,washburn's ,history of ,paraguay4  ,in
 the front gardens of many of the rustic
 houses ,i noticed a wooden cross draped
 with broad white lace4 ,the dead are   
always interred in the family garden1   
and these marked the site of the graves4

 ,when the people can afford it1 a      
priest is brought to perform the sad    
rite of burial1 but the ,paraguayan ,pa 
is proverbially drunken and lazy4 ,once 
after a church feast1 which was largely 
given up to drinking1 the priest fell   
over on the floor in a state of         
intoxication4 ,while he thus lay drunk1 
a boy crawled through the door to ask   
his blessing1 whereupon the priest swore
 horribly and waved him off1 ',not      
to-day1 not to-day those farces6 ,i am  
drunk1 very drunk6' ,such an one has    
been described by ,pollock3 ,he was a   
man who stole the livery of the court of
 heaven to serve the devil in2 in holy  
guise transacted villainies that        
ordinary mortals durst not meddle with4 
,lest it might be thought that ,i am    
strongly prejudiced1 ,i give this       
extract from a responsible historian of 
that unhappy land3 ,the simple-minded   
and superstitious ,paraguayans          
reverenced a ,pa1 or father1 as the     
immediate representative of ,god4 ,they 

blindly and implicitly followed the     
instructions given to them1 and did     
whatever was required at his hands4     
,many of the licentious brotherhood took
 advantage of this superstitious        
confidence placed in them by the people 
to an extent which1 in a moral country1 
would not only shock every feeling of   
our nature to relate1 but would1 in the 
individual instances1 appear to be      
incredible1 and1 in the aggregate1 be   
counted as slanderous on humanity4      
,during my stay in ,pagwaomi1 a dance   
was held on the sward outside one of the
 houses1 and the national whirl1 the    
sarandiy1 gave pleasure to all4 ,the    
females wove flowers in their hair1 and 
made garlands of them to adorn their    
waists4 ,others had caught fire-flies1  
which nestled in the wavy tresses and   
lit up the semi-darkness with a soft    
light1 like so many green stars4 ,love  
whisperings1 in the musical ,guarani1   
were heard by willing ears1 and eyelight
 was thus added to starlight4 ,as the   

dancers flitted here and there in their 
white garments1 or came out from the    
shade of the orange trees1 they looked  
ethereal1 like the inhabitants of       
another world one sees at times in      
romantic dreams1 for this village is    
surely a hundred years behind the moon4 
,from this scene of innocent happiness  
,i was taken to more than one sick-bed1 
for it soon became known that ,i carried
 medicines4  ,will the reader accompany 
me8 ,enter then--a windowless mud hut   
,see1 lying on sheepskins and burning   
with fever1 a young woman-almost a      
girl-wailing ,ch raciy6 7,i am sick67   
,notice the intense eagerness of her    
eyes as she gazes into mine when ,i     
commence to minister to her4 ,watch her 
submit to my necessarily painful        
treatment with child-like faith4 ,then1 
before we quietly steal out again1      
listen to her low-breathed ,acuerame    
7,already ,i feel better74  ,in a larger
 house1 a hundred yards away1 an        
earthenware lamp1 with cotton wick      

dipping in raw castor oil1 sheds fitful 
gleams on a dying woman4 ,the trail of  
sin is only too evident1 even in        
thoughtless ,pegwaomi4 ,the tinselled   
saints are on the altar at the foot of  
the bed1 and on the woman's breast1     
tightly clutched1 is a crucifix1 but    
,mrs4 ,encarnacion has never heard of   
the ,incarnate ,one whom she is soon to 
meet4 ,perhaps1 if ,christians are awake
 by that time1 her grandchildren may    
hear the story4  ,in that rustic        
cottage1 half covered with jasmine1 and 
shaded by a royal palm1 a child lies    
very sick4 ,listen to its low1 weak     
moaning as we cross the threshold4 ,the 
mother has procured a piece of tape1 the
 length of which1 she says1 is the exact
 measure of the head of ,saint ,blas4   
,this she has repeatedly put around her 
babe's head as an unfailing cure4       
,somehow the charm does not work and the
 woman is sorely perplexed4 ,while we   
helplessly look on the infant dies6     
,outside1 the moon soared high1 throwing

 a silver veil over the grim pathos of  
it all2 but in the breast of the writer 
was a surging dissatisfaction           
and--anger1 at his fellow--,christians  
in the homeland1 who in their           
thoughtless selfishness will not reach  
out a helping hand to the perishing of  
other lands4  ,would the ever-present   
,spirit1 who wrote ,be ye angry not     
understand8 ,would the ,master of       
patience and forbearance1 who ,himself  
showed righteous anger1 enter into it8  
,is the ,great ,god1 who sees these     
sheep left without a shepherd1 ,himself 
angry8 ,surely it is well to ask8  ,oh1 
heavy lies the weight of ill on many    
hearts1 ,and comforters are needed sore 
of ,christlike touch4  ,in this village 
,i made inquiries for another servant   
and guide1 and was directed to ,timoteo1
 the very man4 ,liking his looks1 and   
being able to come to satisfactory      
terms1 ,i engaged him as my second      
helper4 ,timoteo had a sister called    
,salvadora 7,saviour74 ,she pounded corn

 in a mortar with a hardwood pestle1 and
 made me another baking of chip1 with   
which we further burdened the           
pack-horse1 and away we started again1  
with affectionate farewells and tears1  
towards the unknown4  ,next day we were 
joined by a traveller who was escaping  
to the interior4 ,he plainly declared   
himself as a murderer1 and told us he   
had shot one of the doctors in          
,asuncion4 ,through being well          
connected1 he had1 after three weeks'   
detention in prison1 been liberated1 as 
he boasted to us1 con todo buen nombre y
 fama 7with good name and report74 ,the 
relatives of the murdered man1 however1 
did not agree with this verdict1 and    
sought his life4 ,during the day we shot
 an iguana1 and after a meal from its   
fat tail our new acquaintance1 finding  
the pace too slow for his hasty flight1 
left us1 and ,i was not sorry4 ,we met a
 string of bullock carts1 each drawn by 
six animals and having a spare one      
behind4 ,the lumbering wagons were on   

their way from the ,paraguayan mt       
fields1 and had a load of over two      
thousand pounds each4 ,jolting over huge
 tree-trunks1 or anon sinking in a      
swamp1 followed by swarms of gad-flies1 
the patient animals wended their way4   
,here and there one may see by the      
roadside a large wooden cross1 with a   
rudely carved wooden rooster on the top1
 while below it are the nails1 scourge1 
hammer1 pincers and spear of gruesome   
crucifixion memory4 ,at other places    
there are smaller shrines with a        
statuette of the ,virgin inside1 and    
candles invariably burning1 provided by 
the generous wayfarers4 ,it is          
interesting to note that the old        
,indians had1 at the advent of the      
,spaniards1 cairns of stones along their
 paths1 and the pious ,indian would     
contribute a stone when he passed as an 
offering to ,pachacamac1 who would keep 
away the evil spirits4 ,that custom is  
still kept up by the ,christian 787     
,paraguayan1 with the difference that   

now it is given to the ,virgin4 ,my     
guide would get down from his horse when
 we arrived at these altars1 and        
contribute a stone to the ever-growing  
heap4 ,if a specially bright one is     
offered1 he told me it was more         
gratifying to the goddess4 ,feeling that
 we were very likely to meet with many  
evil spirits1 ,timoteo carefully sought 
for bright stones4 ,the people are very 
religious1 yet with it all are terribly 
depraved6 ,the truth is seldom spoken1  
and my guide was1 unfortunately1 no     
exception to the rule4 ,as we left the  
haunts of men1 and difficulties         
thickened1 he would often entreat the   
help of ,holy ,mary1 but in the same    
breath would lie and curse6  ,sighting a
 miserable hut1 we called to inquire for
 meat4 ,the master of the house1 ,i     
discovered1 was a leper1 and ,i further 
learned1 on asking if ,i might water my 
horses1 that the nearest water was three
 miles away4 ,the man and wife and their
 large family certainly looked as though

 water was a luxury too costly to use on
 the skin4 ,the leper was most          
hospitable1 however2 he killed a sheep  
for us1 and we sat down to a feast of   
mutton4 ,after this we pushed on to     
water the horses4 ,by sunset we arrived 
at a cattle ranch near the river ,ipan1 
and there we stayed for the night4 ,at  
supper all dipped in the same stew-pan1 
and afterwards rinsed out the mouth with
 large draughts of water1 which they    
squirted back on the brick floor of the 
dining-room4 ,the men then smoked       
cigarettes of tobacco rolled in corn    
leaves1 and the women smoked their      
six-inch-long cigars4 ,finding that two 
of the men understood ,spanish1 ,i read 
some simple parts of scripture to them  
by the light of a dripping grease lamp4 
,they listened in silence1 and wondered 
at the strange new story4 ,the          
mosquitoes were so troublesome that a   
large platform1 twenty feet high1 had   
been erected1 and after reading all the 
inmates of the house1 with us1 ascended 

the ladder leading to the top4 ,there   
the mosquitoes did not disturb us1 so we
 slept peacefully on our aerial roost   
between the fire-flies of the earth and 
the stars of heaven4  ,next day we came 
to a solitary house1 where ,i noticed   
strings of meat hung in the sun to dry4 
,this is left1 like so many stockings   
and handkerchiefs1 hanging there until  
it is hard as wood2 it will then keep   
for an indefinite time4 ,there we got a 
good dinner of fresh beef1 and about ten
 pounds of the dried meat 7charqui7 to  
take away with us4 ,at this place ,i    
bought two more horses1 and we each got 
a large bullock's horn in which to carry
 water1 swinging from the saddle-tree4  
,i was not sorry to leave this house1   
for1 tearing up the offal around the    
building1 ,i counted as many as sixty   
black vultures4 ,their king1 a dirty    
white bird with crimson neck covered    
with gore and filth1 had already gorged 
himself with all the blood he could get4
 ,all his sooty subjects stand apart at 

a respectful distance1 whetting their   
appetites and regaling their nostrils1  
but never dreaming of an approach to the
 carcass till their master has sunk into
 a state of repletion4 ,when the kingly 
bird1 by falling on his side1 closing   
his eyes1 and stretching on the ground  
his unclenched talons1 gives notice to  
his surrounding and expectant subjects  
that their lord and master has gone to  
rest1 up they hop to the carcass1 which 
in a few minutes is stripped of         
everything eatable4 ,here we left the   
high-road1 which is cut through to      
,punta ,pona on the ,brazilian frontier1
 and struck off to the west4 ,over the  
grassy plains we made good progress1 and
 by evening were thirty miles farther on
 our journey4 ,but when we had to cut   
the path before us through the forest1  
ten or twelve miles was a good day's    
work4 ,when the growth was very dense1  
the morning and evening camps were      
perhaps only separated by a league4     
,anon we struggled through a swamp1 or  

the horses stuck fast in a bog1 and the 
carapatas feasted on our blood4 ,what   
are carapatas8 you ask4 ,they are       
leeches1 bugs1 mosquitos1 gad-flies1    
etc41 all compounded into one venomous  
insect6 ,these voracious green ticks1   
the size of a bug1 are indeed a terrible
 scourge4 ,they fasten on the body in   
scores1 and when pulled away1 either the
 piece of flesh comes with them or the  
head of the carapata is torn off4 ,it   
was easy to pick a hundred of these bugs
 off the body at night1 but it was not  
easy to sleep after the ordeal6 ,the    
poor horses1 brushing through the       
branches on which the ticks wait for    
their prey1 were sometimes half covered 
with them6  ,as we continued our        
journey1 a house was a rare sight1 and  
soon we came to the end of              
,christianity1 as ,timoteo said1 and all
 civilization was left behind4 ,the     
sandy road became a track1 and then we  
could no longer follow the path1 for    
there was none to follow4 ,timoteo had  

traversed those regions before in search
 of the mate plant1 however1 and with my
 compass ,i kept the general direction4 
,after about ten days' travel1 during   
which time we had many reminders that   
the flesh-pots had been left behind1    
,che cane o 7,i am tired7 was frequently
 heard4 ,game was exceedingly scarce1   
and it was possible to travel for days  
without sighting any animal or ostrich4 
,we passed no houses1 and saw no human  
beings4 ,for two days we subsisted on   
hard ,indian corn4 ,water was scarce1   
and for a week we were unable to wash4  
,jiggers got into our feet when sleeping
 on the ground1 and these caused great  
pain and annoyance4 ,someone has        
described a jigger as a cross between   
,satan and a woodtick4 ,the little      
insects lay their eggs between the skin 
and flesh4 ,when the young hatch out1   
they begin feeding on the blood1 and    
quickly grow half an inch long and cause
 an intense itching4 ,my feet were      
swollen so much that ,i could not get on

 my riding-boots1 and1 consequently1 my 
lower limbs were more exposed than ever4
 ,if not soon cut out1 the flesh around 
them begins to rot1 and mortification   
sometimes ensues4  ,on some of the      
savannas we were able to kill deer and  
ostrich1 but they generally were very   
scarce4 ,our fare was varied2 sometimes 
we feaisted on parrot pie or vultures   
eggs2 again we lay down on the hard1    
stony ground supperless4 ,at such times 
,i would be compelled to rise from time 
to time and tighten up my belt1 until ,i
 must have resembled one of the ladies  
of fashion1 so far as the waist was     
concerned4 ,again we came to marshy     
ground1 filled with royal duck1 teal1   
water-hens1 snipe1 etc1 and forgot the  
pangs of past hunger4 ,at such places we
 would fill our horns and drink the     
putrid water1 or take off our shirts and
 wash them and our bodies4 ,mud had to  
serve for soap4 ,our washing1 spread out
 on the reeds1 would soon dry1 and off  
we would start for another stage4  ,the 

unpeopled state of the country was a    
constant wonder to me2 generations have 
disappeared without leaving a trace of  
their existence4 ,sometimes ,i stopped  
to admire the pure white water-lilies   
growing on stagnant black water1 or the 
lovely ,victoria ,regia1 the leaf of    
which is at times so large as to weigh  
ten pounds4 ,the flowers have white     
petals1 tinted with rose1 and the centre
 is a deep violet4 ,their weight is     
between two and three pounds4  ,wherever
 we camped we lit immense fires of      
brushwood1 and generally slept          
peacefully1 but with loaded rifle at    
arm's length4  ,a portion of land which 
,i rode over while in that district must
 have been just a thin crust covering a 
mighty cave4 ,the horses' footfalls made
 hollow sounds1 and when the thin roof  
shook ,i half expected to be            
precipitated into unknown depths4       
,after many weeks of varied experiences 
we arrived at or near the land ,i was   
seeking4 ,there1 on the banks of a      

river1 we struck camp1 and from there ,i
 made short excursions in all directions
 in order to ascertain the approximate  
value of the old gentleman's estate4 ,on
 the land we came upon an encampment of 
poor1 half or wholly naked ,caingwa     
,indians4 ,by them we were kindly       
received1 and found that1               
notwithstanding their extremely sunken  
condition and abject poverty1 they      
seemed to have mandioca and bananas in  
abundance4 ,in return for a few knives  
and beads1 ,i was able to purchase quite
 a stock4 ,seeing that all the dishes1  
plates1 and bottles they have grow in   
the form of gourds1 they imagine all    
such things we use also grow4 ,it was   
amusing to hear them ask for seeds of   
the glass medicine bottles ,i carried   
with me4  ,a drum1 ingeniously made by  
stretching a serpent's skin over a large
 calabash1 was monotonously beaten as   
our good-night lullaby when we stretched
 ourselves out on the grass4  ,the      
,caingwa men all had their lower lip    

pierced1 and hanging down over the      
breast was a thin stick about ten inches
 long4 ,their faces were also painted in
 strange patterns4  ,learning from their
 chief that the royal tribe to which    
they originally belonged lived away in  
the depths of the forest to the east1   
some moons distant1 ,i became curious4  
,after repeated enquiries ,i was told   
that a king ruled the people there1 and 
that they daily worshipped the sun4     
,hearing of these sun-worshippers1 ,i   
determined1 if possible1 to push on     
thither4 ,the old chief himself offered 
to direct us if1 in return1 ,i would    
give him a shirt1 a knife1 and a number 
of white beads4 ,the bargain was struck1
 and arrangements were made to start off
 at sunrise next day1 ,my commission was
 not only to see the old gentleman's    
land1 but to visit the surrounding      
,indians1 with a view to missionary work
 being commenced among them4  ,the      
morning dawned clear and propitious1 but
 the chief had decided not to go4 ,on   

enquiring the reason for the change of  
mind1 ,i discovered that his people had 
been telling him that ,i only wanted to 
get him into the forest in order to kill
 him1 and that ,i would not give him the
 promised shirt and beads4 ,i thought   
that it was much more likely for him to 
kill me than ,i him1 and ,i set his mind
 at rest about the reward1 for on the   
spot ,i gave him the coveted articles4  
,on receipt of those luxuries his doubts
 of me fled1 and ,i soon assured him    
that ,i had no intention whatever of    
taking his life4 ,towards noon we       
started off1 and1 winding our way       
through the ,indian paths in single     
file1 we again soon left behind us all  
signs of man1 and saw nothing to mark   
that any had passed that way before4    
,that night1 as we sat under a large    
silk-cotton tree silently eating supper 
off plates of palm leaves1 the old chief
 suddenly threw down his meat1 and1 with
 a startled expression1 said1 ,i hear   
spirits6 ,never having heard such       

ethereal visitors myself1 ,i smiled     
incredulously1 whereupon the old savage 
glared at me1 and1 leaving his food upon
 the ground went away out of the        
firelight into the darkness4 ,afraid    
that he might take one of the horses and
 return to his people1 ,i followed to   
soothe him1 but his offended mood did   
not pass until1 as he said1 the spirits 
had gone4  ,on the third day scarcity of
 water began to be felt4 ,we had been   
slowly ascending the rugged steeps of a 
mountain1 and as the day wore on the    
thirst grew painful4 ,that night both we
 and the horses had to be content with  
the dew-drops we sucked from the grass1 
and our dumb companions showed signs of 
great exhaustion4 ,the ,indian assured  
me that if we could push on we would1 by
 next evening1 come to a beautiful lake 
in the mountains3 so1 ere the sun rose  
next morning1 we were in the saddle on  
our journey to the coveted water4  ,all 
that day we plodded along painfully1    
silently4 ,our lips were dried together1

 and our tongues swollen4 ,thirst hurts6
 ,the horses hung their heads and ears1 
and we were compelled to dismount and go
 afoot4 ,the poor creatures were getting
 so thin that our weight seemed to crush
 them to the earth4 ,the sun again set1 
darkness fell1 and the lake was1 for all
 ,i could see1 a dream of the chief1 our
 guide4 ,at night1 after repeating the  
sucking of the dew1 we ate a little1    
drank the blood of an animal1 and tried 
to sleep4 ,the patient horses stood     
beside us with closed eyes and bowed    
heads1 until the sight was more than ,i 
could bear4 ,fortunately1 a very heavy  
dew fell1 which greatly helped us1 and  
two hours before sunrise next morning   
the loads were equally distributed on   
the backs of the seven horses and we    
started off once again through the mist 
for water6 water6 ,when the sun         
illuminated the heavens and lit up the  
rugged peaks of the strangely shaped    
mountains ahead of us1 hope was revived4
 ,we sucked the fruit of the date palm1 

and in imagination bathed and wallowed  
in the water--beautiful water--we so    
soon expected to behold4 ,the poor      
horses1 however1 not buoyed up with     
sweet hopes as we were1 gave out1 one   
after the other1 and we were compelled  
to cruelly urge them on up the steep4   
,with it all1 ,i had to leave two of the
 weaker ones behind1 purposing1 if ,god 
should in kindness permit us to reach   
water1 to return and save them4  ,that  
afternoon the ,indian chief1 who1 though
 an old man1 had shown wonderful        
fortitude and endurance1 and still led  
the way1 shouted3 ,eyoape6 ,eyoape6     
7,come6 ,come67 ,we were near the lake4 
,with new-born strength ,i left all and 
ran1 broke through the brushwood of the 
shore1 jumped into the lake1 and        
found--nothing but hard earth6 ,the lake
 was dried up6 ,i dug my heel into the  
ground to see if below the surface there
 might be soft mud1 but failing to find 
even that1 ,i dropped over with the     
world dancing in distorted visions      

before my eyes4 ,more ,i cannot relate4 
,how long ,i lay there ,i never knew4   
,the ,indian1 ,i learned later1         
exploring a deep gully at the other     
side1 found a putrid pool of slime1 full
 of poisonous frogs and alive with      
insects4 ,some of this liquid he brought
 to me in his hands1 and1 after putting 
it in my mouth1 had the satisfaction of 
seeing me revive4 ,i dimly remember that
 my next act was to crawl towards the   
water-hole he guided me to4 ,in this ,i 
lay and drank4 ,i suppose it soaked into
 my system as rain in the earth after a 
drought4 ,that stagnant pool was our    
salvation4 ,the horses were brought up1 
and we drank1 and drank again4 ,not     
until our thirst was slaked did we fully
 realize how the water stank6 ,when the 
men were sufficiently refreshed they    
returned for the abandoned horses1 which
 were found still alive4 ,had they      
scented water somewhere and drank8 ,at  
the foot of the mountains1 on the other 
side1 we later discovered much better   

water1 and there we camped1 our horses  
revelling in the abundant pasturage4    
,after this rest we continued our       
journey1 and next day came to the edge  
of a virgin forest4 ,through that1 the  
chief said1 we must cut our way1 for the
 royal tribe never came out1 and were   
never visited4 ,close to the edge of the
 forest was a deep precipice1 at the    
bottom of which we could discern a      
silvery streak of clear water4 ,from    
there we must procure the precious fluid
 for ourselves and horses4 ,taking our  
kettle and horns1 we sought the best    
point to descend1 and after considerable
 difficulty1 clinging to the branches of
 the overhanging trees and the dense    
undergrowth1 we reached the bottom4     
,after slaking our thirst we ascended   
with filled horns and kettle to water   
the horses4 ,as may be supposed1 this   
was a tedious task1 and the descent had 
to be made many times before the horses 
were satisfied4 ,my hat served for      
watering pail4  ,next morning the same  

process was repeated1 and then the men1 
each with long machetes ,i had provided1
 set to work to cut a path through the  
forest1 and ,old ,stabbed ,arm went off 
in search of game4 ,after a two hours'  
hunt1 a fat ostrich fell before his     
rifle1 and he returned to camp4 ,we     
still had a little chip1 which had by   
this time become as hard as stone1 but  
which ,i jealously guarded to use only  
in case of the greatest emergency4 ,at  
times we had been very hungry1 but my   
order was that it should not be touched4
  ,only the reader who has seen the     
virgin forest1 with its interlacing     
lianas1 thick as a man's leg--the thorns
 six inches long and sharp as           
needles--can form an idea of the task   
before us4 ,as we penetrated farther and
 farther in the selva1 the darkness     
became deeper and deeper4 ,giant trees  
reared their heads one hundred and fifty
 feet into the heavens1 and beautiful   
palms1 with slender trunks and delicate1
 feathery leaves1 waved over us4 ,the   

medicinal plants were represented by    
sarsaparilla and many others equally    
valuable4 ,there was the cocoa palm1 the
 date palm1 and the cabbage palm1 the   
latter of which furnished us good food1 
while the wine tree afforded an         
excellent and cooling drink4 ,in parts  
all was covered with beautiful pendant  
air-flowers1 gorgeous with all the      
colors of the rainbow4 ,monkeys         
chattered and parrots screamed1 but     
otherwise there was a sombre stillness4 
,the exhalations from the depth of      
rotting leaves and the decaying fallen  
wood rendered the steamy atmosphere most
 poisonous4 ,truly1 the flora was       
magnificent1 and the fauna1 represented 
by the spotted jaguar1 whose roar at    
times broke the awful quiet of the      
night1 was equally grand4  ,as the      
chief1 ignorant of hours and miles1     
could not tell me the extent of the     
forest1 ,i determined to let him and    
,timoteo make their way through as best 
they could1 crawling through the        

branches1 to the ,sun-,worshippers1 and 
secure their help in cutting a way for  
the horses4 ,after dividing the food ,i 
had1 we separated4 ,timoteo and the     
,indian crept into the forest and were  
soon lost sight of1 while ,old ,stabbed 
,arm and ,i1 with the horses1 retraced  
our steps1 and reached the open land    
again4 ,after an earnest conversation my
 companion shouldered his rifle and went
 off to hunt1 and ,i was left with only 
the companionship of the grazing horses4
 ,i remained behind to water the        
animals1 and protect our goods from any 
prowling savage who might chance to be  
in the neighborhood4 ,my saddle-bed was 
spread under a large burning bush1 or   
incense tree1 and my self-imposed duty  
was to keep a fire burning in the open1 
that its smoke might be seen by day and 
its light by night4  ,going exploring a 
little1 ,i discovered a much better     
descent down the precipice1 and water   
was more easily brought up4 ,indeed1 ,i 
decided that1 if a certain deep chasm   

were bridged over1 it might be possible 
to get the horses themselves to descend 
by a winding way4 ,with this object in  
view ,i felled saplings near the place1 
and in a few hours constructed a rough  
bridge1 strong enough to bear a horse's 
weight4 ,whether the animals could smell
 the water flowing at the bottom1 or    
were more agile than ,i had thought1 ,i 
cannot tell1 but they descended the     
almost perpendicular path most          
wonderfully1 and soon were taking       
draughts of the precious liquid with    
great gusto4 ,leaving the horses to     
enjoy their drink1 ,i ascended the      
stream for some distance1 in order to   
discover1 if possible1 where the flow   
came from4 ,judge of my surprise when ,i
 found that the water ran out of a      
grotto1 or cavern1 in the face of the   
cliff-out of the unknown darkness into  
the sunlight6 ,walking up the bed of the
 stream1 ,i entered the cave1 and1      
striking a few matches1 found it to be  
inhabited by hundreds of vampire bats1  

which were hanging from the sides and   
stalactites of the roof1 like so many   
damp1 black rags4 ,on my entrance the   
unearthly creatures were disturbed1 and 
many came flying in my face1 so ,i made 
a quick exit4 ,several which ,i killed  
came floating down the stream with me2  
one that ,i measured proved to be       
twenty-two inches across the wings4 ,my 
exploration had discovered the secret of
 the clots of blood we had been finding 
on the horses' necks every morning4 ,the
 vampire-bats1 in their nightly flights1
 had been sucking the life-blood of our 
poor1 already starving animals6 ,it is  
said these loathsome creatures--half    
beast1 half bird--fan their victim to   
sleep while they drain out the red      
blood4 ,provided with palm torches1 ,i  
again entered the cavern1 but could not 
penetrate its depths2 it seemed to go   
right into the bowels of the mountain4  
,exploring down stream was more         
successful1 for large flamingoes and    
wild ducks and geese were found in      

plenty4  ,that night ,i carefully staked
 out the horses all around the camp-fire
 and lay down to think and sleep and    
dream4 ,old ,stabbed ,arm had not       
returned1 and ,i was alone with nature4 
,several times ,i rose to see if the    
horses were securely tied1 and to kill  
any bats ,i might find disturbing them4 
,rising in the grey dawn1 ,i watered the
 horses1 cooked a piece of ostrich meat1
 and started off on foot for a short    
distance to explore the country to the  
north1 where ,i saw many indications    
that tapirs were numerous4 ,my first    
sight of this peculiar animal of        
,paraguay ,i shall never forget4 ,it    
resembles no other beast ,i have ever   
seen1 but seems half elephant1 with its 
muzzle like a short trunk4 ,in size it  
is about six feet long and three and a  
half feet high4 ,there were also        
ant-bears1 peculiar animals1 without    
teeth1 but provided with a rough tongue 
to lick up the ants4 ,the length of this
 animal is about four feet1 but the     

thick tail is longer than the body4     
,whereas the tapir has a hog-like skin1 
the ant-bear has long1 bristly hairs4   
,returning to camp1 judge of my surprise
 when ,i found it in possession of two  
savages of strange appearance4 ,my first
 thought was that ,i had lost all1 but1 
drawing nearer1 ,i discovered that      
,timoteo and the chief were also there1 
squatting on the ground1 devouring the  
remains of my breakfast4 ,they had      
returned from the royal tribe1 who had  
offered to cut a way from their side1   
and these two strangers were to assist  
us4  ,with this additional help we again
 penetrated the forest4 ,the men cut    
with a will1 and ,i drove the horses    
after them4 ,black1 howling monkeys1    
with long beards and grave countenances1
 leapt among the trees4 ,red and blue   
macaws screeched overhead1 and many a   
large serpent received its death-blow   
from our machetes4 ,sometimes we were   
fortunate enough to secure a bees' nest 
full of honey1 or find luscious fruit4  

,at times ,i stopped to admire a giant  
tree1 eight or ten feet in diameter1 or 
orchids of the most delicate hues1 but  
the passage was hard and trying1 and the
 stagnant air most difficult to breathe4
 ,the fallen tree-trunks1 over which we 
had to step1 or go around or under1 were
 very numerous1 and sometimes we landed 
in a bed1 not of roses1 but of thorns4  
,sloths and strange birds' nests hung   
from the trees1 while the mosquitos and 
insects made life almost unendurable4   
,we were covered with carapatas1 bruised
 and torn1 and almost eaten up alive    
with insects4   ,illustration3          
,,paraguayan ,,forest ,,indian4 ,these  
dwarf men use a very long bow1 while the
 ,patagonian uses a short one   ,under  
the spreading branches of one of the    
largest trees we came upon an abandoned 
,indian camp4 ,this1 ,i was told1 had   
belonged to the little men of the woods1
 hairy dwarfs1 a few of whom inhabit the
 depths of the forest1 and kill their   
game with blow-pipes4 ,of course we saw 

none of the poor creatures4 ,their scent
 is as keen as an animal's2 they are    
agile as monkeys1 and make off to hide  
in the hollow trunks of trees1 or bury  
themselves in the decaying vegetation   
until danger is past4 ,poor pigmy6 ,what
 place will he occupy in the life that  
is to be8     ,,chapter ,x4  ,,we       
,,reach ,,the ,,sun-,,worshippers4      
,after some days' journey we heard      
shouts1 and knew that1 like entombed    
miners1 we were being dug out on the    
other side6 ,the ,caingwas soon met us1 
and ,i looked into their faces and      
gravely saluted4 ,they stared at me in  
speechless astonishment1 and ,i as      
curiously regarded them4 ,each man had  
his lower lip pierced and wore the      
barbote ,i have described1 with the     
difference that these were made of gum4 
,with a clear path before us we now made
 better progress1 and before long       
emerged from the living tomb1 but the   
memory of it will ever remain a         
nightmare4  ,we found a crowd of excited

 ,indians1 young and old1 awaiting us4  
,many of the females ran like frightened
 deer on catching sight of me1 but an   
old man1 whom ,i afterwards learned was 
the ,high ,priest of the tribe1 came and
 asked my business4 ,assuring him1      
through ,timoteo1 that my mission was   
peaceable1 and that ,i had presents for 
them1 he gave me permission to enter    
into the glade1 where ,i was told       
,nandeyara ,footnote3 ,our ,owner1 the  
most beautiful word for ,god ,i have    
ever heard4 had placed them at the      
beginning of the world4 ,had ,i         
discovered the ,garden of ,eden1 the    
place from which man had been wandering 
for #f1jjj years8 ,i was conducted by   
,rocanandiv 7the high priest7 down a    
steep path to the valley1 where we came 
in view of several large peculiarly     
shaped houses1 built of bamboo4 ,near   
these dwellings were perhaps a hundred  
men1 women and children1 remnants of a  
vanishing nation4 ,some had a mat around
 their loins1 but many were naked4 ,all 

the males had the barbote in the lip1   
and had exceptionally thick hair1 matted
 with grease and mud4 ,most of them had 
a repellant look on their               
pigment-painted faces1 and ,i could very
 distinctly see that ,i was not a       
welcome visitor4 ,no1 ,i had not reached
 ,eden6 ,only beyond the clouds and     
beyond the tomb would the bowers of     
,eden be discovered to me4 ,hearing     
domestic hens cackling around the       
houses1 ,i bade ,timoteo tell the priest
 that we were very hungry1 and that if  
he killed two chickens for us ,i would  
give him a beautiful gift later on4 ,the
 priest distinctly informed me1 however1
 that ,i must give first1 or no fowl    
would be killed4 ,from that decision ,i 
tried to move him1 urging that ,i was   
tired1 the pack was hard to undo1 and   
to-morrow1 when ,i was rested1 ,i would 
well repay them the kindness4 ,my words 
were thrown away2 not a bite should we  
eat until the promised knife was given4 
,i was faint with hunger1 but from the  

load on the packhorse ,i procured the   
knife1 which ,i handed to my unwilling  
host with the promise of other gifts    
later4 ,on receipt of this treasure he  
gave orders to the boys standing off at 
a distance to catch two chickens4 ,the  
birds were knocked over by the stones   
thrown at them4 ,two women now came     
forward with clay pots on their heads   
and fire-sticks in their hands1 and they
 superintended the cooking4 ,without    
cutting off either heads or legs1 or    
pulling out the birds' feathers1 the    
chickens were placed in the pots with   
water4 ,lying down near the fire1 ,i1   
manlike1 impatiently waited for supper4 
,perhaps a minute had dragged its weary 
length along when ,i picked up a stick  
from the ground and poked one of the    
fowls out of the water1 which was not   
yet warm4 ,holding the bird in one hand1
 and pulling feathers out of my mouth   
with the other1 ,i ate as my forefathers
 did ages ago4 ,years before this ,i had
 learned that a hungry man can eat what 

an epicure despises4 ,after this feast  
,i lay down on the ground behind one of 
the tepees1 and1 with my head resting on
 my most valued possessions1 went to    
sleep4  ,having promised to give the    
priest and his wife another present1 ,i 
was awakened very early next morning4   
,they had come for their gifts4 ,rising 
from my hard bed1 ,i stretched myself   
and awoke my servant1 under whose head  
were the looking-glasses4 ,i presented  
one of these to the woman1 who looked in
 it with satisfaction and evident       
pleasure4 ,whether she was pleased with 
her reflection or with the glass ,i     
cannot tell1 but ,i feel sure it must   
have been the latter6 ,a necklace to the
 daughter and a further gift to the old 
man gained their friendship1 and food   
was brought to us4 ,after partaking of  
this ,i was informed that the king      
desired to see me1 and that ,i must     
proceed at once to his hut4  ,his       
majesty 787 lived on the other side of  
the river1 close at hand4 ,this water   

was of course unbridged1 so1 in order to
 cross1 ,i was compelled to divest      
myself of my clothing and walk through  
it in nature's garb4 ,the water came up 
to my breast1 and once ,i thought the   
clothes ,i carried on my head would get 
wet4 ,dressing on the other side1 ,i    
presented myself at the king's abode4   
,there ,i was kindly received1 being    
invited to take up my quarters with him 
and his royal family4 ,the king was a   
tall man of somewhat commanding         
appearance1 but1 save for the loin      
cloth1 he was naked1 like the rest4 ,the
 queen1 a little woman1 was as scantily 
dressed as her husband4 ,she was very   
shy1 and ,i noticed the rest of the     
inmates of the hut peeping through the  
crevices of the corn-stalk partition of 
an inner room4 ,after placing around the
 shapely neck of the queen a specially  
fine necklace ,i had brought1 and giving
 the king a large hunting-knife1 ,i was 
regaled with roasted yams1 and later on 
with a whole watermelon4  ,timoteo1 my  

servant1 whose native language was      
,guarani1 could understand most of the  
idiom of the ,sun ,worshippers1 which we
 found to be similar to that spoken by  
the civilized inhabitants of the        
country4 ,there must therefore have been
 some connection between the two peoples
 at one time4 ,the questions1 ,where    
have you come from8 ,why have you come8 
were asked and answered1 and ,i1 in     
return1 learned much of this strange    
tribe4 ,mt was served1 but whereas in   
the outside world a rusty tin tube to   
suck it through is in possession of even
 the poorest1 here they used only a     
reed4 ,i was astonished to find the mt  
sweetened4 ,knowing that they could not 
possibly have any of the luxuries of    
civilization1 ,i made enquiries         
regarding this1 and was told that they  
used a herb which grew in the valley1 to
 which they gave the name of c-ha h-h   
7sweet herb74 ,this plant1 which is not 
unlike clover1 is sweet as sugar1       
whether eaten green or in a dried state4

  ,there was not a seat of any          
description in the hut1 but the king    
said1 ,eguap 7,sit down71 so ,i squatted
 on the earthen floor4 ,a broom is not  
to be found in the kingdom1 and the     
house had never been swept6  ,a         
curiosity ,i noticed was the calabash   
which the king carried attached to his  
belt4 ,this relic was regarded with     
great reverence1 and at first ,his      
,majesty declined to reveal its         
character2 but after ,i had won his     
confidence by gifts of beads and        
mirrors1 he became more communicative4  
,one day1 in a burst of pride1 he told  
me that the gourd contained the ashes of
 his ancestors1 who were the ancient    
kings4 ,though the ,spaniards sought to 
carefully rout out and destroy all      
direct descendants of the royal family  
of the ,incas1 their historians tell us 
that some remote connections escaped4   
,the ,indians of ,peru have legends to  
the effect that at the time of the      
,spanish invasion an ,inca chieftain led

 an emigration of his people down the   
mountains4 ,humboldt1 writing in the    
#ahth century1 said3 ,it is interesting 
to inquire whether any other princes of 
the family of ,manco ,capac have        
remained in the forests2 and if there   
still exist any of the ,incas of ,peru  
in other places4 ,had ,i discovered some
 descendants of this vanished race8 ,the
 ,montreal ,journal1 commenting on my   
discovery1 said3 ,the question is of    
extreme interest to the scientific      
enquirer1 even if they are not what ,mr4
 ,ray thinks them4  ,the royal family   
consisted of the parents1 a son and his 
wife1 a daughter and her husband1 and   
two younger girls4 ,i was invited to    
sleep in the inner room1 which the      
parents occupied1 and the two married   
couples remained in the common room4    
,all slept in fibre hammocks1 made      
greasy and black by the smoke from the  
fire burning on the floor in the centre 
of the room4 ,no chimney1 window1 door1 
or article of furniture graced the      

house4  ,the court of the ,incas        
rivalled that of ,rome1 ,jerusalem1 or  
any of the old ,oriental countries1 in  
riches and show1 the palaces being      
decorated with a great profusion of     
gold1 silver1 fine cloth and precious   
stones4 ,footnote3 ,rev4 ,thomas ,wood1 
,,ll4,d41 ,lima1 ,peru1 ,in ,protestant 
,missions in ,south ,america4  ,an      
ancient ,spanish writer who measured    
some of the stones of the ,incan palace 
at ,cuzco tells us there were stones so 
nicely adjusted that it was impossible  
to introduce even the blade of a knife  
between them1 and that some of those    
stones were thirty-eight feet long1 by  
eighteen feet broad1 and six feet thick4
 ,what a descent for the ,children of   
the ,sun6 ,how are the mighty fallen6   
,thoughts of the past and the mean      
present passed through my mind as ,i lay
 down in the dust of the earthen floor  
that first night of my stay with the    
king4  ,owing to the thousands of fleas 
in the dust of the room it was hard for 

me to rest much1 and that night a storm 
brewing made sleep almost impossible4   
,as the thunder pealed forth all the    
,indians of the houses hastily got out  
of their hammocks and grasped gourd     
rattles and beautifully woven cotton    
banners4 ,the rattles were shaken  and  
the banners waved1 while a droning chant
 was struck up by the high priest1 and  
the louder the thunder rolled the louder
 their voices rose and the more lustily 
they shook the seeds in their           
calabashes4 ,they were trying to appease
 the dread deity of ,thunder1 as did    
their ,inca ancestors4 ,the voice of the
 old priest led the worship1 and for    
four hours there was no cessation of the
 monotonous song1 except when he        
performed some mystic ceremony which ,i 
understood not4  ,just as the old priest
 had awakened me the first morning to   
ask for his present1 so the king came   
tapping me gently the second4 ,in his   
hand he had a large sweet potato1 and in
 my half-dreamy state ,i heard him      

saying1 ,give me your coat4 ,eat a      
potato8 ,the change ,i thought was      
greatly to his advantage1 but ,i was    
anxious to please him4 ,i possessed two 
coats1 while he was1 as he said1 a poor 
old man1 and had no coat4 ,the barter   
was concluded2 ,i ate the potato1 and   
he1 with strange grimaces1 donned a coat
 for the first time in his life4 ,think 
of this for an alleged descendant of the
 great ,atahuallpa1 whose robes and     
jewels were priceless6  ,i offered to   
give the queen a feminine garment of    
white cotton if she would wear it1 but  
this ,i could not prevail upon her to   
do2 it was ugly4 ,as a loin-cloth1 she  
would use it1 but put it on--no6 ,in the
 latter savage style the shaped garment 
was thereafter worn4 ,women have        
fashions all over the globe4  ,the few  
inches of clothing worn by the ,caingwa 
women are never washed1 and the only    
attempt at cleansing the body ,i saw    
when among them was that of a woman who 
filled her mouth with water and squirted

 it back on her hands1 which she then   
wiped on her loin-cloth6  ,prescott1    
writing of the ,incas1 says3 ,they loved
 to indulge in the luxury of their      
baths1 replenished by streams of crystal
 water which were conducted through     
subterraneous silver channels into      
basins of gold4  ,the shapely little    
mouth of the queen was spoilt by the    
habit she had of smoking a heavy pipe   
made of red clay4 ,i was struck with the
 weight and shape of this1 for it       
exactly resembled those made by the old 
cliff-dwellers1 unknown centuries ago4  
,one will weigh at least a quarter of a 
pound4 ,for a mouth-piece they use a    
bird's quill4 ,the tobacco they grow    
themselves4  ,near the royal abode were 
the kitchen gardens4 ,a tract of forest 
had been fired1 and this clearing       
planted with bananas1 mandioca1 sweet   
potatoes1 etc4 ,the blackened trunks of 
the trees rose up like so many evil     
spirits above the green foliage4 ,the   
garden implements used were of the most 

primitive description2 a crooked stick  
served for hoe1 and long1 heavy1        
sharpened iron-wood clubs were used     
instead of the steel plough of          
civilization4  ,as ,i have already      
remarked1 ,i found the people were      
sun-worshippers4 ,each morning1 just as 
the rising sun lit up the eastern sky1  
young and old came out of their houses1 
the older ones carrying empty gourds    
with the dry seeds inside4 ,at a signal 
from the high priest1 a solemn droning  
chant was struck up1 to the monotonous  
time kept by the numerous gourd rattles4
 ,as the sun rose higher and higher1 the
 chanting grew louder and louder1 and   
the echoes of ,he6 he6 he6 ha6 ha6 ha6  
laima6 laima6 were repeated by the      
distant hills4 ,when the altar of       
incense 7described later7 was           
illuminated by the sun-god1 the chanting
 ceased4  ,after this solemn worship of 
the ,orb of ,day1 the women1 with quiet 
demeanor and in single file1 went off to
 their work in the gardens4 ,on         

returning1 each carried a basket made of
 light canes1 slung on the back and held
 up by plaited fibres forming a band    
which came across their foreheads4 ,the 
baskets contained the day's vegetables4 
,meat was seldom eaten by them1 but this
 was probably because of its scarcity1  
for when we killed an ostrich they      
clamored for a share4 ,reptiles of all  
kinds1 and even caterpillars1 are       
devoured by them when hungry4  ,the     
,caingwas are under the average height1 
but use the longest bows and arrows ,i  
have ever seen4 ,some ,i brought away   
measure nearly seven feet in length4    
,the points are made of sharpened       
iron-wood1 notched like the back of a   
fish-hook1 and they are poisoned with   
serpent venom4 ,besides these weapons1  
it was certainly strange to find them   
living in the stone age1 for in the     
hands of the older members of the tribe 
were to be seen stone axes4 ,the handles
 of these primitive weapons are scraped 
into shape by flints1 as probably our   

savage forefathers in ,britain did      
theirs two thousand years ago4          
,entering the low1 narrow doorway of one
 of the bamboo frame houses1 ,i saw that
 it was divided into ten-foot squares by
 corn-stalk partitions a yard high4     
,these places1 like so many stalls for  
horses1 run down each side of the hog4  
,one family occupies a division1        
sleeping in net hammocks made of long1  
coarse grass4 ,a family man usually has 
bands of human hair twisted around his  
legs below the knees1 and also around   
the wrists4 ,this hair is torn from his 
wife's head4 ,down the centre are       
numerous fires for cooking purposes1 but
 the house was destitute of chimney4    
,wood is burned1 and the place was at   
times so full of smoke that ,i could not
 distinguish one ,indian from another4  
,fortunately1 the walls of the house1 as
 was also the roof1 were in bad repair1 
and some of the smoke escaped through   
the chinks4 ,sixty people lived in the  
largest hog1 and ,i judged the number of

 the whole tribe to be about three      
hundred4  ,the doorways of all the      
houses faced towards the east1 as did   
those of the ,inca4 ,in the principal   
one1 where the high priest lived1 a     
square altar of red clay was erected4 ,i
 quickly noticed that on this elevation1
 which was about a yard high1 there     
burned a very carefully tended fire of  
holy wood4 ,enquiring the meaning of    
this1 ,i was informed that1 very many   
moons ago1 ,nande-yara had come in      
person to visit the tribe1 and when with
 them had lit the fire1 which1 he said1 
they must not under any circumstances   
suffer to die out4 ,ever since then the 
smoke of the incense had ascended to    
their ,owner in his far-off dwelling4   
,how forcibly was ,i reminded of the    
scripture referring to the ,jewish altar
 of long ago1 ,there the fire shall ever
 be burning upon the altar2 it shall    
never go out4 ,if ,i had not discovered 
,eden1 ,i had at least found the altar  
and fire of ,edenic origin4  ,behind the

 altar1 occupying the stall directly    
opposite the doorway1 stood the tribal  
god4 ,as the ,caingwas are              
sun-worshippers1 ,i was surprised to see
 this1 but ,rocanandivia1 with grave    
demeanor1 told me that when ,nandeyara  
departed from them he left behind him   
his representative4 ,in the chapter on  
,mariolatry1 ,i have traced the natural 
tendency of man to sink from spiritual  
to image worship1 and ,i found that the 
,caingwas1 like all pagans1 had reverted
 to a something they could see and feel4
 ,remembering that they had never heard 
the second commandment1 written by ,god 
because of this failing in man1 we can  
excuse them1 but what shall be said of  
the enlightened ,romanists8  ,being     
exceedingly anxious to procure their    
,copy of ,god1 ,i tried to bargain with 
the priest4 ,i offered him one thing and
 another1 but to all my proposals he    
turned a deaf ear1 and finally1 glaring 
at me1 said that nothing would ever     
induce him to part with it4 ,the people 

would never allow the image to be taken 
away1 as the life of the tribe was bound
 up with it ,seeing that he was not to  
be moved1 ,i desisted1 though a covetous
 look in his eye when ,i offered a      
beautiful colored rug in exchange gave  
me hope1 ,rocanandiva was1 like most    
idolatrous priests1 very fanatical4     
,when he learned that ,i professed and  
taught a different religion1 his        
jealousy was most marked1 and he often  
told me to go from them1 ,i was not     
wanted4 ,living with the king1 however1 
saved me from ejection4  ,one day the   
priest1 ever on the beg1 was anxious to 
obtain some article from me1 and ,i     
determined to give it only on one       
condition4 ,being anxious to tell the   
people the story of ,jesus1 ,i had      
repeatedly asked permission of him1 but 
had been as often repulsed4 ,they did   
not want me1 or any new words1 he would 
reply4 ,turning to him now1 ,i said1    
,rocanandiva1 if you will allow me to   
tell 'words' to the people you shall    

have the present4 ,the priest turned on 
his heel and left me4 ,knowing his      
cupidity1 ,i was not surprised when1    
later1 he came to me and said that ,i   
could tell them words1 and held out his 
hand for the gift4  ,after sun-worship  
next morning the king announced that ,i 
had something new to tell them4 ,when   
all were seated on the ground in        
wondering silence1 ,i began in simple   
language to tell the old1 old story4 ,my
 address was somewhat similar to the    
following3 ,many moons ago1 ,nandeyara1 
looking down from his abode1 saw that   
all the men and women and children in   
the world were bad2 that is1 they had   
done wrong things1 such as 4 4 4 ,now   
,god has a ,son1 and to ,him ,he said1  
,look down and see4 ,all are doing      
wicked things6 ,he looked and saw4 ,the 
,father said that for their sin they    
should have to die1 but that ,jesus1    
,his ,son1 could come down and die in   
their place4 ,the ,son came1 and lived  
on earth many moons2 but was hated1 and 

at last caught1 and large pieces of iron
 7like the priest's knife7 were put into
 ,his hands and feet1 and ,he was       
fastened to a tree4 ,after this a man   
came1 and1 with a very long knife1      
brought the blood out of the side of    
,jesus1 and ,he died4 ,purposing to     
further explain my story1 ,i was not    
pleased when the priest stopped me1 and1
 stepping forth1 told the people that my
 account was not true4 ,he then in      
eloquent tones related to them what he  
called the real story1 to which ,i      
listened in amazed wonder4  ,many moons 
ago1 he began1 we were dying of hunger6 
,one day the ,sun1 our god1 changed into
 a man1 and he walked down that road4   
7,here he pointed to the east47 ,the    
chief met him4 ',all your people are    
dying of hunger1' said god4 ',yes1 they 
are1' the chief replied4 ',will you die 
instead of all the people8' ,nandeyara  
said4 ',yes1 ,i will1' the chief        
answered4 ,he immediately dropped down  
dead1 and god came to the village where 

we all are now4 ',your chief is lying   
dead up the road1' he said1 'go and bury
 him1 and after three days are passed   
visit the grave1 when you will find a   
plant growing out of  his mouth2 that   
will be corn1 and it will save you6'    
,then1 turning to me1 the priest said3  
,this we did1 and behold us alive6 ,that
 is the story6 ,a strange legend1       
surely1 and yet the reader will be      
struck with the grains of truth         
intermingled--life1 resulting from the  
sacrificial death of another2 the       
substitution of the one for the many2   
the life-giving seed germinating after  
three days' burial1 reminding one of    
,john #ab3bd3 ,except a corn of wheat   
fall into the ground and die1 it abideth
 alone2 but if it die1 it bringeth forth
 much fruit4 ,strange that so many      
aboriginal people have legends so near  
the truth4  ,some days later the chiefs 
son and ,i were alone1 and ,i saw that  
something troubled him4 ,he tried to    
tell me1 but ,i was somewhat ignorant of

 his language1 so1 after looking in all 
directions to see that we were really   
alone1 he led the way into a dark corner
 of the hog1 where we were4 ,there1 from
 under a pile of garden baskets1        
calabashes1 etc41 he brought out a      
peculiarly-shaped gourd1 full of some   
red1 powdery substance4 ,this1 with     
trembling haste1 he put into my hand1   
and seemed greatly relieved when ,i had 
it securely4 ,going then to the corner  
where ,i kept my goods1 he took up a box
 of matches and made signs for me to    
exchange1 which ,i did4 ,when ,timoteo  
returned ,i learned that the young man  
was custodian of the devil--the only and
 original one--and that he had palmed   
him off on me for a box of matches6 ,how
 the superstition of the visible        
presence of the devil originated ,i have
 no idea1 but there might be some       
meaning in the man's earnest desire to  
exchange it for matches1 or lights1 the 
emblem of their fire or sun-worship4    
,was this simple deal fallen man's      

feeble effort to rid himself of the     
,usurper and get back the ,father1 for  
it is very significant that the ,caingwa
 word1 ta-ta 7light71 signifies also    
father4 ,do they need light1 or are they
 sufficiently illumined for time and    
eternity8 ,will the reader reverently   
stand with me1 in imagination1 beside an
 ,indian grave8 ,a girl has died through
 snake poisoning4 ,a shallow grave has  
been dug for her remains4 ,into this    
hole her body has been dropped1         
uncoffined1 in a sitting position4      
,beside the body is placed some food and
 a few paltry trinkets1 and the people  
stand around with that disconsolate look
 which is only seen upon the faces of   
those who know not the ,father4 ,as they
 thus linger1 the witch-doctor asks1 ,is
 the dog killed8 ,someone replies1 ,yes1
 the dog is killed4 ,is the head cut    
off8 is then asked4 ,yes1 the head is   
off1 is the reply4 ,put it in the grave1
 then1 says the medicine man2 and then  
the dog's head is dropped at the girl's 

feet4  ,why do they do this8 you ask4   
,question their wise man1 and he will   
say3 ,a dog is a very clever animal4 ,he
 can always find his way4 ,a girl gets  
lost when alone4 ,for that reason we    
place a dog's head with her1 that it may
 guide her in the spirit life4 ,i ask   
again1 ,do they need missionaries8  ,my 
stay with the sun-worshippers1 though   
interesting1 was painful4 ,excepting    
when we cooked our own food1 ,i almost  
starved4 ,their habits are extremely    
filthy1 indeed more loathsome and       
disgusting than ,i dare relate4  ,my    
horses were by now refreshed with their 
rest1 and appeared able for the return  
journey1 so ,i determined to start back 
to civilization4 ,the priest heard of my
 decision with unfeigned joy1 but the   
king and queen were sorrowful4 ,these   
pressed me to return again some time1   
but said ,i must bring with me a boca   
7gun7 like my own for the king1 with    
some more strings of white beads for the
 queen's wrists4  ,while saddling our   

horses in the grey dawn1 the wily priest
 came to me with a bundle1 and1 quietly 
drawing me aside1 said that ,nandeyara  
was inside1 and in exchange for the     
bright rug ,i could take him away4 ,the 
exchange was made1 and ,i tied their    
god1 along with bows and arrows1 etc41  
on the back of a horse1 and we said     
farewell4 ,i had strict orders to cover 
up the idol from the eyes of the people 
until we got away4 ,even when miles     
distant1 ,i kept looking back1 fearing  
that the duped ,indians were following  
in enraged numbers4 ,of course1 the     
priest would give out that ,i had stolen
 the image4  ,ah1 ,rocanandiva1 you are 
not the first who has been willing to   
sell his god for worldly gain6 ,the hand
 of ,judas burned with thirty pieces of 
silver1 the earthly value of the ,divine
 ,one4 ,pilate1 for personal profit1    
said3 ,let ,him be crucified4 ,and      
millions to-day sell ,him for a mess of 
pottage4  ,the same horse bore away the 
devil and god1 so perhaps without the   

one there would be no need of the other4
  ,so prolific is the vegetation that   
during our few weeks' stay with the     
,indians the creeping thorns and briars 
had almost covered up the path we had   
cut through the forest1 and it was again
 necessary to use our machetes4 ,the    
larger growth1 however1 being down1 this
 was not difficult1 and we entered its  
sombre stillness once more4 ,what       
strange creatures people its tangled    
recesses we knew not4       ,for beasts 
and birds have seen and heard      ,that
 which man knoweth not4  ,i hurried     
through with little wish to penetrate   
its secret4 ,mere existence was hard    
enough in its steaming semi-darkness4   
,our clothes were now almost torn to    
shreds 7,i had sought to mend mine with 
horse-hair thread1 with poor results71  
and we duly emerged into daylight on the
 other side1 ragged1 torn and dirty4    
,our journey back to civilization was   
similar to the outward way4 ,we selected
 a slightly different route1 but left   

the old chief safe and well with his    
people4  ,one night our horses were     
startled by a bounding jaguar1 and were 
so terrified that they broke away and   
scattered in all directions4 ,searching 
for them detained us a whole day1 but   
fortunately we were able to round them  
all up again4 ,two were found in a wood 
of strangely-shaped bushes1 whose large1
 tough leaves rustled like parchment4   
,one afternoon a heavy rain came on1 and
 we stopped to construct a shelter of   
green branches1 into which we crept4    
,the downpour became so heavy that it   
dripped through our hastily-constructed 
arbor1 and we were soon soaking wet4    
,owing to the dampness of the fuel1 it  
was only after much patient work that we
 were able to light a fire and dry our  
clothes4 ,there we remained for three   
days1 ,timoteo sighing for ,pegwaomi1   
and the wind sighing still louder1 to   
our discomfort4 ,everything we had was  
saturated4 ,sleeping on the soaking     
ground1 the poisonous tarantula spiders 

crept over us4 ,these loathsome         
creatures1 second only to the serpent1  
are frequently so large as to spread    
their thick1 hairy legs over a six-inch 
diameter4  ,the storm passed1 and we    
started off towards the river ,ipane1   
which was now considerably swollen4     
,three times on the expedition we had   
halted to build rough bridges over      
chasms or mountain streams with         
perpendicular banks1 but this was broad 
and had to be crossed through the water4
 ,as ,i rode the largest and strongest  
horse1 it was my place to venture first 
into the rushing stream4 ,the animal    
bravely stemmed the current1 as did the 
rest1 but ,old ,stabbed ,arm1 riding a  
weaker horse1 nearly lost his life4 ,the
 animal was washed down by the strong   
current1 and but for the man's previous 
long experience in swimming rivers he   
would never have reached the bank4 ,the 
pony also somehow struggled through to  
the side1 landing half-drowned1 and ,old
 ,stabbed ,arm received a few hearty    

pats on the back4 ,the load on the mare 
was further soaked1 but most of our     
possessions had been ruined long ago4   
,my cartridges ,i had slung around my   
neck1 and ,i held the photographic      
plates in my teeth1 while the left hand 
carried my gun1 so these were preserved4
 ,to my care on that occasion the reader
 is indebted for some of the            
illustrations in this volume4 ,nandeyara
 got another wash1 but he had been wet  
before1 and never complained6  ,on the  
farther side of the river was a deserted
 house1 and we could distinctly trace   
the heavy footprints of a tapir leading 
up the path and through the open        
doorway4 ,we entered with caution4 ,was 
the beast in then8 ,no4 ,he had gone out
 by a back way1 probably made by        
himself1 through the wattled wall4 ,we  
could see the place was frequented very 
often by wild pigs1 which had left      
hundreds of footprints in the three-inch
 depth of dust on the floor4 ,there we  
lit a fire to again dry our clothes1 and

 prepared to pass the night1 expecting a
 visit from the hogs4 ,had they appeared
 when we were ready for them1 the visit 
would not have been unwelcome4 ,food was
 hard to procure1 and animals did not   
come very often to be shot4 ,had they   
found us asleep1 however1 the waking    
would have been terrible indeed1 for    
they will eat human flesh just as       
ravenously as roots4 ,after spreading   
our saddle-cloths on the dust and filth1
 ,old ,stabbed ,arm and ,i were chatting
 about the ,caingwas and their dirty    
habits1 when ,timoteo1 heaving a sigh of
 relief1 said3 ,thank ,god1 we are clean
 at last6 ,he was satisfied with the    
pigpen as he recalled the hog of the    
,sun-,worshippers4   ,at last the       
village of ,pegwaomi was reached1 and1  
oh1 we were not sorry1 for the havoc of 
the jiggers in our feet was getting     
terrible6 ,the keen-eyed inhabitants    
caught sight of us while we were still  
distant1 and when we reined up1         
,timoteo's aged mother tremblingly said1

 ,yoape 7,come here7 to him1 and she    
wept as she embraced her boy4 ,truly1   
there was no sight so sweet to mother as
 that of her ragged1 travel-stained son2
 and ,timoteo1 the strong man1 wept4    
,the fatted calf was then killed a few  
yards from the doorstep1 by having its  
throat cut4 ,offal littered up the      
doorway1 and the children in their glee 
danced in the red blood4 ,the dogs'     
tails and the women's tongues wagged    
merrily1 making us feel that we were    
joined on to the world again4 ,i was    
surprised to find that we were days out 
of reckoning2 ,i had been keeping       
,sunday on ,thursday6  ,during this stay
 at ,pegwaomi ,i nearly lost ,old       
,stabbed ,arm4 ,the day after we        
returned our hostess very seriously     
asked me if he might marry her daughter4
 ,thinking he had sent her to ask1 ,i   
consented4 ,it was a surprise to learn  
afterwards that he knew nothing at all  
of the matter4  ,although ,pegwaomi     
gained no new inhabitant1 ,i secured    

what proved to be one of the truest and 
most faithful friends of my life--a     
little monkey4 ,his name was ,mr4       
,pancho4 ,with him it was love at first 
sight1 and from that time onward1 ,i    
believe1 he had only two things in his  
mind--his food and his master4 ,he would
 cry when ,i left him1 and hug and kiss 
me on my return4 ,pancho rode the       
pack-mare into the village of           
,concepcion1 and busied himself on the  
way catching butterflies and trying to  
grasp the multi-colored humming-birds   
hovering over the equally beautiful     
passion-flowers growing in the bushes on
 each side of the path4  ,surely a      
stranger sight was never seen on the    
streets of ,concepcion than that of a   
tired1 dusty pack-horse bearing a live  
monkey1 a dead god1 and an equally dead 
devil on his back6 ,mrs4 ,sorrows was   
overjoyed to see me return1 and         
earnestly told me that my first duty was
 to hurry down to the store and buy two 
colored candles to burn before her      

saint1 who had brought me back1 even    
though ,i was a heretic1 which fact she 
greatly lamented4 ,we had been given up 
as lost months before1 for word came    
down that ,i had been killed by         
,indians4 ,here ,i was1 however1 safe   
and fairly well1 saving that the ends of
 two of my toes had rotted off with     
jiggers1 and fever burned in my veins6  
,mrs4 ,dolores doctored my feet with    
tobacco ashes as ,i reclined in a       
hammock under the lime trees surrounding
 her hut4 ,i did not buy the candles1   
but she did2 and while ,i silently      
thanked a ,higher ,power1 and the ta-tas
 burned to her deity1 she informed me   
that my countryman1 the prodigal1 had   
been carried to the potters' field4 ,not
 all prodigals reach home again2 some   
are buried by the swine-troughs4  ,for  
some time ,i was unable to put my feet  
to the ground2 but ,pancho1 ever active1
 tied in a fig tree1 helped himself to  
ripe fruit1 and took life merrily4      
,pancho and ,i were eventually able to  

bid good-bye to ,mrs4 ,sorrows1 and1    
thousands of miles down life's pathway1 
this little friend and ,i journeyed     
together1 he ever loving and true4 ,i   
took him across the ocean1 away from his
 tropical home1 and--he died4 ,i am not 
sentimental--nay1 ,i have been accused  
of hardness--but ,i make this reference 
to ,pancho in loving memory4 ,unlike    
some friends of my life1 he was constant
 and true4 ,footnote3 ,from letters     
awaiting me at the post-office1 ,i      
learned1 with intense sorrow and regret1
 that my strange patron had gone the way
 of all flesh ,the land ,i had been to  
explore1 along-with a bequest of        
#bej1jjj1 passed into the hands of the  
,baptist ,missionary ,society1 to the   
,secretary of which ,society all my     
reports were given4     ,,chapter ,,xi4 
,,chaco ,,savages4   ,the ,gran ,chaco1 
an immense region in the interior of the
 continent1 said to be #b1ejj1jjj square
 miles in extent1 is1 without doubt1 the
 darkest part of ,the ,darkest ,land4   

,from time immemorial this has been     
given up to the ,indians2 or1 rather1   
they have proved so warlike that the    
white man has not dared to enter the    
vast plain4 ,the ,chaco contains a      
population of perhaps #c1jjj1jjj of     
aborigines4 ,these are divided into many
 tribes1 and speak numerous languages4  
,from the military outposts of          
,argentina at the south1 to the ,fort of
 ,olimpo1 #dej miles north1 the country 
is left entirely to the savage4 ,the    
former are built to keep back the ,tobas
 from venturing south1 and the latter is
 a ,paraguayan fort on the ,brazilian   
frontier4 ,here about one hundred       
soldiers are quartered and some fifty   
women banished1 for the ,paraguayan     
,government sends its female convicts   
there4 ,footnote3 ,the women are not    
provided with even the barest           
necessities of life4 ,here they are     
landed and1 perforce1 fasten themselves 
like leeches on the licentious soldiery4
 ,i speak from personal knowledge1 for  

,i have visited the hell of ,paraguay4  
,between these forts and ,bolivia1 on   
the west1 ,i have been privileged to    
visit eight different tribes of         
,indians1 all of them alike degraded and
 sunken in the extreme2 savage and wild 
as man1 though originally made in the   
image of ,god1 can be4  ,the ,chaco is a
 great unknown land4 ,the north1        
described by ,mr4 ,minchin1 ,bolivian   
,government ,explorer1 as a barren      
zone--an almost uninterrupted extent of 
low1 thorny scrub1 with great scarcity  
of water1 and the centre and south1 as  
,i have seen in exploring journeys1     
great plains covered with millions of   
palm trees1 through which the astonished
 traveller can ride for weeks without   
seeing any limit4 ,in the dry season the
 land is baked by the intense heat of   
the tropical sun1 and cracked into deep 
fissures4 ,in the rainy season it is an 
endless marsh--a veritable dead man's   
land4 ,during a #bjj-mile ride1 #ahj lay
 through water with the sun almost      

vertical4 ,all this country in past ages
 must have been the bed of a great salt 
sea4  ,as ,i have said1 the ,chaco is   
peculiarly ,indian territory1 into which
 the white man steps at his peril4 ,i   
accepted a commission1 however1 to      
examine and report on certain parts of  
it1 so ,i left the civilized haunts of  
men and set foot on the forbidden       
ground4  ,my first introduction to the  
savages in ,chaco territory was at their
 village of ,teepmuckthlawhykethy 7,the 
,place ,where the ,cows ,arrived74 ,they
 were busy devouring a dead cow and a   
newly-born calf1 and ,i saw their naked 
bodies through such dense clouds of     
mosquitos that in one clap of the hands 
,i could kill twenty or thirty4 ,this   
,indian toldo consists of three large   
wigwams1 in which live about eighty of  
the most degraded aborigines to be found
 on earth4 ,when they learned ,i was not
 one of the ,christians from across the 
river1 and that ,i came well introduced1
 they asked3 ,did ,i come across the big

 water in a dug-out8 ,was it a day's    
journey8 ,would ,i give them some of the
 stuff that resembles the eggs of the   
ant8 7their name for rice74  ,i was     
permitted to occupy a palm hut without a
 roof1 but ,i slept under a tiger's     
skin1 and that kept off dew and rain4   
,they reserved the right to come and go 
in it as they pleased4 ,the women1 with 
naked babies astride their hips1 the    
usual way of carrying them1 were        
particularly annoying4 ,a little girl1  
however1 perhaps ten years old1 named   
,supupnik 7,sawdust71 made friends with 
me1 and that friendship lasted during   
all my stay with them4 ,her face was    
always grotesquely painted1 but she was 
a sweet child4  ,these ,indians are of  
normal stature1 and are always erect and
 stately1 perhaps because all burdens   
are borne by straps on the forehead4    
,the expression of the savage is        
peculiar1 for he pulls out all the hair 
on his face1 even the eyelashes and     
eyebrows1 and seems to think the        

omission of that act would be a terrible
 breach of cleanliness4 ,these same     
individuals will1 however1 frequently be
 seen with their whole body so coated   
with dirt that it could easily be       
scraped off with a knife in cakes1 as   
the housewife would scrape a burnt loaf6
 ,the first use to which the women put  
the little round tin looking-glasses1   
which ,i used for barter1 was to admire 
their pretty 787 faces2 but the men1    
with a sober look1 would search for the 
detested hair on lip or chin4 ,that ,i  
was so lost to decency as to suffer a   
moustache to cover my lip was to them a 
constant puzzle and wonder1 for in every
 other respect the universal opinion was
 that ,i was a civilized kind of thing4 
,i write thing advisedly1 for the white 
man is to them an inferior creation--not
 a person4  ,in place of a beard or     
moustache1 the inhabitant of the ,chaco 
prefers to paint his face1 and sometimes
 he makes quite an artistic design4     
,these wild inhabitants of ,central     

,south ,america generally wear a skin   
around the loins1 or a string of ostrich
 feathers4 ,some tribes1 as1 for        
example1 the ,chamacocos1 dispense with 
either4 ,the height of fashion is to    
wear strings of tigers' teeth1 deer's   
hoofs1 birds' bills1 etc41 around the   
neck4 ,strings of feathers or wool are  
twisted around ankles and wrists1 while 
the thickly matted hair is adorned with 
plumes1 standing upright4  ,the men     
insert round pieces of wood in the lobe 
of the ear4 ,boys of tender age have a  
sharp thorn pushed through the ear1     
where more civilized nations wear       
earrings4 ,this hole is gradually       
enlarged until manhood1 when a round    
piece1 two inches in diameter and one   
and a half inches thick1 can be worn1   
not depending from the ear1 but in the  
gristle of it4 ,the cartilage is thus so
 distended that only a narrow rim       
remains around the ornament1 and this   
may often be seen broken out4 ,sometimes
 three or four rattles from the tail of 

the rattlesnake also hang from the ear  
on to the shoulder4  ,these tribes of   
the ,chaco were all vassals of the ,inca
 at the advent of the ,spaniards4 ,they 
had been by them reclaimed from         
savagery1 and taught many useful arts1  
one or two of which1 such as the making 
of blankets and string1 they still      
retain4 ,the ,inca used the ear         
ornaments of solid gold1 but made in the
 form of a wheel4 ,the nearest approach 
to this old custom is when the wooden   
ear-plug is painted thus1 as are some in
 the author's possession4  ,i was       
fortunate in gaining the favor of the   
tribe living near the river1 and because
 of certain favors conferred upon them1 
was adopted into the family4 ,my face   
was painted1 my head adorned with       
ostrich plumes1 and ,i was given the    
name of ,wanampangapthling ithma 7,big  
,cactus ,red ,mouth74 ,because of this  
formal initiation1 ,i was privileged to 
travel where ,i chose1 but to the native
 ,paraguayan or ,argentine the ,chaco is

 a forbidden land4 ,the ,indian         
describes himself as a man2 monkeys are 
little men2 ,i was a thing2 but the     
,paraguayans are ,christians1 and that  
is the lowest degree of all4 ,the       
priests they see on the other side of   
the river are ,yankilwana 7neither man  
nor woman72 and a ,yankilwana1 in his   
distinctive garb1 could never tread this
 ,indian soil4 ,so abhorrent to them is 
the name of ,christian1 that the        
missionaries have been compelled to use 
another word to describe their converts1
 and they are called ,followers of      
,jesus4 ,all the members of some large  
expeditions have been massacred just    
because they were ,christians4 ,surely  
this is convincing corroboration of my  
remarks regarding the state of ,roman   
,catholicism in those dark lands4  ,a   
few miserable-looking1 diminutive sheep 
are kept by some tribes1 and the        
blankets referred to are made from the  
wool1 which is torn off the sheep with a
 sharp shell1 or1 if near the coast1    

with a knife4 ,the blankets are woven by
 hand across two straight branches of   
tree1 and they are sometimes colored in 
various shades4 ,a bulbous root they    
know of dyes brown1 the cochineal insect
 red1 and the bark of a tree yellow4    
,string is made from the fibre of the   
caraguata plant1 and snail shells are   
used to extract the fibre4 ,this work   
is1 of course1 done by the women1 as is 
also the making of the clay pots they   
use for cooking4 ,the men only hunt4    
,all sleep on the ground1 men1 women1   
children and dogs1 promiscuously4 ,the  
wigwams are nothing more than a few     
branches stuck in the ground and tied at
 the top4 ,the sides are left open4     
,very often even this most primitive of 
dwellings is dispensed with1 and the    
degraded beings crawl under the shelter 
of the bushes4 ,furniture of any kind   
they are1 of course1 wit-out1 and their 
destitution is only equalled by the     
,african pigmy or the ,australian black4
  ,the ,chaco is essentially a barren   

land1 and the ,indians' time seems      
almost fully taken up in procuring food4
 ,the men1 with bows and arrows1 hunt   
the deer1 ostrich1 fox1 or wolf1 while  
the women forage for roots and wild     
fruit4  ,one tribe in the north of the  
,chaco are cannibals1 and they          
occasionally make war on their neighbors
 just to obtain food4  ,a good vegetable
 diet is the cabbage1 which grows in the
 heart of certain palms1 and weighs     
three or four pounds4 ,to secure this   
the tree has perforce to be cut down4   
,to the ,indian without an axe this is  
no light task4 ,the palm1 as is well    
known1 differs from other trees by its  
having the seat of life in the head1 and
 not in the roots2 so when the cabbage  
is taken out the tree dies4  ,anything1 
everything1 is eaten for food1 and a    
roasted serpent or boiled fox is equally
 relished4 ,during my stay among them ,i
 ceased to ask of what the mess was     
composed2 each dish was worse than the  
former4 ,among the first dishes ,i had  

were mandioca root1 a black carrion     
bird1 goat's meat1 and fox's head4 ,the 
puma1 otter1 ant-bear1 deer1 armadillo1 
and ostrich are alike eaten1 as is also 
the jaguar1 a ferocious beast of immense
 size4 ,i brought away from those       
regions some beautiful skins of this    
animal1 the largest of which measures   
nearly nine feet from nose to tail4  ,in
 the sluggish1 almost salt1 streams1    
fish are numerous1 and these are shot by
 the ,indian with arrows1 to which is   
attached a string of gut4 ,lakes and    
rivers are also filled with             
hideous-looking alligators of all sizes4
 ,these grow to the length of twelve or 
fifteen feet in these warm waters1 and  
the tail is considered quite a delicacy4
 ,besides these varied dishes1 there is 
the electric eel2 and1 sunk in a yard   
depth of mud1 is the lollock1 of such   
interest to naturalists ,the lollock is 
a fish peculiar to the ,chaco4 ,though  
growing to the length of three and four 
feet1 it has only rudimentary eyes1 and 

is1 in consequence1 quite blind2 it is  
also unable to swim4 ,the savage prods  
in the mud with a long notched lance1   
sometimes for hours1 until he sticks the
 appetizing fish4  ,the steamy waters   
are so covered with aquatic plants that 
in some places ,i have been able to walk
 across a living bridge4 ,once1 when out
 hunting1 ,i came upon a beautiful      
forest glade1 covered with a carpet of  
green4 ,thinking it a likely place for  
deer1 ,i entered1 when lo1 ,i sank in a 
ftid lake of slime4 ,throwing my gun on 
to the bank1 ,i had quite a difficulty  
to regain dry land4  ,in my journeyings 
here and there ,i employed one or       
another of the braves to accompany me4  
,all they could eat and some little     
present was the pay4 ,no sooner was the 
gift in their hand1 however1 after      
supper1 than they would put it back in  
mine and say1 ,give me some more food8  
,i was at first accompanied by ,yantiwau
 7,the ,wolf ,rider74 ,armed with a bow 
and arrows1 he was a good hunter for me1

 and a faithful servant1 but his custom 
of spitting on my knife and spoon to    
clean them ,i did not like4 ,when my    
supplies were getting low1 and ,i went  
to the river for a wash1 he would say3  
,there's no kiltanithliacack            
7soap7--only clupup 7sand74 ,yantiwau   
was interested in pictures2 he would    
gaze with wondering eyes at photos1 or  
views of other lands1 but he looked at  
them the wrong side up1 as they all     
invariably do4 ,while possessed of a    
profound respect for me in some ways1 he
 thought me very lacking in common      
knowledge4 ,while ,i was unable to      
procure game1 through not seeing any1 he
 could call the bird to him in a ducky1 
ducky1 come and be killed kind of way2  
and my tongue was parched when he would 
scent water4 ,this was sometimes very   
easy to smell1 however1 for it was      
almost impossible to drink out of a     
waterhole without holding the nose and  
straining the liquid through my closed  
teeth4 ,chaco water at best is very     

brackish1 and on drying off the ground a
 white coat of salt is left4  ,my       
,indian's first and last thought was of 
his stomach4 ,while capable of passing  
two or three days without eating1 and   
feeling no pangs of hunger1 yet1 when   
food was to hand1 he gorged himself1 and
 could put away an incredible amount4   
,truly1 his make-up was a constant      
wonder to me4 ,riding through the hungry
 belt ,i would be famishing1 but to my  
question3 ,are you hungry8 he would     
answer1 ,no4 ,after a toilsome journey1 
and no supper at the end3 ,would you    
like to eat8 ,no4 ,but let an ostrich or
 a deer come in sight1 and he could not 
live another minute without food6       
,another proof to ,yantiwau of my       
incapacity was the fact that when my    
matches were all used ,i could not light
 the fire4 ,he1 by rubbing a            
blunt-pointed hard stick in a groove of 
soft wood1 could cause such a friction  
that the dust would speedily ignite1 and
 set fire to the dry twigs which he was 

so clever in collecting4 ,although such 
a simple process to the ,indian1 ,i     
never met a white man who could use the 
firesticks with effect4  ,sitting by the
 camp-fire in the stillness of evening1 
my guide would draw attention to a      
shooting star4 ,look6 ,that is a bad    
witch doctor1 he would say4 ,did you    
notice he went to the west8 ,well1 the  
,toothlis live there4 ,he has gone for  
vengeance6  ,the wide palm plains are   
almost uninhabited2 ,i have journeyed   
eighty miles without sighting human     
being or wigwam4 ,in the rainy season   
the trees stand out of a sea-like       
expanse of steaming water1 and one may  
wade through this for twenty miles      
without finding a dry place for bivouac4
 ,ant hills1 ten and fifteen feet high1 
with dome-shaped roofs1 dot the wild    
waste like pigmy houses1 and sometimes  
they are the only dry land found to rest
 on4 ,the horses flounder through the   
mire1 or sink up to the belly in slime1 
while clouds of flies make the life of  

man and beast a living death4 ,keys rust
 in the pocket1 and boots mildew in a   
day4 ,at other seasons1 as ,i know by   
painful experience1 the hard-baked      
ground is cracked up into fissures1 and 
not a drop of water is to be found in a 
three days' journey4 ,the miserable     
savages either sit in utter dejection on
 logs of wood or tree roots1 viewing the
 watery expanse1 or roam the country in 
search of yingmin 7water74  ,whereas the
 ,caingwas may be described as          
inoffensive ,indians1 the inhabitants of
 the ,chaco are savages1 hostile to the 
white man1 who only here and there1 with
 their permission1 has settled on the   
river bank4 ,generally a people of fine 
physique and iron constitution1 free    
from disease of any kind1 they are swept
 into eternity in an incredibly short   
space of time if civilized diseases are 
introduced4 ,even the milder ones1 such 
as measles1 decimate a whole tribe2 and 
,i have known communities swept away as 
autumn leaves in a strong breeze with   

the grippe4 ,i was informed that the    
hospital authorities at ,asuncion gave  
them the cast-off fever clothing of     
their patients during an epidemic to    
sweep them off the face of the earth6   
,the ,indians have been ill-treated from
 the beginning4 ,darwin relates that1 in
 their eagerness to exterminate the red 
men1 the ,argentine troops have pursued 
them for three days without food4 ,on   
the frontier they are killed in         
hundreds2 by submitting to the white man
 they die in thousands4 ,latin          
civilization is more terrible to them   
than war4 ,sad to state1 their only hope
 is to fight1 and this the savage       
affirms he will do for ever and ever4   
,francia1 the ,dictator of ,paraguay1   
ordered every ,indian found--man1 woman 
or child--to be put to death6 ,lopez1 a 
later ruler1 took sport in hunting      
,indians like deer4 ,we are told that on
 one occasion he was so successful as to
 kill forty-eight6 ,the children he     
captured and sold into slavery at       

fifteen and twenty dollars each4 ,the   
white settler considers himself very    
brave if he kills the savage with a     
rifle sighted at five hundred yards1    
while well out of range of the ,indians'
 arrows1 and ,i have known them shot    
just for fun6 ,the ,indians retaliate by
 cutting off the heels of their white   
captives1 or leaving them1 in statu     
naturae1 bound with thongs on an        
anthill2 and a more terrible death could
 not be devised by even the inquisitor1 
,torquemada1 of everlasting execration4 
,the ,indian is hard and cruel1         
indifferent to pain in himself or       
others4 ,a serpent may sting a comrade1 
and he takes no notice2 but let one find
 food and there is a general scamper to 
the spot4 ,the ,chaco savage is         
barbarous in the extreme4 ,the slain    
enemies are often eaten1 and the bones  
burnt and scattered over their food4    
,the children of enemies are traded off 
to other tribes for more food4  ,the    
,chaco ,indian is a born warrior4 ,sad  

to say1 his only hope is to fight       
against the ,latin paleface4  ,most of  
us have at times been able to detect a  
peculiar aroma in the negro4 ,the       
keen-scented savage detects that        
something in us1 and we smell to them4  
,even ,i1 ,big ,cactus ,red ,mouth1 was 
not declared free from a subtle odor1   
although ,i washed so often that they   
wondered my skin did not come off4 ,they
 never wash1 and in damp weather the    
dirt peels from them in cakes4 ,of      
course they don't smell6  ,when a man or
 woman is1 through age1 no longer       
capable of looking after the needs of   
the body1 a shallow grave is dug1 the   
aged one doubled up until the knees are 
pressed into the hollow cheeks1 and the 
back is broken4 ,this terrible work     
done1 the undesired one is dragged by   
one leg to the open tomb4 ,sometimes the
 face and whole body is so mangled1 by  
being pulled through thorns and over    
uneven ground1 that it is not           
recognizable1 and the nose has at times 

been actually torn off4 ,while sometimes
 still alive1 the body is covered up    
with mother earth4 ,frequently the grave
 is so shallow that the matted hair may 
be seen coming out at the top4 ,the     
burial is generally made near a wood1   
and1 if passible1 under the holy wood   
tree1 which1 in their judgment1 has     
great influence with evil spirits4 ,wild
 beasts1 attracted by the odor of the   
corpse1 soon dig up the remains1 and    
before next day it is frequently        
devoured4  ,an ordinary burial service  
may be thus described3 ,a deep cut is   
first made in the stomach of the        
departed one4 ,into this incision a     
stone1 some bone ash1 and a bird's claw 
are introduced4 ,the body is then placed
 over the grave on two sticks1 a        
muttering incantation is said by the    
witch doctor1 and the sticks are roughly
 knocked from under the body1 so as to  
permit it to fall in a sitting posture4 
,a bow and arrows1 and some food and    
cooking utensils1 are dropped into the  

grave4 ,all shooting stars1 according to
 the ,indian belief1 are flying stones2 
hence the custom of placing a stone in  
the stomach of the dead4 ,it is supposed
 to be able to mount heavenward1 and1   
assuming its true character1 become the 
avenging adversary1 and destroy the one 
who caused the death--always a bad witch
 doctor4 ,the bird's claw scratches out 
the enemy's heart1 and the ashes        
annihilate the spirit4 ,one of the      
missionaries in the ,lengua tribe stated
 that he assisted at the burial of a    
woman where the corpse fell head        
foremost into the grave1 the feet       
remaining up4 ,four times the attempt to
 drop her in right was made1 with       
similar results1 and finally the husband
 deliberately broke his dead wife's     
neck1 and bent the head on to the back2 
then he broke her limbs across his knee1
 and so the ghastly burial was at last  
completed6 ,truly1 the dark places of   
the earth are full of the habitations of
 cruelty4 ,let the one whose idea is to 

leave the pagan in his innocency visit  
these savages1 and1 if he lives to tell 
it1 his ideas will have undergone a     
great change4 ,they are lost6 and       
millions have not yet heard of the ,son 
of ,man1 who came to seek and to save   
that which was lost4  ,at the death of  
any member1 the toldo in which he lived 
is burnt1 all his possessions are       
destroyed1 and the people go into       
mourning4 ,the hair of both sexes is cut
 short or pulled out1 and each one has  
the face blackened with a vegetable dye1
 which1 from experience1 ,i know hardly 
ever wears off again4 ,as ,i have said1 
everything the man owned in life is     
burnt and the village is deserted2 all  
move right away to get out of the       
presence of the death-giving spirit4 ,to
 me the toldo would not only seem       
abandoned1 but the people gone without  
leaving a trace of their path2 but not  
so to ,wolf ,rider1 my guide4 ,by the   
position of the half-burnt wood of the  
fire1 he could tell the direction they  

had taken1 and the number gone--although
 each steps in the other's              
footprints--whether they were stopping  
to hunt on the way1 and much more he    
would never tell me4 ,some of the       
missionaries have spent ten years in the
 ,chaco1 but cannot get the savage to   
teach them this lesson of signs4  ,in   
some tribes the aged ones are just left 
to die sitting under a palm-leaf mat4   
,all the members of the tribe move away 
and leave them thus4 ,many are the      
terrible things my eyes have witnessed1 
but surely the most pathetic was the    
sight of an old woman sitting under the 
mat4 ,i was one day riding alone1 but   
had with me two horses1 when ,i caught  
sight of the palm-leaf erection and the 
solitary figure sitting under it4       
,getting down from my horse1 ,i         
approached the woman and offered to take
 her to a place of safety1 promising to 
feed her and permit her to live as long 
as she chose4 ,would she come with me8  
,i begged and entreated1 but the poor   

woman would not so much as lift her eyes
 to mine4 ,the law of her tribe had said
 she must die1 and the laws are to them 
unalterable4 ,most reluctantly1 ,i left 
her to be eaten later on by the wild    
beasts4  ,terrible as this custom is1   
other tribes kill and eat their aged    
parents as a mark of respect4 ,another  
tribe will not permit one member to go  
into the spirit world alone1 so they    
hang another one1 in order that there   
may be two to enter together4  ,whereas 
the ,caingwas are a religious people1   
even attributing their custom of        
piercing the lip to divine commandment1 
the ,chaco aborigines have no god and no
 religion4 ,missionaries in the solitary
 station ,i have referred to1 after ten 
years' probing1 have been unable to find
 any approach to worship in their       
darkened minda4 ,the miserable wretches 
who inhabit that vast wilderness are so 
low in the scale of reasoning beings    
that one might doubt whether or not they
 have human souls4 ,footnote3           

,washburn's ,history of ,paraguay4      
,these lost sheep have no word to       
express ,god1 and have no idols4 ,the   
poverty of the ,indian dialects of the  
,chaco is scarcely surpassed by that of 
the dumb brutes4  ,these wretched tribes
 have perfect community of goods2 what  
is secured by one belongs equally to    
all4 ,a piece of cloth is either torn up
 and distributed1 or worn in turns by   
each one4 ,the shirt which ,i gave my   
guide1 ,yantiwau1 for much arduous toil1
 was worn by one and another            
alternately4 ,much as the savage at     
first desires to possess some garment1  
it does not take long for him to tire of
 it4 ,all agree with ,mark ,twain1 that 
the human skin is the most comfortable  
of all costumes1 and1 clothed in the    
sunlight1 the human form divine is not  
unlovely4  ,sometimes the ,indians of   
the interior take skins1 etc41 to the   
,paraguayan towns across the river4 ,not
 knowing the use of money1 their little 
trading is done by barter4 ,their       

knowledge of value is so crude that on  
one occasion they refused a two-dollar  
axe for an article1 but gladly accepted 
a ten-cent knife4 ,the ,chaco ,indian1  
however1 is seldom seen in civilization4
 ,his home is in the interior of an     
unknown country1 which he wanders over  
in wild freedom4 ,while the ,caingwas   
are homekeeping1 these savages are      
nomadic1 and could not settle down4 ,the
 land is either burnt up or inundated1  
so they do not plant1 but live only by  
the chase4 ,so bold and daring are they 
that a man1 armed only with a lance1    
will attack a savage jaguar2 or1 diving 
under an alligator1 he will stab it with
 a sharpened bone4 ,the same man will   
run in abject terror if he thinks he    
hears spirits4  ,though not religious1  
the savages are exceedingly             
superstitious1 afraid of ghosts and evil
 spirits1 and the fear of these spectral
 visitants pursues them through life4   
,during a storm they vigorously shake   
their blankets and mutter incantations  

to keep away supernatural visitors4     
,all diseases are caused by evil        
spirits1 or the moon2 and a comet brings
 the measles4 ,the help of the witch    
doctor has to be sought on all          
occasions1 for his special work is to   
drive away the evil spirit that has     
taken possession of a sick one4 ,this he
 does by rattling a hollow calabash     
containing stones4 ,that important      
person will perform his mystic hocus    
pocus over the sick or dying1 and charm 
away the spirits from a neighborhood4 ,i
 have known an ,indian1 when in great   
pain through having eaten too much1 send
 for the old fakir1 who1 after          
examination of the patient and great    
show of learning1 declared that the     
suffering one had two tigers in his     
stomach4 ,a very common remedy is the   
somewhat scientific operation of        
bleeding a patient1 but the manner is   
certainly uncommon--the witch doctor    
sucks out the blood4 ,one ,i was        
acquainted with1 among the ,lengua      

tribe1 professed to suck three cats out 
of a man's stomach4 ,his professional   
name was thereafter ,father of ,kittens4
 ,the doctor's position is not one to be
 envied1 however1 for if three          
consecutive patients die1 he must follow
 them down the dark trail6  ,these      
medicine-men are experts in poisons1 and
 their enemies have a way of dying      
suddenly4 ,it cannot be denied that the 
,indians have a very real knowledge of  
the healing virtues of many plants4 ,the
 writer has marvelled at the cures he   
has seen1 and was not slow to add some  
of their methods to his medical         
knowledge4 ,not a few who have been     
healed1 since the writer's return to    
civilization1 owe their new life to the 
knowledge there learned4  ,infanticide  
is practised in every tribe1 and in my  
extensive wanderings among eight toldos1
 ,i never met a family with more than   
two children4 ,the rest are killed6 ,a  
child is born1 and the mother           
immediately knocks it on the head with a

 club6 ,after covering the baby with a  
layer of earth1 the woman goes about as 
if nothing had occurred4 ,one chief of  
the ,lengua tribe1 that ,i met1 had     
himself killed nineteen children4 ,an   
ironwood club is kept in each toldo for 
this gruesome work4 ,frequently a live  
child is buried with a dead parent2 but 
,i had better leave much of their doings
 in the inkpot4  ,when a girl enters the
 matrimonial market1 at about the age of
 twelve or thirteen1 her face is        
specially colored with a yellow paint1  
made from the flower of the date palm1  
and the aspirant to her hand brings a   
bundle of firewood1 neatly tied up1     
which he places beside her earthen bed  
at early morning4 ,as the rising sun    
gilds the eastern sky1 the girl awakes  
out of her sleep1 rubs her eyes1--and   
sees the sticks4 ,well does she know the
 meaning of it1 and a glad light flashes
 in her dark eyes as she cries out1 ,who
 brought the sticks8 ,all men1 women and
 children1 take up the cry1 and soon the

 whole encampment resounds with1 ,who   
brought the sticks8 ,the medicine-man1  
who sleeps apart from the common herd   
under an incense-tree1 hears the din1   
and1 quickly donning his head-dress1    
hurries down to the scene4 ,with an     
authoritative voice1 which even the     
chief himself does not use1 he demands1 
,who brought the sticks8 until a young  
brave steps forward in front of him and 
replies1 ,father of ,kittens1 ,i brought
 the sticks4 ,this young man is then    
commanded to stand apart1 the girl is   
hunted out1 and together they wait while
 the witch-doctor ,x-rays them through  
and through4 ,after this close scrutiny1
 they are asked3 ,do you want this man8 
,do you want this girl8 ,to which they  
reply1 ,yes1 ,father of ,kittens1 ,i do4
 ,then1 with great show of power1 the   
medicine-man says1 ,go6 and off the     
newly-married pair start1 to live       
together until death 7in the form of    
burial7 does them part4  ,it may be a   
great surprise to the reader to learn   

that these savages are exceedingly      
moral4 ,infidelity between man and wife 
is punished with death1 but in all my   
travels ,i only heard of one such case4 
,a man marries only one wife1 and       
although any expression of love between 
them is never seen1 they yet seem to    
think of one another in a tender way1   
and it is especially noticeable that the
 parents are kind to their children4    
,one evening ,i rode into an encampment 
of savages who were celebrating a feast4
 ,about fifty specially-decked-out      
,indians were standing in a circle1 and 
one of the number had a large and very  
noisy rattle1 with which he kept time to
 the chant of ,h h h h h6     6    6 a a
 a a a6 ,the lurid lights of the fires  
burning all around lit up this truly    
savage scene4 ,the witch-doctor1 the old
 fakir named ,father of ,kittens1 came  
to me and looked me through and through 
with his piercing eyes4 ,i was given the
 rattle1 and1 although very tired1 had  
to keep up a constant din1 while my wild

 companions bent their bodies in strange
 contortions4 ,in the centre of the ring
 was a woman with a lighted pipe in her 
hand4 ,she passed this from one to      
another and pushed it into the mouth of 
each one1 who had a draw4 ,my turn came1
 and lo6 the pipe was thrust between my 
teeth1 and the din went on3 ,h h6  6  6 
a a6 ,this feast lasted three nights and
 two days1 but the music was not varied1
 and neither man nor woman seemed to    
sleep or rest4 ,food was cooking at the 
different fires1 attended by the women1 
but my share was only a roasted fox's   
head6 ,the animal was laid on the wood1 
with skin1 head and legs still attached1
 and the whole was burnt black4 ,i was  
very hungry1 and ate my portion         
thankfully4 ,christopher ,north said3   
,there's a deal of fine confused feeding
 about a sheep's head1 and so ,i found  
with the fox's4 ,truly1 as the ,indian  
says1 hunger is a very big man4  ,at    
these feasts a drum1 made by stretching 
a serpent's skin over one of their clay 

pots1 is loudly beaten1 and the         
thigh-bone of an ostrich1 with key-holes
 burned in1 is a common musical         
instrument4 ,from the algarroba bean an 
intoxicating drink is made1 called      
ang-min1 and then yells1 hellish sounds 
and murderous blows inspire terror in   
the paleface guest4 ,it is impossible to
 conceive anything more wild and savage 
than the scene of their bivouac4 ,some  
drink till they are intoxicated1 others 
swallow the steaming blood of           
slaughtered animals for their supper1   
and then1 sick from drunkenness1 they   
cast it up again1 and are besmeared with
 gore and filth4  ,after the feast was  
over ,i held a service1 and told how sin
 was injected into us by the evil       
spirit1 but that all are invited to the 
heavenly feast4 ,my address was listened
 to in perfect silence1 and the nodding 
heads showed that some1 at least1       
understood it4 ,when ,i finished        
speaking1 a poor woman1 thinking she    
must offer something1 gave me her       

baby--a naked little creature that had  
never been washed in its life4 ,i took  
it up and kissed it1 and the poor woman 
smiled4 ,yes1 a savage woman can smile4 
,as already stated1 many different      
tribes of ,indians dwell in the ,chaco1 
and each have their different customs4  
,in the ,suhin tribe the rite of burial 
may be thus described4 ,the digger of   
the grave and the performer of the      
ceremony was the chief1 who is also a   
witch-doctor1 and ,i was told that he   
was about to destroy the witch-doctor   
who had caused the man's death4 ,a fire 
was lit1 and whilst the digging was in  
progress a stone and two pieces of iron 
were being heated4 ,two bones of a      
horse1 a large bird's nest built of     
sticks1 and various twigs were          
collected4 ,the skin of a jaguar's head1
 a tooth1 and the pads of the same      
animal were laid out4 ,a piece of wax   
and a stone were also heated2 and in a  
heap lay a hide1 some skins for bedding1
 and a quantity of sheep's wool4 ,the   

grave being finished1 the ceremony began
 by a wooden arrow being notched in the 
middle and waxed1 then plunged into the 
right breast of the corpse1 when it was 
snapped in two at the notch1 and the    
remaining half was flung into the air1  
accompanied with a vengeful cry1 in the 
direction of the ,toothli tribe1 one of 
whose doctors1 it was supposed1 had     
caused the man's death4 ,short pointed  
sticks1 apparently to represent arrows1 
were also daubed with wax1 two being    
plunged into the throat and one into the
 left breast1 the cry again accompanying
 each insertion4 ,one of the jaguar's   
pads was next taken1 and the head of the
 corpse torn by the claws1 the growl of 
the animal being imitated during the    
process4 ,an incision was next made in  
the cheek1 and the tooth inserted2 then 
the head and face were daubed with the  
heated wax4 ,the use of the wax is      
evidently to signify the desire that    
both arrows and animal may stick to the 
man if he be attacked by either4 ,the   

arrows were plunged1 one into the right 
breast downwards1 and another below the 
ribs1 on the same side1 but in an upward
 direction1 a third being driven into   
the right thigh4 ,they also spoke about 
breaking one of the arms1 but did not do
 so4 ,an incision being made in the     
abdomen1 the heated stone was then      
placed within the body4 ,they place most
 reliance upon the work of the stone4   
,the ceremony is known by the name of   
',mtaimng' stone1 and all the other     
things are said to assist it4           
,meteorites1 when seen to pass along the
 sky1 are regarded with awe2 they are   
believed to be these stones in passage4 
,the body was placed in the grave with  
the head to the west1 the jaguar's head 
and pads being first placed under it4 ,a
 bunch of grass1 tied together1 was     
placed upon the body2 then the bird's   
nest was burned upon it4 ,the bones were
 next thrown in1 and over all the       
various articles before mentioned were  
placed4 ,these were to accompany the    

soul in its passage to the west4 ,in    
this act the idea of a future state is  
more distinctly seen than ever it has   
been seen amongst the ,lenguas1 who burn
 all a man's possessions at his death4  
,the ceremony finished1 the grave was   
covered in1 logs and twigs being        
carelessly thrown on the top1 apparently
 simply to indicate the existence of a  
grave4 ,the thing which struck me most  
was the intense spirit of vengeance     
shown4  ,notwithstanding such terrible  
savagery1 however1 the ,indian has ideas
 of right and wrong that put ,christian 
civilization to shame4 ,the people are  
perfectly honest and truthful4 ,i       
believe they cannot lie1 and stealing is
 entirely unknown among them4  ,many are
 the experiences ,i have had in the     
,chaco4 ,some of them haunt me still    
like ghostly shadows4 ,the evening      
camp-fire1 the glare of  which lit up   
and made more hideous still my savage   
followers1 gorging themselves until     
covered with filth and gore4 ,the times 

when1 from sheer hunger1 ,i have1 like  
them1 torn up bird or beast and eaten it
 raw4 ,the draughts of water from the   
,indian hole containing the putrefying  
remains of some dead animal2 my shirt   
dropping off in rags and no wash for    
three weeks4 ,the journeys through miles
 of malarial swamps and pathless        
wilderness4 ,the revolting food1 and the
 want of food4 ,ah6 the memory is a bad 
dream from which ,i must awake4  ,the   
other side1 you say8 ,yes1 there is     
another4 ,a cloudless blue sky overhead4
 ,the gorgeous air-flowers1 delicate and
 fragrant4 ,trees covered with a drapery
 of orchidaceae4 ,the loveliest of      
flowers and shrubs4 ,birds of rainbow   
beauty1 painted by the hand of ,god1 as 
only ,he can4 ,flamingoes1 parrots1     
humming-birds1 butterflies of every size
 and hue4 ,arborescent ferns2 cacti1    
thirty feet high1 like huge candelabra4 
,creeping plants growing a hundred feet1
 and then passing from the top of one   
ever-vernal tree to another1 forming a  

canopy for one from the sun's rays4     
,chattering monkeys4 ,deer1 with more   
beautiful eyes than ever woman had since
 ,eve fell4 ,the balmy air wafting      
incense from the burning bush2 and last1
 but oh1 not least1 the joy in seeing   
the degraded aborigine learning to love 
the ,light of the ,world6 ,yes1 there   
are delights2 but life is real1 life is 
earnest1 and a meal of algarroba beans  
7the husks of the prodigal son of ,luke 
,,xv47 is not any more tempting if eaten
 under the shade of a waving palm of    
surpassing beauty4  ,the mission station
 previously referred to lies one hundred
 miles in from the river bank1 three    
hundred miles north of ,asuncion1 among 
the ,lengua ,indians4 ,as far as ,i am  
aware1 no ,paraguayan has ever visited  
there4 ,the missionaries wish their     
influence to be the only one in training
 the ,indian mind4 ,the village bears   
the strange name of ,waikthlatemialwa   
7,the ,place ,where the ,toads          
,arrived74 ,at the invitation of the    

missionaries1 ,i was privileged to go   
there and see their work4 ,a trail leads
 in from the river bank1 but it is so   
bad that bullock carts taking in        
provisions occupy ten and twelve days on
 the journey4 ,tamaswa 7,the ,locust    
,eater71 my guide1 led me all during the
 first day out through a palm forest1   
and at night we slept on the hard       
ground4 ,the ,indian was a convert of   
the mission1 and although painted1      
feathered and almost naked1 seemed      
really an exemplary ,christian4 ,the    
missionaries labored for eleven years   
without gaining a single convert1 but   
,tamaswa is not the only follower of    
,jesus now4 ,during the day we shot a   
deer1 and that evening1 being very      
hungry1 ,i ate perhaps two pounds of    
meat4 ,tamaswa finished the rest6 ,true1
 it was only a small deer1 but as ,i    
wish to retain my character for         
veracity1 ,i dare not say how much it   
weighed4 ,this meal concluded1 we knelt 
on the ground4 ,i read out of the old   

,book3 ,i go to prepare a place for you1
 and ,locust ,eater offered a simple    
prayer for protection1 help and safety  
to the ,god who understands all         
languages4  ,my blanket was wet through 
and through with the green slime through
 which we had waded and splashed for    
hours1 but we curled ourselves up under 
a beer barrel tree and tried to sleep4  
,the howling jaguars and other beasts of
 prey in the jungle made this almost    
impossible4 ,several times ,i was       
awakened by my guide rising1 and1 by the
 light of a palm torch1 searching for   
wood to replenish the dying fire1 in the
 smoke of which we slept1 as a help     
against the millions of mosquitos       
buzzing around4 ,towards morning a large
 beast of some kind leaped right over   
me1 and ,i rose to rekindle the fire1   
which my guide had suffered to die out1 
and then ,i watched until day dawned4   
,as all the deer was consumed1 we       
started off without breakfast1 but were 
fortunate later on in being able to     

shoot two wild turkeys4  ,that day we   
rode on through the endless forest of   
palms1 and waded through a quagmire at  
least eight miles in extent1 where the  
green slime reached up to the           
saddle-flaps4 ,on that day we came to a 
sluggish stream1 bearing the name of    
,aptikpangmakthlaingwainkyapaimpangkya  
7,the ,place ,where the ,pots ,were     
,struck ,when ,they ,were ,about to     
,feast74 ,there a punt was moored1 into 
which we placed our saddles1 etc41 and  
paddled across1 while the horses swam   
the almost stagnant water4 ,saddling up 
on the other side1 we had a journey of  
thirty miles to make before arriving at 
a waterhole1 where we camped for the    
second night4 ,i don't know what real   
nectar is1 but that water was nectar to 
me1 although the horses sniffed and at  
first refused to drink it4  ,at sunset  
on the third day we emerged from the    
palm forest and endless marshes1 and by 
the evening of the fourth day the       
church1 built of palm logs1 loomed up on

 the horizon4 ,many of the ,indians came
 out to meet us1 and my arrival was the 
talk of the village4 ,the people seemed 
happy1 and the missionaries made me at  
home in their roughly-built log         
shanties4 ,next morning ,i found a gift 
had been brought me by the ,indians4 ,it
 was a beautiful feather headdress1 but 
it had just been left on the step1 the  
usual way they have of making presents4 
,the ,indian expects no thanks1 and he  
gives none4 ,the women received any     
present ,i handed them courteously but  
silently4 ,the men would accept a       
looking-glass from me and immediately   
commence to search their face for any   
trace of dirty hairs1 probably brought  
to their mind by the sight of mine1 but 
not even a grunt of satisfaction would  
be given4 ,no ,chaco language has a word
 for thanks4   ,illustration3 ,,tamaswa 
7,,the ,,locust ,,eater7 ,,procuring    
,,food4 ,this young man could put the   
point of his arrow into a deer's eye a  
hundred yards distant  ,illustration3   

,,fashions ,,of ,,the ,,chaco4   ,there 
is1 among the ,lenguas1 an old tradition
 to the effect that for generations they
 have been expecting the arrival of some
 strangers who would live among them and
 teach them about the spirit-world4     
,these long-looked-for teachers were    
called ,the ,imlah4 ,the tradition says 
that when the ,imlah arrive1 all the    
,indians must obey their teaching1 and  
take care that the said ,imlah do not   
again leave their country1 for if so    
they1 the ,indians1 would disappear from
 the land4 ,when ,mr4 ,grubb and his    
helpers first landed1 they were         
immediately asked1 ,are you the ,imlah8 
and to this question they1 of course1   
answered yes4 ,was it not because of    
this tradition that the ,indian who     
later shot ,mr4 ,grubb with a poisoned  
arrow was himself put to death by the   
tribe8  ,about twenty boys attend the   
school established at ,waikthlatemialwa1
 and strange names some of them bear2   
let ,haikuk 7,little ,dead ,one7 serve  

as an example4 ,it is truly a cheering  
sight to see this sign of a brighter    
day4 ,when these boys return to their   
distant toldos to tell the news to their
 dark-minded parents1 the most wonderful
 of all to relate is ,liklamo ithnik ata
 abwathwuk enthlit ,god2 hingyahamok    
hikata apkyapasa apkyitka               
abwanthlabanko4 ,aptakmilkischik sat    
ankuk appaiwa ingyitsipe sata netin     
thlamokthloho abyiam4 ,footnote3 ,john  
#c3af  ,well might the wondering mother 
of ,dark ,cloud call her next-born      
,samai 7,the ,dawn of ,day74  ,the      
,indian counts by his hands and feet4   
,five would be one hand1 two hands ten1 
two hands and a foot fifteen1 and a     
specially clever savage could even count
 my two hands and my two feet4 ,now ,mr4
 ,hunt is changing that3 five is        
thalmemik1 ten sohok-emek1 fifteen      
sohokthlama-eminik1 and twenty          
sohok-emankuk4  ,when a boy in school   
desires to say eighteen1 he must first  
of all take a good deep breath1 for     

sohok-emek-wakthla-mok-eminick-antanthla
ma is no short word4 ,this literally    
means3 finished my hands--pass to my    
other foot three4  ,at the school ,i saw
 the skin of a water-snake twenty-six   
feet nine inches long1 but a book of    
pictures ,i had interested the boys far 
more4  ,the mission workers have each a 
name given to them by the ,indians1 and 
some of them are more than strange4     
,apkilwankakme 7,the ,man ,who ,forgot  
,his ,face7 used to be called ,nason    
when he moved in high ,english circles2 
now he is ragged and torn-looking2 but  
the old ,book my mother used to read    
says3 ,he that loseth his life for ,my  
sake shall find it4 ,some of us have yet
 to learn that if we would remember ,his
 face it is necessary for us to forget  
our own4 ,if the unbeliever in mission  
work were to go to ,waik-thlatemialwa1  
he would come away a converted man4 ,the
 former witch-doctor1 who for long made 
havoc1 but has since been born again1   
would tell him that during a recent     

famine he talked to the ,unseen ,spirit1
 and said3 ,give us food1 ,god6 and     
that1 when only away a very short while1
 his arrows killed three ostriches and a
 deer4 ,he would see ,mrs4              
,mopilinkilana walking about1 clothed   
and in her right mind4 ,who is she8 ,the
 murderess of her four children--the    
woman who could see the skull of her own
 boy kicking about the toldo for days1  
and watch it finally cracked up and     
eaten by the dogs4 ,can such as she be  
changed8 ,the ,scripture says3 ,every   
one that believeth4  ,the ,lengua       
language contains no word for ,god1     
worship1 praise1 sacrifice1 sin1        
holiness1 reward1 punishment or duty1   
but their meanings are now being made   
clear4  ,the church at ,waikthlatemialwa
 has no colored glass windows--old      
canvas bags take their place4 ,the      
reverent worshippers assemble morning   
and evening1 in all the pride of their  
paint and feathers1 but there is no     
hideous idol inside2 nay6 they worship  

the invisible ,one1 whom they can see   
even with closely shut eyes4 ,to watch  
the men and women1 with erect bearing1  
and each walking in the other's         
footsteps1 enter the church1 is a sight 
well worth the seeing4 ,they bow        
themselves1 not before some fetish1 as  
one might suppose1 but to the ,one whom1
 having not seen1 some of them are      
learning to love4  ,one of the          
missionaries translated my simple       
address to the dusky congregation1 who  
listened with wondering awe to the      
ever-new story of ,jesus4 ,as the       
,lengua language contains no word for   
,god1 the ,indians have adopted our     
,english word1 and both that name and   
,jesus came out in striking distinctness
 during the service1 and in the fervent 
prayer of the old ex-witch-doctor which 
followed4 ,with the familiar hymn1      
,there is a green hill far away1 the    
meeting concluded4 ,the women with      
nervous air silently retired1 but the   
men saluted me1 and some even went so   

far as to shake hands--with the left    
hand4 ,would that similar stations were 
established all over this neglected     
land6 ,while churches and mission       
buildings crowd each other in the home  
lands1 the ,chaco1 with an estimated    
population of three millions1 must be   
content with this one ray of light in   
the dense night4  ,on that far-off green
 hill we shall meet some even from the  
,lengua tribe4 ,christ said3 ,i am the  
door2 by ,me if any man enter in1 he    
shall be saved4 ,but oh1 ,painted ,face1
 you spoke truth2 the white thing is    
selfish1 and keeps this wondrous        
knowledge to himself4     ,,part ,,iv4  
,,brazil   ,illustration   ,there can be
 no more fascinating field of labor than
 ,brazil1 notwithstanding the difficulty
 of the soil and the immense tracts of  
country which have to be traversed4 ,it 
covers half a continent1 and is three   
times the size of ,british ,india4 ,far 
away in the interior there exist        
numerous ,indian tribes with1 as yet1 no

 written language1 and consequently no  
,bible4 ,thrust back by the white man   
from their original homes1 these        
children of the forest and the river    
are1 perhaps1 the most needy of the     
tribes of the earth4 ,for all that these
 millions know1 the ,gospel is          
non-existent and ,jesus ,christ has     
never visited and redeemed the world4   
,footnote3 ,the ,neglected ,continent   
,,brazil  ,the ,republic of ,brazil has 
an area of #c1cej1jjj square miles4     
,from north to south the country        
measures #b1fjj miles1 and from east to 
west #b1ejj miles4 ,while the ,republic 
of ,bolivia has no sea coast1 ,brazil   
has #c1gjj miles washed by ocean waves4 
,the population of this great empire is 
twenty-two millions4 ,out of this       
perhaps twenty millions speak the       
,portuguese language4  ,if ,brazil was  
populated in the same proportion as     
,belgium is per square mile1 ,brazil    
would have a population of              
#a1ici1ega1fii4 ,that is to say1        

,brazil1 a single country in ,south     
,america1 could hold and support the    
entire population of the world1 and     
hundreds of millions more1 the estimate 
of the earth's population at the        
beginning of the twentieth century being
 #a1fjj1jjj1jjj4 ,footnote3 ,bishop     
,neely's ,south ,america4  ,besides the 
millions of mules1 horses and other     
animals1 there are1 in the republic1    
twenty-five millions of cattle4  ,brazil
 is rich in having #ej1jjj miles of     
navigable waterways4 ,three of the      
largest rivers of the world flow through
 its territory4 ,the ,orinoco attains a 
width of four miles1 and is navigable   
for #a1djj miles4 ,the ,amazon alone    
drains a basin of #b1ejj1jjj square     
miles4  ,out of this mighty stream there
 flows every day three times the volume 
of water that flows from the            
,mississippi4 ,many a sea-captain has   
thought himself in the ocean while      
riding its stormy bosom4 ,that most     
majestic of all rivers1 with its estuary

 #ahj miles wide1 is the great highway  
of ,brazil4 ,steamboats frequently leave
 the sea and sail up its winding        
channels into the far interior of       
,ecuador--a distance of nearly #d1jjj   
miles4 ,all the world knows that both   
,british and ,american men-of-war have  
visited the city of ,iquitos in ,peru1  
#b1djj miles up the ,amazon ,river4 ,the
 sailor on taking soundings has found a 
depth of #agj feet of water at #b1jjj   
miles from the mouth4 ,stretches of     
water and impenetrable forest as far as 
the eye can reach are all the traveller 
sees4  ,prof4 ,orton says3 ,the valley  
of the ,amazon is probably the most     
sparsely populated region on the globe1 
and yet ,agassiz predicted that the     
future centre of civilization of the    
world will be in the ,amazon ,valley4 ,i
 doubt if there are now #ejj acres of   
tilled land in the millions of square   
miles the mighty river drains4 ,where   
cultivated1 coffee1 tobacco1 rubber1    
sugar1 cocoa1 rice1 beans1 etc41 freely 

grow1 and the farmer gets from #ejj to  
#hjj-;fold for every bushel of corn he  
plants4 ,humboldt estimated that #d1jjj 
pounds of bananas can be produced in the
 same area as #cc pounds of wheat or #ii
 pounds of potatoes4  ,the natural      
wealth of the country is almost         
fabulous4 ,its mountain chains contain  
coal1 gold1 silver1 tin1 zinc1 mercury  
and whole mountains of the very best    
iron ore1 while in forty years five     
million carats of diamonds have been    
sent to ,europe4 ,in #aijg ,brazil      
exported ten million dollars' worth of  
cocoa1 seventy million dollars' worth of
 rubber2 and from the splendid stone    
docks of ,santos1 which put to shame    
anything seen on this northern          
continent1 either in ,new ,york or      
,boston1 there was shipped one hundred  
and forty-two million dollars' worth of 
coffee4 ,around ,rio ,janeiro alone     
there are a hundred million coffee      
trees1 and the grower gets two crops a  
year4  ,yet this great republic has only

 had its borders touched4 ,it is        
estimated that there are over a million 
,indians in the interior1 who hold      
undisputed possession of four-fifths of 
the country4 ,three and a quarter       
million square miles of the republic    
thus remains to a great extent an       
unknown1 unexplored wilderness4 ,in this
 area there are over a million square   
miles of virgin forest1 the largest and 
densest on earth4 ,the forest region of 
the ,amazon is twelve hundred miles east
 to west1 and eight hundred miles north 
to south1 and this sombre1 primeval     
woodland has not yet been crossed4      
,footnote3 ,just as this goes to press  
the newspapers announce that the        
,brazilian ,government has appropriated 
#aj1jjj towards the expenses of an      
expedition into the interior1 under the 
leadership of ,henry ,savage ,landor1   
the ,english explorer4  ,brazil's       
federal capital1 ,rio de ,janeiro1      
stands on the finest harbor of the      
world1 in which float ships from all    

nations4 ,proudest among these crafts   
are the large ,brazilian gunboats4 ,it  
is a curious anomaly1 says the          
,scientific ,american1 that the most    
powerful ,dreadnought afloat should     
belong to a ,south ,american republic1  
but it cannot be denied that the ,minas 
,geraes is entitled to that distinction4
 ,this is one of the vessels that       
mutinied in #aiaj4  ,brazil is a strange
 republic4 ,fanatical1 where the ,bible 
is burned in the public plaza whenever  
introduced1 yet1 where the most obscene 
prints are publicly offered for sale in 
the stores4 ,where it is a mortal sin to
 listen to the ,protestant missionary1  
and not a sin to break the whole        
,decalogue4 ,backward--where the        
villagers are tied to a post and whipped
 by the priest when they do not please  
him4 ,progressive--in the cities where  
religion has been relegated to women and
 children and priests4  ,did ,i write   
the word religion8 ,senhor ,ruy         
,barbosa1 the most conspicuous          

representative of ,south ,america at the
 last ,hague ,conference1 and a         
candidate for the ,presidency of        
,brazil1 wrote of it3 ,romanism is not a
 religion1 but a political organization1
 the most vicious1 the most             
unscrupulous1 and the most destructive  
of all political systems4 ,the monks are
 the propagators of fanaticism1 the     
debasers of ,christian morals4 ,the     
history of papal influence has been     
nothing more nor less than the story of 
the dissemination of a new paganism1 as 
full of superstition and of all         
unrighteousness as the mythology of the 
ancients--a new paganism organized at   
the expense of evangelical traditions1  
shamelessly falsified and travestied by 
the ,romanists4 ,the ,romish ,church in 
all ages has been a power1 religious    
scarcely in name1 but always inherently1
 essentially and untiringly a political 
power4 ,as ,bishop ,neely of the ,m4 ,e4
 ,church was leaving ,rio1 ,dr4         
,alexander1 one of ,brazil's most       

influential gentlemen1 said to him3 ,it 
is sad to see my people so miserable    
when they might be so happy4 ,their     
ills1 physical and moral1 spring from   
lack of religion4 ,they call themselves 
,catholics1 but the heathen are scarcely
 less ,christian6 ,is it surprising that
 the ,italian paper ,l',asino 7,the     
,ass71 which exists only to ridicule    
,romanism1 has recently been publishing 
much in praise of what it calls         
authentic ,christianity8  ,rio ,janeiro1
 the beautiful1 is an imperial city of  
imposing grandeur4 ,it is the largest   
,portuguese city of the world--greater  
than ,lisbon and ,oporto together4 ,it  
has been called the finest city on the  
continents of ,america1--perhaps in the 
world1 with unqualifiedly the most      
beautiful street in all the world1 the  
,avenida ,central4 ,footnote3 ,clark4   
,continent of ,opportunity4 ,that       
magnificent avenue1 over a mile long and
 one hundred and ten feet wide1 asphalt 
paved and superbly illuminated1 is lined

 with costly modern buildings1 some of  
them truly imposing4 ,ten people can    
walk abreast on its beautiful black and 
white mosaic sidewalks4 ,the buildings  
which had to be demolished in order to  
build this superb avenue cost the       
government seven and a half millions of 
dollars1 and they were bought at their  
taxed value1 which1 it was estimated1   
was only a third of the actual4         
,footnote3 ,but as a wonderful city1 the
 crowning glory of ,brazil--yes of the  
world1 ,i believe--is ,rio de           
,janeiro4--,c4 ,w4 ,furlong1 in ,the    
,world's ,work4  ,some years ago ,i knew
 a thousand people a day to die in ,rio 
,janeiro of yellow fever4 ,it is now one
 of the healthiest of cities1 with a    
death-rate far less than that of ,new   
,york4  ,rio ,janeiro1 as ,i first knew 
it1 was far behind4 ,oil lamps shed     
fitful gleams here and there on         
half-naked people4 ,electric lights now 
dispel the darkness of the streets1 and 
electric streetcars thread in and out of

 the ,ruas4 ,there is progress          
everywhere and in everything4  ,to-day  
the native of ,rio truthfully boasts    
that his city has the finest street-car 
system of any city of the world4  ,a man
 is not permitted to ride in these cars 
unless he wears a tie1 which seems to be
 the badge of respectability4 ,to a     
visitor these exactions are amusing4 ,a 
friend of mine visited the city1 and we 
rode together on the cars until it was  
discovered that he wore no tie4 ,the day
 was hot1 and my friend 7a gentleman of 
private means7 had thought that a white 
silk shirt with turn-down collar was    
enough4 ,we felt somewhat humiliated    
when he was ignominiously turned off the
 car1 while the black ex-slaves on board
 smiled aristocratically4 ,if you visit 
,rio ,janeiro1 by all means wear a tie4 
,if you forget your shirt1 or coat1 or  
boots1 it will matter little1 but the   
absence of a tie will give the negro    
cause to insult you4  ,some large1      
box-like cars have the words ,descalcos 

,bagagem 7literally1 ,for the ,shoeless 
and ,baggage7 printed across them4 ,in  
these the poorer classes and the tieless
 can ride for half-price4 ,and to make  
room for the constantly inflowing people
 from ,europe1 two great hills are being
 removed and cast into the sea4   ,rio  
,janeiro may be earth's coming city4 ,it
 somewhat disturbs our self-complacency 
to learn that they have spent more for  
public improvements than has any city of
 the ,united ,states1 with the exception
 of ,new ,york4 ,municipal works1       
involving an expenditure of #dj1jjj1jjj1
 have contributed to this4  ,rio        
,janeiro1 however1 is not the only large
 and growing city ,brazil can boast of4 
,sao ,paulo1 with its population of     
#cjj1jjj and its two-million-dollar     
opera house1 which fills the space of   
three ,new ,york blocks1 is worthy of   
mention4 ,bahia1 founded in #aedi1 has  
#bgj1jjj inhabitants1 and is the centre 
of the diamond market of ,brazil4 ,par1 
with its population of #bjj1jjj1 who    

export one hundred million dollars'     
worth of rubber yearly and keep up a    
theatre better than anything of the kind
 in ,new ,york1 is no mean city4        
,pernambuco1 also1 has #bjj1jjj         
inhabitants1 large buildings1 and as    
much as eight million dollars have      
recently been devoted to harbor         
improvements there4  ,outside of these  
cities there are estates1 quite a few of
 which are worth more than a million    
dollars2 one coffee plantation has five 
million trees and employs five thousand 
people4  ,with its ,amazon ,river1 six  
hundred miles longer than the journey   
from ,new ,york to ,liverpool1 ,england1
 with its eight branches1 each of which 
is navigable for more than a thousand   
miles1 ,brazil's future must be very    
great4     ,,chapter ,,xii4  ,a         
,,journey ,,from ,,rio ,,janeiro ,,to   
,,the ,,inland ,,town ,,of ,,corumba4   
,brazil has over #aj1jjj miles of       
railway1 but as it is a country larger  
than the whole of ,europe1 the reader   

can easily understand that many parts   
must be still remote from the iron road 
and almost inaccessible4 ,the town of   
,cuyab1 as the crow flies1 is not one   
thousand miles from ,rio1 but1 in the   
absence of any kind of roads1 the       
traveller from ,rio must sail down the  
one thousand miles of sea-coast1 and1   
entering the ,river ,plate1 proceed up  
the ,paran1 ,paraguay1 and ,san ,lorenzo
 rivers to reach it1 making it a journey
 of #c1fjj miles4  ,in the time demanded
 for a ,brazilian to reach points in the
 interior1 setting out from the national
 capital and going either by way of the 
,amazon or ,rio de la ,plata systems of 
waterways1 he might journey to ,europe  
and back two or three times over4       
,footnote3 ,sylvester ,baxter1 in ,the  
,outlook1 ,march1 #aijh4  ,the writer on
 one occasion was in ,rio when a certain
 mission called him to the town of      
,corumb1 distant perhaps #a1cjj miles   
from the capital4 ,does the reader wish 
to journey to that inland town with him8

  ,boarding an ocean steamer at ,rio1 we
 sail down the stormy sea-coast for one 
thousand miles to ,montevideo4 ,there we
 tranship into the ,buenos ,ayres boat1 
and proceed one hundred and fifty miles 
up the river to that city4 ,almost every
 day steamers leave that great centre   
for far interior points4 ,the ,rapido   
was ready to sail for ,asuncion1 so we  
breasted the stream one thousand miles  
more1 when that city was reached4 ,there
 another steamer waited to carry us to  
,corumb1 another thousand miles further 
north4  ,the climate and scenery of the 
upper reaches of the ,paraguay are      
superb1 but our spirits were damped one 
morning when we discovered that a man of
 our party had mysteriously disappeared 
during the night4 ,we had all sat down  
to dinner the previous evening in health
 and spirits1 and now one was missing4  
,the ,all-seeing ,one only knows his    
fate4 ,to us he disappeared forever4    
,higher up the country--or lower1 ,i    
cannot tell which1 for the river winds  

in all directions1 and the compass1 from
 pointing our course as due north1      
glides over to northwest1 west1         
southwest1 and on one or two occasions1 
,i believe1 pointed due south--we came  
to the first ,brazilian town1 ,puerto   
,martinho1 where we were obliged to stay
 a short time4 ,a boat put off from the 
shore1 in which were some well-dressed  
natives4 ,before she reached us and made
 fast1 a loud report of a ,winchester   
rang out from the midst of those        
assembled on the deck of our steamer1   
and a man in the boat threw up his arms 
and dropped2 the spark of life had gone 
out4 ,so quickly did this happen that   
before we had time to look around the   
unfortunate man was weltering in his own
 blood in the bottom of the boat6 ,the  
assassin1 an elderly ,brazilian1 who had
 eaten at our table and scarcely spoken 
to anyone1 stepped forward quietly1     
confessing that he had shot one of his  
old enemies4 ,he was then taken ashore  
in the ship's boat1 there to await      

,brazilian justice1 and later on1 to    
appear before a higher tribunal1 where  
the accounts of all men will be         
balanced4  ,such rottenness obtains in  
,brazilian law that not long since a    
judge sued in court a man who had bribed
 him and sought to evade paying the     
bribe4 ,knowing this laxity1 we did not 
anticipate that our murderous           
fellow-traveller would have to suffer   
much for his crime4 ,the ,news1 of ,rio 
,janeiro1 recently said3 ,the punishment
 of a criminal who has any influence    
whatever is becoming one of the         
forgotten things4  ,after leaving       
,puerto ,martinho1 the uniform flatness 
of the river banks changes to wild1     
mountainous country4 ,on either hand    
rise high mountains1 whose blue tops at 
times almost frowned over our heads1 and
 the luxuriant tropical vegetation1 with
 creeping lianas1 threatened to bar our 
progress4 ,huge alligators sunned       
themselves on the banks1 and birds of   
brilliant plumage flew from branch to   

branch4 ,carpinchos1 with heavy1        
pig-like tread1 walked among the rushes 
of the shore1 and made more than one    
good dish for our table4 ,this          
water-hog1 the largest gnawing animal in
 the world1 is here very common4 ,their 
length1 from end of snout to tail1 is   
between three and four feet1 while they 
frequently weigh up to one hundred      
pounds4 ,the girth of their body will   
often exceed the length by a foot4 ,for 
food1 they eat the many aquatic plants  
of the river banks1 and the puma1 in    
turn1 finds them as delicious a morsel  
as we did4 ,the head of this amphibious 
hog presents quite a ludicrous aspect1  
owing to the great depth of the jaw1 and
 to see them sitting on their haunches1 
like huge rabbits1 is an amusing sight4 
,the young cling on to the mother's back
 when she swims4  ,farther on we stopped
 to take in wood at a large ,brazilian  
cattle establishment1 and a man there   
assured us that there were no venomous  
insects except tigers1 but these killed 

at least fifteen per cent4 of his       
animals4 ,not long previously a tiger   
had1 in one night1 killed five men and a
 dog4 ,the heat every day grew more     
oppressive4 ,on the eighth day we passed
 the ,brazilian fort and arsenal of     
,cuimbre1 with its brass cannon shining 
in a sun of brass1 and its sleepy       
inhabitants lolling in the shade4  ,five
 weeks after leaving ,rio ,janeiro we   
finally anchored in ,corumb1 an         
intensely sultry spot4 ,corumb is a town
 of #e1jjj inhabitants1 and often said  
to be one of the hottest in the world4  
,it is an unhealthy place1 as are most  
towns without drainage and water supply4
 ,in the hotter season of the year the  
ratio on a six months' average may be   
two deaths to one birth4 ,it is a place 
where dogs at times seem more numerous  
than people1 a town where justice is    
administered in ways new and strange4   
,does the reader wish an instance8 ,an  
assassin of the deepest dye was given   
over by the judge to the tender mercies 

of the crowd4 ,the man was thereupon    
attacked by the whole population in one 
mass4 ,he was shot and stabbed1 stoned  
and beaten until he became almost a     
shapeless heap1 and was then hurried    
away in a mule cart1 and1 without       
coffin1 priest or mourners1 was buried  
like a dog4  ,perhaps the populace felt 
they had to take the law into their own 
hands1 for ,i was told that the         
,governor had taken upon himself the    
responsibility of leaving the prison    
gates open to thirty-two men1 who had   
quietly walked out4 ,these men had been 
incarcerated for various reasons1       
murder1 etc41 for even in this state of 
,matto ,grosso an assassin who cannot   
pay or escape suffers a little          
imprisonment4 ,the excuse was1 ,we      
cannot afford to keep so many idle      
men--we are poor4 ,what a confession for
 a ,brazilian6 ,i do not vouch for the  
story1 for ,i was not an eye-witness to 
the act1 but it is quite in the range of
 ,brazilian possibilities4 ,the only    

discrepancy may be the strange way of   
,portuguese counting4 ,a man buys three 
horses1 but his account is that he has  
bought twelve feet of horses4 ,he       
embarks a hundred cows1 but the manifest
 describes the transaction as four      
hundred feet4 ,the ,brazilian is in this
 respect almost a ,yankee--little sums  
do not content him4 ,why should they1   
when he can truthfully boast that his   
territory is larger than that of the    
,united ,states8 ,his mile is longer    
than that of any other nation1 and the  
bocadinho1 or extra mouthful1 which     
generally accompanies it1 is endless4   
,instead of having one hundred cents to 
the dollar1 he has two thousand1 and    
each cent is called a king4 ,the sound  
is big1 but alas1 the value of his money
 is insignificantly small6  ,the child  
is not content with being called ,john  
,smith4 ,jos ,maria ,jesus ,joo dois    
,sanctos ,sylva da ,costa da ,cunha is  
his name2 and he recites it1 as ,i1 in  
my boyhood's days1 used to say a piece  

while standing on a chair4 ,there is no 
school in the town4 ,in ,brazil1 #hd per
 cent4 of the entire population are     
illiterate4  ,corumb contains a few     
stores of all descriptions1 but it would
 seem that the stock in trade of the    
chemist is very low1 for ,i overheard a 
conversation between two women one day1 
who said they could not get this or     
that--in fact1 he only keeps cures for  
stabs and such like things4 ,in the     
armazems liquors are sold1 and rice1    
salt and beans despatched to the        
customer by the pint4 ,why wine and milk
 are not sold by the pound ,i did not   
enquire4  ,one is not to ask too much in
 ,brazil1 or offence is given4 ,when    
seated at table one day with a comrade1 
who had the misfortune to swallow a     
bone1 ,i quietly swallowed the remedy a 
,brazilian told us of4 ,he said their   
custom was for all to turn away their   
heads1 while the unfortunate one        
revolved his plate around three times to
 the left1 and presto6 the bone         

disappeared4 ,my friend did not believe 
in the cure2 consequently1 he suffered  
for several days4  ,i have said that    
dogs are numerous4 ,these animals roam  
the streets by day and night in packs   
and fight and tear at anyone or         
anything4 ,some days before we arrived  
there were even more1 but a few pounds  
of poison had been scattered about the  
streets--which1 by the way1 are the     
worst of any town ,i have ever          
entered--and the dog population of the  
world decreased nine hundred4 ,this is  
the ,corumb version4 ,perhaps the truth 
is1 nine hundred feet1 or1 as we count1 
two hundred and twenty-five dogs4 ,in   
the interests of humanity1 ,i hope the  
number was nine hundred heads4 ,five    
carts then patrolled the streets and    
carried away to the outskirts those dead
 dogs1 which were there burnt4 ,i1 the  
writer1 find the latter part of the     
story hardest to believe4 ,why should a 
freeborn ,brazilian lift dogs out of the
 street8 ,in what better place could    

they be8 ,they would fill up the holes  
and ruts1 and1 in such intense heat1 why
 do needless work8  ,corumb is a typical
 ,brazilian town4 ,little carts1 drawn  
by a string of goats or rams1 thread    
their way through the streets4 ,any     
animal but the human must do the work4  
,as the majority of the people go       
barefooted1 the patriarchal custom      
prevails of having water offered on     
entering a house to wash the feet4 ,at  
all hours of the day men1 women and     
children seek to cool themselves in the 
river1 which is here a mile wide1 and   
with a depth of #bj feet in the channel4
 ,while on the subject of bathing1 ,i   
might mention that a wooden image of the
 patron saint of the town is1 with great
 pomp1 brought down at the head of a    
long procession1 once every year1 to    
receive his annual duck in the water4   
,this is supposed to benefit him much4  
,after his immersion1 all the           
inhabitants1 men1 women and children1   
make a rush to be the first to dip in   

the blessed water1 for1 by doing this1  
all their sins are forgiven them for a  
year to come4 ,the sick are careful to  
see that they are not left in the       
position of the unfortunate one         
mentioned in the ,gospel by ,john1 who  
had no one to put him into the pool4  ,i
 have also known the ,virgin solemnly   
carried down to the water's edge1 that  
she might command it to rise or fall1 as
 suited the convenience of the people4  
,while she exercised her power the      
natives knelt around her on the shingly 
beach in rapturous devotion4 ,at such   
times the ,mother of ,heaven is clothed 
in her best1 and the jewels in her      
costume sparkle in the tropical sun4    
,what the ,nile is to ,egypt1 the       
,paraguay ,river is to these interior   
lands1 and what ,isis was to the        
,egyptians1 so is the ,virgin to these  
people4 ,once1 when the waters were low1
 it is related the ,virgin came down    
from heaven and stood upon some rocks in
 the river bed4 ,to this day the pilot  

tells you how her footprints are to be  
clearly seen1 impressed in the stone1   
when the water is shallow4 ,strange that
 ,mahomet does not rise from his tomb   
and protest1 for that miracle we must   
concede to him1 because his footprints  
have been on the sacred rocks at ,mecca 
for a thousand years4 ,does he pass it  
over1 believing1 with many1 that        
imitation is the sincerest form of      
flattery8  ,whatever ,roman ,catholicism
 is in other parts of the world1 in     
,south ,america it is pure ,mariolatry4 
,the creed1 as we have seen1 reads3     
,mary must be our first object of       
worship1 ,saint ,joseph the second4     
,along with these1 saints1 living and   
dead1 are numberless4  ,a traveller in  
,south ,brazil thus writes of a famous  
monk3 ,there1 in a shed at the back of a
 small farm1 half sitting1 half         
reclining on a mat and a skin of some   
wild animal1 was a man of about seventy 
years of age1 in a state of nudity4 ,a  
small piece of red blanket was thrown   

over his shoulders1 barely covering     
them4 ,his whole body was encrusted with
 filth1 and his nails had grown like    
claws4 ,his vacant look showed him to be
 a poor1 helpless idiot4 ,beside him a  
large wood fire was kept burning4 ,the  
ashes of this fire1 strewn around him   
for the sake of cleanliness1 are carried
 away for medicinal purposes by the     
thousands of pilgrims who visit him4    
,men and women come from long distances 
to see him1 in the full persuasion that 
he is a holy man and has miraculous     
powers4 ,footnote3 ,the ,neglected      
,continent ,romanism is thus seen to be 
in a double sense a moral pestilence4   
,the church is1 of course1 very much in 
evidence in ,corumb1 for it is a very   
religious place4 ,a missa cantata is    
often held there1 when a noisy brass    
band will render dance music1 often at  
the moat solemn parts4 ,the drums       
frequently beat until the worshippers   
are almost deafened4  ,in the town of   
,bom ,fim1 a little further north1 the  

priest runs a show opposite his church1 
and over it are printed the words1      
,theatre of the ,holy ,ghost4  ,think1  
,o intelligent reader1 how dense must be
 the darkness of ,papal ,america when a 
church notice1 which anyone may see     
affixed to the door1 reads3  ,,raffle   
,,fob ,,souls4  ,a raffle for souls will
 be held at this ,church on ,january    
#ast1 at which four bleeding and        
tortured souls will be released from    
purgatory to heaven1 according to the   
four highest tickets in this most holy  
lottery4 ,tickets1 #a4jj4 ,to be had of 
the father in charge4 ,will you1 for the
 poor sum of one dollar1 leave your     
loved ones to burn in purgatory for     
ages8  ,at the last raffle for souls1   
the following numbers obtained the      
prize1 and the lucky holders may be     
assured that their loved ones are       
forever released from the flames of     
purgatory3 ,ticket #dl4--,the soul of   
,madame ,coldern is made happy for ever4
 ,ticket #gfb4--,the soul of the aged   

widow1 ,francesca de ,parson1 is forever
 released from the flames of purgatory4 
,ticket #hdl4--,the soul of ,lawyer     
,vasquez is released from purgatory and 
ushered into heavenly joys4 ,footnote3  
,gospel ,message4  ,but1 my reader asks1
 ,do the people implicitly believe all  
the priest says8 ,no1 sometimes they    
say1 ,show us a sign4 ,this was         
especially true of the people living on 
the ,chili-,bolivian border4 ,the wily1 
yet progressive1 priest there made a    
number of little balloons1 which on a   
certain day of the year were sent up    
into the sky1 bearing away the sins of  
the people4 ,of course1 when the        
villagers saw their sins float away     
before their own eyes1 enclosed in      
little crystal spheres1 such as could   
not be earthly1 they believed and       
rejoiced4 ,yes1 reader1 the ,south      
,american priest is alive to his        
position after all1 and even patents are
 requisitioned4 ,in some of the larger  
churches there is the slot machine1     

which1 when a coin is inserted1 gives   
out ,the ,pope's blessing4 ,this is     
simply a picture representing his       
,holiness with uplifted hands4  ,the    
following is a literal translation1 from
 the ,portuguese1 of a notice in a ,rio 
,janeiro newspaper3  ,,festival ,,in    
,,honor ,,of ,,the ,,lady ,,of          
,,nazareth4  ,the day will be ushered in
 with majestic and deafening fireworks1 
and the ',hail ,mary' rendered by the   
beautiful band of the----,infantry      
regiment4 ,there will be an intentional 
mass1 grand vocal and instrumental      
music1 solemn vespers1 the ,gospel      
preached1 and ribbons1 which have been  
placed round the neck of the image of   
,st4 ,broz1 distributed4  ,the square1  
tastefully decorated and pompously      
illuminated1 will afford the devotees1  
after their supplications to the ,lord  
of the ,universe1 the following means of
 amusement1-----the ,chinese ,pavilion1 
etc41-----4 ,evening service concluded1 
there will be danced in the ,flora      

,pavilion the fandango  pandereta4 ,in  
the same pavilion a comic company will  
act several pieces4 ,on ,sunday1 upon   
the conclusion of the ,te ,deum1 the    
comic company will perform1 etc4  ,the  
spiritual darkness is appalling4 ,if the
 following can be written of            
,pernambuco1 a large city of #ahj1jjj   
inhabitants1 on the sea coast1 the      
reader can1 in a measure1 understand the
 priestly thraldom of these isolated    
towns4 ,a ,pernambuco newspaper1 in its 
issue of ,march #ast1 #aijc1 contains an
 article headed1 ,burning of ,bibles1   
which says3  ,as has been announced1    
there was realized in the square of the 
,church of ,penha1 on the #bbnd ult41 at
 nine o'clock in the morning1 in the    
presence of more than two thousand      
people1 the burning of two hundred and  
fourteen volumes of the ,protestant     
,bible1 amidst enthusiastic cheers for  
the ,catholic religion1 the immaculate  
,virgin ,mary1 and the ,high ,priest    
,leo ,,xiii4--cheers raised             

spontaneously by the ,catholic people4  
,footnote3 ,literal translation from the
 ,portuguese4  ,a colporteur1 known to  
me1 when engaged selling ,bibles in a   
,brazilian town1 reports that the       
fanatical populace got his books and    
carried them1 fastened and burning1 at  
the end of blazing torches1 while they  
tramped the streets1 yelling3 ,away with
 all false books6 ,away with the        
religion of the devils6 ,a recent ,papal
 bull reads3 ,bible burnings are most   
,catholic demonstrations4  ,is it cause 
for wonder that the ,spanish-,american  
,republics have been so backward8  ,i   
have seen a notice headed ,,saviour ,,of
 ,,souls1 making known the fact that at 
a certain address a ,most ,holy         
,reverend ,father would be in attendance
 during certain hours1 willing to save  
the soul of any and every applicant on  
payment of so much4 ,that revelation    
which tells of a ,saviour without money 
or price is denied them4  ,corumb is a  
strange1 lawless place1 where the       

ragged1 barefooted night policeman      
inspires more terror in the law-abiding 
than the professional prowler4 ,the     
former has a sharp sword1 which glitters
 as he threatens1 and the latter has    
often a kind heart1 and only asks mil   
reis 7about thirty cents74  ,how can a  
town be governed properly when its      
capital is three thousand miles distant1
 and the only open route thither is1 by 
river and sea1 a month's journey8       
,perhaps the day is not far distant when
 ,cuyab1 the most central city of ,south
 ,america1 and larger than ,corumb1     
lying hundreds of miles further up the  
river1 will set up a head of its own to 
rule1 or misrule1 the province4 ,brazil 
is too big1 much too big1 or the        
,government is too little1 much too     
little4  ,the large states are          
subdivided into districts1 or parishes1 
each under an ecclesiastical head1 as   
may be inferred from the peculiar names 
many of them bear4 ,there are the       
parishes of3  ,our ,lady1 ,mother of    

,god of ,porridge4  ,the ,three ,hearts 
of ,jesus4  ,our ,lady of the ,rosary of
 the ,pepper ,tree4  ,the ,souls of the 
,sand ,bank of the ,river of ,old       
,women4  ,the ,holy ,ghost of the       
,cocoanut ,tree4  ,our ,lady ,mother of 
the ,men of ,mud4  ,the ,sand ,bank of  
the ,holy ,ghost4  ,the ,holy ,spirit of
 the ,pitchfork4  ,the ,brazilian army1 
very materially aided by the saints1 is 
able to keep this great country1 with   
its many districts1 in tolerable        
quietness4 ,saint ,anthony1 who1 when   
young1 was privileged to carry the toys 
of the child ,jesus1 is1 in this        
respect1 of great service to the        
,brazilians4 ,the military standing of  
,saint ,anthony in the ,brazilian army  
is one of considerable importance and   
diversified service4 ,according to a    
statement of ,deputy ,spinola1 made on  
the #acth of ,june1 the eminent saint's 
feast day1 his career in the military   
service of ,brazil has been the         
following3 ,by a royal letter of the    

#gth of ,april1 #agjg1 the commission of
 captain was conferred upon the image of
 ,saint ,anthony1 of ,bahia4 ,this image
 was promoted to be a major of infantry 
by a decree of ,september #acth1 #ahai4 
,in ,july1 #ahei1 his pay was placed    
upon the regular pay-roll of the        
,department of ,war4  ,the image of ,st4
 ,anthony in ,rio de ,janeiro1 however1 
outranks his counterpart of ,bahia1 and 
seems to have had a more brilliant      
military record4 ,his commission as     
captain dates from a royal letter of    
,march #bast1 #agaa4 ,he was promoted to
 be major of infantry in ,july1 #ahaj1  
and to be lieutenant-colonel in #ahad4  
,he was decorated with the ,grand ,cross
 of the ,order of ,christ also1 in      
#ahad1 and his pay as lieutenant-colonel
 was made a permanent charge on the     
military list in #ahcc4  ,the image of  
,st4 ,anthony of ,ouro ,preto attained  
the rank and pay of captain in #agii4   
,his career has been an uneventful one1 
and has been confined principally to the

 not unpleasant task of drawing #dhj a  
month from the public treasury4 ,the    
salaries of all these soldiery images   
are drawn by duly constituted attorneys4
 ,footnote3 ,rio ,news  ,owing to       
bubonic plague1 my stay in ,corumb was  
prolonged4 ,i have been in the city of  
,bahia when an average of #bjj died     
every day from this terrible disease1 so
 ,brazil is beginning to be more        
careful4  ,though steamers were not     
running1 perspiration was4 ,oh1 the     
heat6 ,in my excursions in and around   
the town ,i found that even the mule ,i 
had hired1 acclimatized as it was to    
heat and thirst and hunger1 began to    
show signs of fatigue4 ,can man or beast
 be expected to work when the           
temperature stands at #acj degrees      
,fahrenheit in the shade8  ,as the      
natives find bullocks bear the heat     
better than mules1 ,i procured one of   
these saddle animals1 but it could only 
travel at a snail's pace4 ,i was indeed 
thankful to quit the oven of a town when

 at last quarantine was raised and a    
,brazilian steamboat called4  ,rats were
 so exceedingly numerous on this packet 
that they would scamper over our bodies 
at night4 ,so bold were they that we    
were compelled to take a cudgel into our
 berths6 ,a ,brazilian passenger        
declared one morning that he had counted
 three hundred rats on the cabin floor  
at one time6 ,i have already referred to
 ,brazilian numbering2 perhaps he meant 
three hundred feet1 or seventy-five     
rats4  ,with the heat and the rats1     
supplemented by millions of mosquitos1  
my ,corumb journey was not exactly a    
picnic4  ,in due time we arrived again  
at ,puerto ,martinio1 only to hear that 
our former fellow-passenger1 the        
assassin1 had regained his freedom and  
could be seen walking about the town4   
,but then--well1 he was rich1 and money 
does all in ,brazil--yea1 the priest    
will even tell you it purchases an      
entrance into heaven6 ,in worldly       
matters the people see its power1 and in

 spiritual matters they believe it4 ,if 
the priest has heard of ,peter's answer 
to ,simon--,thy money perish with thee1 
because thou hast thought that the gift 
of ,god may be purchased with money--he 
keeps it to himself4 ,how can he live if
 he deceives not8 ,strange indeed is the
 thought that1 three hundred years      
before the caravels of ,portuguese      
conquerors ever sailed these waters1 the
 law of the ,indian ruler of that very  
part of the country read3 ,judges who   
receive bribes from their clients are to
 be considered as thieves meriting      
death4 ,and a clause in the ,sacred     
,book read3 ,he who kills another       
condemns his own self4 ,has the interior
 of ,south ,america gone forward or     
backward since then8 ,was the adoration 
of the ,sun more civilizing than the    
worship of the ,virgin8  ,when we got   
down into ,argentine waters ,i began to 
feel cold1 and donned an overcoat4      
,thinking it strange that ,i should feel
 thus in the latitude which had in      

former times been so agreeable1 ,i      
investigated1 and found the thermometer 
#he degrees ,fah4 in the shade4 ,after  
,corumb that was cold4     ,,part ,v4   
,,uruguay   ,illustration   ,,the ,,lone
 ,,trail4     ,and sometimes it leads to
 the desert and the tongue swells       
out of the mouth1   ,and you stagger    
blind to the mirage1 to die in the      
mocking     drouth4   ,and sometimes it 
leads to the mountain1 to the light of  
the     lone camp-fire1   ,and you gnaw 
your belt in the anguish of the         
hunger-goaded     desire4               
--,robert ,w4 ,service4    ,the         
,republic of ,uruguay has #gb1baj square
 miles of territory1 and is the smallest
 of the ten countries of ,south         
,america4 ,its population is only       
#a1ajc1jjj1 but the ,liebig ,company1   
which manufactures beef tea for the     
world1 owns nearly a million acres of   
land in ,uruguay4 ,on its enormous      
ranches over #f1jjj1jjj head of cattle  
have passed through its hands in the    

fifty years of its existence4 ,footnote3
 ,clark4 ,continent of ,opportunity4    
,the republic seems well governed1 but1 
as in all ,spanish-,american countries1 
the ideas of right and wrong are        
strange4 ,while taking part in a        
religious procession1 ,president ,borda 
was assassinated in #ahig4 ,a man was   
seen to deliberately walk up and shoot  
him4 ,the ,chief ,executive fell        
mortally wounded4 ,this cool murderer   
was condemned to two years' imprisonment
 for insulting the ,president4  ,in     
#aijj1 ,president ,arredondo was        
assassinated1 but the murderer was      
acquitted on the ground that he was     
interpreting the feelings of the people4
  ,uruguay is a progressive republic1   
with more than a thousand miles of      
railway4 ,on these lines the coaches are
 very palatial4 ,the larger part of the 
coach1 made to seat fifty-two           
passengers1 is for smokers1 the smaller 
compartment1 accommodating sixteen1 is  
for non-smokers1 thus reversing our own 

practice4 ,outside the harbor of the    
capital a great sea-wall is being       
erected1 at tremendous cost1 to         
facilitate shipping1 and ,uruguay is    
certainly a country with a great future4
  ,the capital city occupies a          
commanding position at the mouth of the 
great estuary of the ,rio de la ,plata2 
its docks are large and modern1 and     
palatial steamers of the very finest    
types bring it in daily communication   
with ,buenos ,ayres4 ,the ,legislative  
,palace is one of the finest government 
buildings in the world4 ,the great      
,solis ,theatre1 where ,patti and       
,bernhardt have both appeared1 covers   
nearly two acres of ground1 seats three 
thousand people and cost three million  
dollars to build4 ,the sanitary         
conditions and water supply are so      
perfect that fewer people die in this   
city1 in proportion to its size1 than in
 any other large city of the world4     
,the ,parliament of ,uruguay has        
recently voted that all privileges      

hitherto granted to particular religious
 bodies shall be abrogated1 that the    
army shall not take part in religious   
ceremonies1 that army chaplains shall be
 dismissed1 that the national flag shall
 not be lowered before any priest or    
religious symbol4 ,so another state cuts
 loose from ,rome6  ,the climate of the 
country is such that grapes1 apricots1  
peaches1 and many other fruits grow to  
perfection4 ,its currency is on a more  
stable basis than that of any other     
,spanish republic1 and its dollar is    
actually worth #ajb cents4 ,the         
immigrants pouring into ,uruguay have   
run up to over #bj1jjj a year2 the      
population has increased more than #ajj 
per cent in #ab years2 so we shall hear 
from ,uruguay in coming years more than 
we have done in the past4     ,,chapter 
,,xiii4  ,,sketches ,,of ,a ,,horseback 
,,ride ,,through ,,the ,,republic4   ,i 
,,cross ,,the ,,silver ,,river4  ,i left
 ,buenos ,ayres for ,uruguay in an      
,italian polacca4 ,we weighed anchor one

 ,sunday afternoon1 and as the breeze   
was favorable1 the white sails1 held up 
by strong ropes of rawhide1 soon wafted 
us away from the land4 ,we sailed       
through a fleet of ships from all parts 
of the world1 anchored in the stream1   
discharging and loading cargoes4 ,there1
 just arrived1 was an ,italian emigrant 
ship with a thousand people on board1   
who had come to start life afresh4      
,there was the large ,british steamer1  
with her clattering windlass1 hoisting  
on board live bullocks from barges      
moored alongside4 ,the animals are      
raised up by means of a strong rope tied
 around their horns1 and as the ship    
rocks on the swell they dangle in       
mid-air4 ,when a favorable moment       
arrives they are quickly dropped on to  
the deck1 completely stupefied by their 
aerial flight4  ,as darkness fell1 the  
wind dropped1 and we lay rocking on the 
bosom of the river1 with only the       
twinkling lights of the ,argentine coast
 to remind us of the solid world4 ,the  

shoreless river was1 however1 populous  
with craft of all rigs1 for this is the 
highway to the great interior1 and some 
of them were bound to ,cuyab1 #b1fjj    
miles in the heart of the continent4    
,during the night a ship on fire in the 
offing lit up with great vividness the  
silent waste of waters1 and as the      
flames leaped up the rigging1 the sight 
was very grand4 ,owing to calms and     
light winds1 our passage was a slow one1
 and ,i was not sorry when at last ,i   
could say good-bye to the ,italians and 
their oily food4 ,three nights and two  
days is a long time to spend in crossing
 a river4  ,,montevideo4  ,montevideo1  
the capital of ,uruguay1 is one of the  
handsomest cities in all ,america1 north
 or south4 ,its population is over      
#cej1jjj4 ,it is one of the cleanest and
 best laid-out cities on the continent2 
it has broad1 airy streets and a general
 look of prosperity4 ,what impresses the
 newcomer most is the military display  
everywhere seen4 ,sentry boxes1 in front

 of which dark-skinned soldiers strut1  
seem to be at almost every corner4      
,although ,uruguay has a standing army  
of under #c1ejj men1 yet gold-braided   
officers are to be met with on every    
street4 ,there are twenty-one generals  
on active service1 and many more living 
on pension4 ,more important personages  
than these men assume to be could not be
 met with in any part of the world4     
,the armies of most of these republics  
are divided into sections bearing such  
blasphemous titles as ,division of the  
,son of ,god1 ,division of the ,good    
,shepherd1 ,division of the ,holy       
,lancers of ,death and ,soldiers of the 
,blessed ,heart of ,mary4 ,these are    
often placed under the sceptre of the   
,sacred ,heart of ,jesus as the national
 emblem4  ,boys of seven and old men of 
seventy stand on the sidewalks selling  
lottery tickets2 and the priest1 with   
black beaver hat1 the brim of which has 
a diameter of two feet1 is always to be 
seen4 ,one of these priests met a late  

devotee1 but now a follower of ,christ  
through missionary effort1 and said3    
,good morning1 ,daughter of the ,evil   
,one6 ,good morning1 ,father1 she       
replied4  ,the cemetery is one of the   
finest on the continent1 and is well    
worth a visit4 ,very few of             
,montevideo's dead are buried4 ,the     
coffins of the rich are zinc-lined1 and 
provided with a glass in the lid4 ,all  
caskets are placed in niches in the high
 wall which surrounds the cemetery4     
,these mural niches are six or eight    
feet deep in the wall1 and each one has 
a marble tablet for the name of the     
deposited one4 ,by means of a large     
portable ladder and elevator combined1  
the coffins are raised from the ground4 
,at anniversaries of the death the tomb 
is filled with flowers1 and candles are 
lit inside1 while a wreath is hung on   
the door4 ,a favorite custom is to      
attend mass on ,sunday morning1 then    
visit the cemetery1 and spend the       
afternoon at the bull-fights4  ,,native 

,,houses ,,and ,,habits4  ,uruguay is   
essentially a pastoral country1 and the 
finest animals of ,south ,america are   
there raised4 ,it is said that          
,uruguay's pasture lands could feed all 
the cattle of the world1 and sheep grow 
fat at #ej to the acre4 ,in #ahhi1 when 
,i first went there1 there were         
thirty-two millions of horned cattle    
grazing on a thousand hills4 ,liebig's  
famous establishments at ,fray ,bentos1 
two hundred miles north of ,montevideo1 
employs six hundred men1 and kills one  
thousand bullocks a day4  ,uruguay has  
some good roads1 and the land is        
wire-fenced in all directions4 ,the     
rivers are crossed on large             
flat-bottomed boats called balsas4      
,these are warped across by a chain1 and
 carry as many as ten men and horses in 
one trip4 ,the roads are in many places 
thickly strewn with bones of dead       
animals1 dropped by the way1 and these  
are picked clean by the vultures4 ,no   
sooner does an animal lie down to die   

than1 streaming out of the infinite     
space1 which a moment before has been a 
lifeless world of blue ether1 there come
 lines of vultures1 and soon white bones
 are all that are left4  ,on the        
fence-posts one sees many nests of the  
casera 7housebuilder7 bird1 made of mud4
 ,these have a dome-shaped roof1 and are
 divided by a partition inside into     
chamber and ante-chamber4 ,by the       
roadside are hovels of the natives not a
 twentieth part so well-built or        
rain-tight4 ,fleas are so numerous in   
these huts that sometimes1 after        
spending a night in one1 it would have  
been impossible to place a five-cent    
piece on any part of my body that had   
not been bitten by them4 ,scorpions come
 out of the wood they burn on the       
earthen floor1 and monster cockroaches  
nibble your toes at night4 ,the thick1  
hot grass roofs of the ranches harbor   
centipedes1 which drop on your face as  
you sleep1 and bite alarmingly4 ,these  
many-legged creatures grow to the length

 of eight or nine inches1 and run to and
 fro with great speed4 ,well might the  
little girl1 on seeing a centipede for  
the first time1 ask3 ,what is that      
queer-looking thing1 with about a       
million legs8 ,johnny wisely replied3   
,that's a millennium4 ,it's something   
like a centennial1 only its has more    
legs4  ,after vain attempts to sleep1   
you rise1 and may see the good wife     
cleaning her only plate for you by      
rubbing it on her greasy hair and wiping
 it with the bottom of her chemise4     
,ugh6 ,proceeding on the journey1 it is 
a common sight to see three or four     
little birds sitting on the backs of the
 horned cattle getting their breakfast1 
which ,i hope they relish better than ,i
 often did4  ,a ,,wake1 ,,and ,,how ,,to
 ,,get ,,to ,,heaven4  ,during my       
journey ,i was asked3 ,would ,i like to 
go to the wake held that night at the   
next house1 three miles away8 ,after    
supper1 horses were saddled up and away 
we galloped4 ,quite a number had already

 gathered there4 ,we found the dead man 
lying on a couple of sheepskins1 in the 
centre of a mud-walled and mud-floored  
room4 ,no useless coffin enclosed his   
breast1 nor was he wound in either sheet
 or shroud4 ,there he lay1 fully        
attired1 even to his shoes4 ,four tallow
 candles lighted up the gloom1 and these
 were placed at his head and feet4 ,his 
clammy hands were reverently folded over
 his breast1 whilst entwined in his     
fingers was a bronze cross and rosary1  
that ,st4 ,peter1 seeing his devotion1  
might1 without questioning1 admit him to
 a better world4 ,the scene was weird   
beyond description4 ,outside1 the wind  
moaned a sad dirge2 great bats and black
 moths1 the size of birds1 flitted about
 in the midnight darkness4 ,these1 ever 
and anon1 made their way inside and     
extinguished the candles1 which         
flickered and dripped as they fitfully  
shone on the shrunken features of the   
corpse4 ,he had been a reprobate and an 
assassin1 but1 luckily for him1 a pious 

woman1 not wishing to see him die in his
 sins1 had sprinkled ,holy ,water on    
him4 ,the said ,elixir of ,life had been
 brought eighty miles1 and was kept in  
her house to use only in extreme cases4 
,the poor woman had paid the price of a 
cow for the bottle of water1 but the    
priest had declared that it was an      
effectual soul-saver1 and they never    
doubted its efficacy4 ,around the corpse
 was a throng of women1 and they all    
chattered as women are apt to do4 ,the  
men1 standing around the door1 talked of
 their horse-races1 fights or anything  
else4 ,for some hours ,i heard no       
allusion to the dead1 but as the night  
wore on the prophetess of the people    
came forth4  ,if my advent among them   
had caused a stir1 the entrance of this 
old woman caused a bustle2 even the dead
 man seemed to salute her1 or was it    
only my imagination--for ,i was in a    
strangely sensitive mood--that pictured 
it8 ,as she slowly approached1 leaning  
heavily on a rough1 thick staff1 all the

 females present bent their knees4 ,now 
prayers were going to be offered up for 
the dead1 and the visible woman was to  
act as interceder with the invisible one
 in heaven4 ,after being assisted to her
 knees1 the old woman1 in a cracked1 yet
 loud1 voice1 began4 ,santa ,maria1     
ruega por nosotros1 ahora1 y en la hora 
de nuestra muerte6 7,holy ,mary pray for
 us now1 and in the hour of our death67 
,this was responded to with many        
gesticulations and making of crosses by 
the numerous females around her4 ,the   
prayers were many and long1 and must    
have lasted perhaps an hour2 then all   
arose1 and mt and cigars were served4   
,men and women1 even boys and girls1    
smoked the whole night through1 until   
around the ,departed was nothing but    
bluish clouds4  ,the natives are so fond
 of wakes that when deaths do not occur 
with great frequency1 the bones of      
grandma are dug up1 and she is prayed   
and smoked over once more4 ,the digging 
up of the dead is often a simple matter1

 for the corpse is frequently just      
carried into the bush1 and there covered
 with prickly branches4  ,,the          
,,snake',s ,,history4  ,i met with a    
snake1 of a whitish color1 that appeared
 to have two heads4 ,never being able to
 closely examine this strange reptile1  
,i cannot positively affirm that it     
possesses the two heads1 but the natives
 repeatedly affirmed to me that it does1
 and certainly both ends are1 or seem to
 be1 exactly alike4 ,in the ,book of    
,genesis the serpent is described as a  
beast1 but for its temptation of ,eve it
 was condemned to crawl on its belly and
 become a reptile4 ,a strange belief    
obtains among the people that all       
serpents must not only be killed1 but   
put into a fire4 ,if there is none lit1 
they will kindle one on purpose1 for it 
must be burned4 ,as the outer skin comes
 off1 it is declared1 the four legs1 now
 under it1 can be distinctly seen4  ,a  
,,girl',s ,,new ,,birth ,,and           
,,translation4  ,at ,rincon ,i held a   

series of meetings in a mud hut4 ,men   
and women1 with numerous children1 used 
to gather on horseback an hour before   
the time for opening4 ,a little girl    
always brought her three-legged stool   
and squatted in front of me4 ,the rest  
appropriated tree-trunks and bullocks'  
skulls4 ,the girl referred to listened  
to the ,gospel story as though her life 
depended upon it1 as indeed it did6     
,when at ,rincon only a short time1 the 
child desired me to teach her how to    
pray1 and she clasped her hands         
reverently4 ,would ,jesus save me8 she  
asked4 ,did ,he die for me--me8 ,will   
,he save me now8 ,the girl believed1 and
 entered at once into the family of     
,god4  ,one day a man on horseback1     
tears streaming down his cheeks1        
galloped up to my hut4 ,it was her      
father4 ,his girl was dead4 ,she had    
gone into the forest1 and1 feeling      
hungry1 had eaten some berries2 they    
were poisonous1 and she had come home to
 die4 ,would ,i bury her8 ,shortly      

afterwards ,i rode over to the hovel    
where she had lived4 ,awaiting me were  
the broken-hearted parents4 ,a grocery  
box had been secured1 and this rude     
coffin was covered with pink cotton4    
,four horses were yoked in a two-wheeled
 cart1 the parents sat on the casket1   
and ,i followed on horseback to the     
nearest cemetery1 sixteen miles away4   
,there1 in a little enclosure1 we       
lowered the girl into her last earthly  
resting-place1 in the sure and certain  
hope of a glorious resurrection4 ,she   
had lived in a house where a cow's hide 
served for a door1 but she had now      
entered the pearly gates4 ,the floor of 
her late home was mother earth2 what a  
change to be walking the streets of     
gold6 ,some day1 after life's fitful    
fever1 ,i shall meet her again1 not a   
poor1 ragged half-breed girl1 but       
glorified1 and clothed in ,his          
righteousness4  ,,how ,i ,,did ,,not    
,,lose ,,my ,,eyes4  ,one day ,i was    
crossing a river1 kneeling on my horse's

 back1 when he gave a lurch and threw me
 into the water4 ,gaining the bank1 and 
being quite alone1 ,i stripped off my   
wet clothes and waited for the sun to   
dry them4 ,the day was hot and sultry1  
and1 feeling tired1 ,i covered myself up
 with the long grass and went to sleep4 
,how long ,i lay ,i cannot tell1 but    
suddenly waking up1 ,i found to my alarm
 that several large vultures1 having    
thought me dead1 were contemplating me  
as their next meal6 ,had my sleep       
continued a few moments longer1 the     
rapacious birds would have picked my    
eyes out1 as they invariably do before  
tearing up their victim4 ,all over the  
country these birds abound1 and ,i have 
counted thirty and forty tearing up a   
living1 quivering animal4 ,sometimes1   
for mercy's sake1 ,i have alighted and  
put the suffering beast out of further  
pain4 ,before ,i got away they have been
 fighting over it again in their haste  
to suck the heart's blood4  ,a          
,,bachelor ,,rabbit4  ,the pest of      

,australia is the rabbit1 but1 strange  
to say1 ,i never found one in ,south    
,america4 ,in their place is the equally
 destructive viscacha or prairie dog--a 
much larger animal1 probably three or   
four times the size1 having very low1   
broad head1 little ears1 and thick1     
bristling whiskers4 ,his coat is gray   
and white1 with a mixture of black4 ,to 
all appearance this is a ferocious      
beast1 with his two front tusk-like     
teeth1 about four inches long1 but he is
 perfectly harmless4 ,the viscacha makes
 his home1 like the rabbit1 by burrowing
 in the ground1 where he remains during 
daylight4 ,the faculty of acquisition in
 these animals must be large1 for in    
their nightly trips they gather and     
bring to the mouth of their burrow      
anything and everything they can        
possibly move4 ,bones1 manure1 stones   
and feathers are here collected1 and if 
the traveller accidentally dropped his  
watch1 knife or handkerchief1 it would  
be found and carried to adorn the       

viscacha's doorway1 if those animals    
were anywhere near4  ,the lady reader   
will be shocked to learn that the head  
of the viscacha family1 probably copying
 a bad example from the ostrich1 his    
neighbor1 is also very unamiable with   
his better half1 and inhabits bachelor's
 quarters1 which he keeps all to        
himself1 away from his family4 ,the food
 of this strange dog-rabbit is roots1   
and his powerful teeth are well fitted  
to root them up4 ,at the mouth of their 
burrows may often be seen little owls1  
which have ejected the original owners  
and themselves taken possession4 ,they  
have a strikingly saucy look1 and       
possess the advantage of being able to  
turn their heads right around while the 
body remains immovable4 ,being of an    
inquisitive nature1 they stare at every 
passer-by1 and if the traveller quietly 
walks around them he will smile at the  
grotesque power they have of turning    
their head4 ,when a young horse is      
especially slow in learning the use of  

the reins1 ,i have known the cowboy     
smear the bridle with the brains of this
 clever bird1 that the owl's facility in
 turning might thus be imparted to it4  
,another peculiar animal is the         
comadreka1 which resembles the kangaroo 
in that it is provided with a bag or    
pouch in which to carry its young ones4 
,i have surprised these little animals  
7for they are only of rabbit size7 with 
their young playing around them1 and    
have seen the mother gather them into   
her pouch and scamper away4  ,,drinking 
,,water1 ,,saints ,,and ,,the ,,virgin4 
,in ,uruguay it is the custom for all1  
on approaching a house1 to call out1    
,holy ,mary the ,pure6 and until the    
inmate answers3 ,conceived without sin6 
not a step farther must be made by the  
visitor4 ,at a hut where ,i called there
 was a baby hanging from the wattle roof
 in a cow's hide1 and flies covered the 
little one's eyes4 ,on going to the well
 for a drink ,i saw that there was a cat
 and a rat in the water1 but the people 

were drinking it6 ,when smallpox breaks 
out because of such unsanitary          
conditions1 ,i have known them to carry 
around the image of ,st4 ,sebastian1    
that its divine presence might chase    
away the sickness4 ,the dress of the    
,virgin is often borrowed from the      
church1 and worn by the women1 that they
 may profit by its healing virtues4 ,a  
crucifix hung in the house keeps away   
evil spirits4  ,the people were very    
religious1 and no rain having fallen for
 five months1 had concluded to carry    
around a large image of the ,virgin they
 had1 and show her the dry crops4 ,i    
rode on1 but did not get wet6  ,,no     
,,need ,,of ,,the ,,doctor ,,or ,,vet4  
,a poor girl got very severely burnt1   
and the remedy applied was a poultice of
 mashed ears of viscacha4 ,the burn did 
not heal1 and so a poultice of pig's    
dung was put on4 ,when we went to visit 
the girl1 the people said it was because
 they had come to our meetings that the 
girl did not get better4 ,a liberal     

cleansing1 followed by the use of       
boracic acid1 has healed the wound4     
,another case came under our notice of a
 woman who suffered from a gathering in 
the ear1 and the remedy applied was a   
negro's curl fried in fat4  ,to cure    
animals of disease there are many ways4 
,mrs4 ,nieve boasted that1 by just      
saying a few cabalistic words over a    
sick cow1 she could heal it4 ,a charm   
put on the top of the enclosure where   
the animals are herded will keep away   
sickness4 ,to cure a bucking horse all  
that is necessary is to pull out its    
eyebrows and spit in its face4 ,let a   
lame horse step on a sheepskin1 cut out 
the piece1 and carry it in your pocket2 
if this can't be done1 make a cross with
 tufts of grass1 and the leg will heal4 
,for ordinary sickness tie a dog's head 
around the horse's neck4 ,if a horse has
 pains in the stomach1 let him smell    
your shirt4  ,a ,,race ,,for            
,,information4  ,uruguay is said to have
 averaged a revolution every two years  

for nearly a century1 so in times of    
revolutionary disturbance the younger   
children are often set to watch the     
roads and give timely warning1 that the 
father or elder brother may effect an   
escape4 ,the said persons may then mount
 their fleetest horse and be out of     
sight ere the recruiting sergeant       
arrives4 ,being one day perplexed1 and  
in doubt whether ,i was on my right     
road1 ,i made towards a boy ,i had      
descried some distance away1 to ask him4
 ,no sooner did the youth catch sight of
 me than he set off at a long gallop    
away from me2 why1 ,i could not tell1 as
 they are generally so interested at the
 sight of a stranger4 ,determined not to
 be outdone1 and feeling sure that      
without directions ,i could not safely  
continue the journey1 ,i put spurs to my
 horse and tried to overtake him4 ,as ,i
 quickened my pace he looked back1 and1 
seeing me gain upon him1 urged his horse
 to its utmost speed4 ,down hill and up 
hill1 through grass and mud and water1  

the race continued4 ,a sheepskin fell   
from his saddle1 but he heeded it not as
 he went plunging forward4 ,human beings
 in those latitudes were very few1 and  
if ,i did not catch him ,i might be     
totally lost for days2 so ,i went       
clattering on over his sheepskin1 and   
then over his wooden saddle1 the fall of
 which only made his horse give a fresh 
plunge forward as he lay on its neck4   
,thus we raced for at least three miles1
 until1 tired out and breathless1 ,i    
gave up in despair4  ,concluding that my
 fleet-footed but unamiable young friend
 had undoubtedly some place in view1 ,i 
continued in the same direction1 but at 
a more respectable pace4 ,shortly       
afterwards ,i arrived at a very small   
hut1 built of woven grass and reeds1    
which ,i presumed was his home4 ,making 
for the open door1 ,i clapped my hands1 
but received no answer4 ,the hut was    
certainly inhabited--of that ,i saw     
abundant signs--but where were the      
people8 ,i dare not get down from my    

horse2 that is an insult no native would
 forgive2 so ,i slowly walked around the
 house1 clapping my hands and shouting  
at the top of my voice4 ,just as ,i was 
making the circuit for the third time1  
,i descried another and a larger house1 
hidden in the trees some distance away1 
and thither ,i forthwith bent my steps4 
,there ,i learned that ,i had been taken
 for a recruiting sergeant1 and the     
inhabitants had hidden themselves when  
the boy galloped up with the message of 
my approach4  ,i ,,find ,,diamonds4     
,for one shall grasp and one resign4    
,one drink life's rue1 and one its wine2
   ,and ,god shall make the balance     
good4  ,encamped on the banks of the    
,black ,river1 idly turning up the soil 
with the stock of my riding-whip1 ,i was
 startled to find what ,i believed to be
 real diamonds6 ,beautifully white1     
transparent stones they were1 and1      
rising to examine them closely in the   
sunlight1 ,i was more than ever         
convinced of the richness of my find4   

,was it possible that ,i had unwittingly
 discovered a diamond field8 ,could it  
be true that1 after years of hardship1  
,i had found a fortune8 ,i was a rich   
man--oh1 the enchanting thought6 ,no    
need now to toil through scorching suns4
 ,i could live at ease4 ,as ,i sat with 
the stones glistening in the light      
before my eyes1 my brain grew fevered4  
,leaving my hat and coat on the ground1 
,i ran towards my horse1 and1 vaulting  
on his bare back1 wildly galloped to and
 fro1 that the breezes might cool my    
fevered head4 ,rich8 ,oh1 how ,i had    
worked and striven6 ,life had hitherto  
been a hard fight4 ,when ,i had gathered
 together a few dollars1 ,i had been    
prostrated with malarial or some other  
fever1 and they had flown4 ,after two or
 three months of enforced idleness ,i   
had had to start the battle of life     
afresh with diminished funds4 ,now the  
past was dead2 ,i could rest from       
strife4 ,rest6 ,how sweet it sounded as 
,i repeated aloud the precious word1 and

 the distant echoes brought back the    
word1 ,rest6  ,i was awakened from my   
day dreams by being thrown from my      
horse6 ,hope for the future had so taken
 possession of me that the present was  
forgotten4 ,i had not seen the caves of 
the prairie dog1 but my horse had given 
a sudden start aside to avoid them1 and 
,i found myself licking the dust4       
,bather a humiliating position for a man
 to be in who had just found unlimited  
wealth2 ,somewhat subdued1 ,i made my   
way back to my solitary encampment4     
,well1 how shall ,i conclude this short 
but pregnant chapter of my life8        
,suffice it to say that my idol was     
shattered6 ,the stones were found to be 
of little worth4    ,the flower that    
smiles to-day1    ,to-morrow dies2      
,all that we wish to stay    ,tempts1   
and then flies4  ,a ,,man ,,with ,,two  
,,noses ,,and ,,two ,,mouths4  ,i was   
lost one day1 and had been sitting in   
the grass for an hour or more wondering 
what ,i should do1 when the sound of    

galloping hoofs broke the silence4 ,on  
looking around1 to my horror1 ,i saw a  
something seated on a fiery horse       
tearing towards me6 ,what could it be8  
,was it human8 ,could the               
strange-looking being who suddenly      
reined up his horse before me be a man8 
,a man surely1 but possessing two noses1
 two mouths1 and two hare-lips4 ,a      
hideous sight6 ,i shuddered as ,i looked
 at him4 ,his left eye was in the       
temple1 and he turned it full upon me1  
while with the other he seemed to glance
 toward the knife in his belt4 ,when he 
rode up ,i had saluted him1 but he did  
not return the recognition4 ,feeling    
sure that the country must be well known
 to him1 ,i offered to reward him if he 
would act as my guide4 ,the man kept his
 gleaming eye fixed upon me1 but        
answered not a word4 ,beginning to look 
at the matter in rather a serious light1
 ,i mounted my horse1 when he grunted at
 me in an unintelligible way1 which     
showed me plainly that he was without   

the power of speech4 ,he turned in the  
direction ,i had asked him to take1 and 
we started off at a breakneck speed1    
which his fiery horse kept up4 ,i cannot
 say he followed his nose1 or the reader
 might ask me which nose1 but he led me 
in a straight line to an eminence1 from 
whence he pointed out the estancia ,i   
was seeking4 ,the house was still       
distant1 yet ,i was not sorry to part   
with my strange guide1 who seemed       
disinclined to conduct me further4 ,i   
gave him his fee1 and he grunted his    
thanks and left me to pursue my journey 
more leisurely4 ,a hut ,i came to had   
been struck by lightning1 and a woman   
and her child had been buried in the    
debris4 ,inquiring the particulars1 ,i  
was informed that the woman was herself 
to blame for the disaster4 ,the saints1 
they told me1 have a particular aversion
 to the ombu tree1 and this daring ,eve 
had built her house near one4 ,the      
saints had taken spite at this act of   
bravado1 and destroyed both mother and  

daughter4 ,moral3 ,heed the saints4  ,a 
,,fleet-,,footed ,,deer4  ,one day an   
old man seriously informed me that in   
those parts there was a deer which      
neither he nor any other one had been   
able to catch4 ,like the ,siamese twins1
 it was two live specimens in one4 ,when
 ,i asked why it was impossible to catch
 the animal1 he informed me that it had 
eight legs with which to run4 ,four of  
the legs came out of the back1 and1 when
 tired with using the four lower ones1  
it just turned over and ran with the    
upper set4 ,i did not see this freak1 so
 add the salt to your taste1 ,o reader4 
,i ,,sleep ,,with ,,the ,,rats4         
,hospitality is a marked and beautiful  
feature of the ,uruguayan people4 ,at   
whatever time ,i arrived at a house1    
although a stranger and a foreigner1 ,i 
was most heartily received by the       
inmates4 ,on only one occasion1 which ,i
 will here relate1 was ,i grudgingly    
accommodated1 and that was by a         
,brazilian living on the frontier4 ,the 

hot sun had ruthlessly shone on me all  
day as ,i waded through the long arrow  
grass that reached up to my saddle4 ,the
 scorching rays1 pitiless in their      
intensity1 seemed to take the energy    
from everything living4 ,all animate    
creation was paralyzed4 ,the relentless 
ball of fire in the heavens1 pouring    
down like molten brass1 appeared to be  
trying to set the world on fire2 and ,i 
lay utterly exhausted on my horse's     
neck1 half expecting to see all kindled 
in one mighty blaze6 ,i had drunk the   
hot1 putrid water of the hollows1 which 
did not seem to quench my thirst any1   
but perhaps did help to keep me from    
drying up and blowing away4 ,my tongue  
was parched and my lips dried together4 
,fortunately1 ,i had a very quiet horse1
 and when ,i could no longer bear the   
sun's burning rays ,i got down for a few
 moments and crept under him4  ,shelter 
there was none4 ,the copious draughts of
 evil-smelling water ,i had drunk in my 
raging thirst brought on nausea1 and it 

was only by force of will that ,i kept  
myself from falling1 when on an eminence
 ,i joyfully sighted the ,brazilian     
estancia4 ,hope then revived in me4 ,my 
knowing horse had seen the house before 
me1 and without any guidance made       
straight towards it at a quicker pace4  
,well he knew that houses in those      
desolate wastes were too far apart to be
 passed unheeded by1 and ,i thoroughly  
concurred in his wisdom4 ,as ,i drew up 
before the lonely place my tongue       
refused to shout ,ave ,maria1 but ,i    
clapped my perspiring hands1 and soon   
had the satisfaction of hearing         
footsteps within4 ,visions of shade and 
of meat and drink and rest floated      
before my eyes when ,i saw the door     
opened4 ,a coal-black face peeped out1  
which1 in a cracked1 broken voice1 ,i   
addressed1 asking the privilege to      
dismount4 ,horror of horrors1 ,i had not
 even been answered ere the door was    
shut again in my face6 ,get down without
 permission ,i dare not4 ,the house was 

a large edifice1 built of rough1        
undressed stones1 and had a thick1 high 
wall of the same material all around4   
,were the inmates fiends that they let  
me sit there1 knowing well that there   
was no other habitation within miles8   
,as the minutes slowly lengthened out1  
and the door remained closed1 my spirits
 sank lower and lower4 ,after a silence 
of thirty-five minutes1 the man again   
made his appearance1 and1 coming right  
out this time1 stared me through and    
through4 ,after this close scrutiny1    
which seemed to satisfy him1 but        
elicited no response to a further appeal
 from me1 he went to an outlying        
building1 and1 bringing a strong hide   
lasso1 tied it around my horse's neck4  
,not until that was securely fastened   
did he invite me to dismount4 ,presuming
 the lasso was lent me to tie out my    
horse1 ,i led him to the back of the    
house4 ,when ,i returned1 my strange1   
unwilling host was again gone1 so ,i lay
 down on a pile of hides in the shade of

 the wall1 and1 utterly tired out1 with 
visions of banquets floating before my  
eyes1 ,i dropped off to sleep4  ,perhaps
 an hour afterwards1 ,i awoke to find a 
woman1 black as night1 bending over me4 
,not seeing a visitor once in three     
months1 her feminine curiosity had      
impelled her to come and examine me4    
,seemingly more amiable than her        
husband1 she spoke to me1 but in a      
strange1 unmusical language1 which ,i   
could not understand2 and then she1 too1
 left me4 ,as evening approached1       
another inmate of the house made his    
appearance4 ,he was1 ,i could see1 of a 
different race1 and1 to my joy1 ,i found
 that he spoke fluently in ,spanish4    
,conducting me to the aforementioned    
outhouse1 a place built of canes and    
mud1 he told me that later on a piece of
 meat would be given me1 and that ,i    
could sleep on the sheepskins4 ,i got   
the meat1 and ,i slept on the skins4    
,fatigued as ,i was1 ,i passed a        
wretched night1 for dozens of huge rats 

ran over my body1 bit my hands1 and     
scratched my face1 the whole night long4
 ,morning at last dawned1 and1 with the 
first streaks of coming day1 ,i saddled 
my horse1 and1 shaking the dust of the  
,brazilian estancia off my feet1 resumed
 my journey4  ,,the ,,bursting ,,of ,a  
,,man4  ,a friend of mine came upon an  
ostrich's nest4 ,the bird was not near1 
so1 dismounting1 he picked up an egg and
 placed it in an inside pocket of his   
coat4 ,continuing the journey1 the egg  
was forgotten1 and the horse1 galloping 
along1 suddenly tripped and fell4 ,the  
rider was thrown to the ground1 where he
 lay stunned4 ,three hours afterwards   
consciousness returned4 ,as his weary   
eyes wandered1 he noticed1 with horror1 
that his chest and side were thickly    
besmeared4 ,with a cry of despair1 he   
lay back1 groaning1 ,i have burst6 ,the 
presence of the egg he had put in his   
pocket had quite passed from his mind6  
,i ,,find ,a ,,lone ,,scotsman4  ,one   
evening after a long day's journey1 ,i  

reached a house1 away near the          
,brazilian frontier1 and was surprised  
indeed to see that the owner was a real 
live ,scotsman4 ,great was my           
astonishment and pleasure at receiving  
such a warm ,scotch welcome4 ,he was    
eighty miles away from any              
village--alone in the mountains--and at 
the sight of me he wept like a child4   
,never can ,i forget his anguish as he  
told me that his beloved wife had died  
just a few days before1 and that he had 
buried her--there in the glen4 ,at the  
sight of a ,british face he had         
completely broken down2 but1 pulling    
himself together1 he conducted me       
through into the courtyard1 and the     
difficulty of my journey was forgotten  
as we sat down to the evening meal4     
,being anxious to hear the story of her 
who had presided at his board1 ,i bade  
him recount to me the sad circumstances4
  ,she was a bonnie lassie1 and he had  
lo'ed her muckle4 ,there they had lived 
for twelve years1 shut out from the rest

 of the world1 yet content4 ,hand in    
hand they had toiled in joy and sorrow1 
when no rain fell for eight long months1
 and their cattle died2 or when increase
 was good1 and flocks and herds fat4    
,side by side they had stood alone in   
the wild tangle of the wilderness4 ,and 
now1 when riches had been gathered and  
comfort could be had1 his lassie had    
left him1 and ,oh6 he grudged her sair  
to the land o' the leal6 ,being so far  
removed from his fellows1 he had been   
compelled to perform the sacred offices 
of burial himself4 ,surrounded by kind  
hearts and loving sympathizers1 it is   
sad indeed to lose our loved ones4 ,but 
how inexpressibly more sad it is when1  
away in loneliness1 a man digs the cold 
clay tomb for all that is left of his   
only joy6 ,when our dear ones sleep in  
,god's acre surrounded by others it is  
sad4 ,but how much more heartbreaking is
 it to bury the darling wife in the     
depths of the mountains alone1 where a  
strong stone wall must be built around  

the grave to keey the wild beasts from  
tearing out the remains6 ,only those who
 have been so situated can picture the  
solemnity of such a scene4  ,at his     
urgent request1 ,i promised ,i would    
accompany him to the spot--sanctified by
 his sorrow and watered by his          
tears--where he had laid his dear one4  
,early the following morning a native   
servant saddled two horses1 and we rode 
in silence towards the hallowed ground4 
,in about thirty minutes we came in view
 of the quiet tomb4 ,encircling the     
grave he had built a high stone wall4   
,when he silently opened the gate1 ,i   
saw that1 although all the pasture      
outside was dry and withered1 that on   
the mound was beautifully green and     
fresh4 ,had he brought water from his   
house1 for there was none nearer1 or was
 it watered by his tears8 ,his greatest 
longing was1 as he had explained to me  
the previous night1 that she should have
 a ,christian burial1 and if ,i would   
read some chapter over her grave he     

would feel more content1 he said4 ,as   
with bared heads we reverently knelt on 
the mound1 ,i now complied with his     
request4 ,then1 for the first time in   
the world's history1 the trees that     
surrounded us listened to the ,christian
 doctrine of a resurrection from the    
dead4 ,it is sown in corruption1 it is  
raised in incorruption4 ,and the leaves 
whispered to the mountains beyond1 which
 gave back the words3 ,it is sown a     
natural body1 it is raised a spiritual  
body4  ,never have ,i seen a man so     
broken with grief as was that lone      
,scotsman4 ,there were no paid mourners 
or idle sightseers4 ,there was no show  
of sorrow while the heart remained      
indifferent and untouched4 ,it was the  
spectacle of a lone man who had buried  
his all and was left--    ,to linger    
when the sun of life1    ,the beam that 
gilds its path1 is gone--   ,to feel the
 aching bosom's strife1    ,when ,hope  
is dead and ,love lives on4  ,as we     
knelt there1 ,i spoke to the man about  

salvation from sin1 and unfolded ,god's 
plan of inheritance and reunions in the 
future life4 ,the ,lord gave ,his       
blessing1 and ,i left him next day      
rejoicing in the ,christ who said3 ,i am
 the resurrection and the life2 he that 
believeth in ,me1 though he were dead1  
yet shall he live4  ,as the world moves 
forward1 and man pushes his way into the
 waste places of the earth1 that lonely 
grave will be forgotten4 ,populous      
cities will be built2 but the doctrine  
the mountains then heard shall live when
 the gloomy youth of ,uruguay is        
forgotten4  ,,the ,,word ,,of ,,god     
,,contrasted ,,with ,,that ,,of ,,the   
,r4 ,c4 ,,church4  ,thou shalt worship  
the ,lord thy ,god1 and ,him only shalt 
thou serve4--,the ,christ4  ,mary must  
be the first object of our worship1 ,st4
 ,joseph the second4--,roman ,catholic  
,catechism4  ,thou shalt not make unto  
thee any graven image or any likeness of
 anything that is in heaven above1 or   
that is in the earth beneath1 or that is

 in the water under the earth4 ,thou    
shalt not bow down thyself to them1 nor 
serve them1 for ,i the ,lord thy ,god am
 a jealous ,god4  ,i most firmly assert 
that the images of ,christ and of the   
mother of ,god1 ever virgin1 and also of
 the other saints1 are to be had and    
retained1 and that due honor and        
veneration are to be given to           
them4--,creed of ,pope ,pius ,,iv4  ,my 
glory will ,i not give to another1      
neither my praise to graven             
images4--,jehovah4  ,the saints reigning
 together with ,christ are to be honored
 and invocated2 444 they offer prayers  
to ,god for us444 their relics are to be
 venerated4--,creed of ,pope ,pius ,,iv4
  ,for there is one ,god1 and one       
mediator between ,god and men--the man  
,christ ,jesus4--,paul4  ,mary is       
everything in heaven and earth1 and we  
should adore her4--,the ,south ,american
 ,priest4  ,who changed the truth of    
,god into a lie and worshipped and      
served the creature more than the       

,creator1 who is blessed for            
ever4--,paul  ,all power was given to   
her4--,peter ,damian1 ,cardinal of      
,rome4  ,search the ,scriptures4--,the  
,christ4  ,all who read the ,bible      
should be stoned to death4--,pope       
,innocent ,,iii4     ,,part ,,vi4       
,,mariolatry ,,and ,,image ,,worship4   
,illustration3 ,,our ,,lady ,,of        
,,guadaloupe4 ,many legacies are left to
 this image4     ,,chapter ,,xiv4       
,,mariolatry ,,and ,,image ,,worship4   
,before the light of ,christianity      
dawned on ancient ,rome1 the ,pantheon  
contained goddesses many and gods many4 
,chief of these deities to receive the  
worship of the people seems to have been
 ,diana of the ,ephesians1 a goddess    
whose image fell down from ,jupiter2 the
 celestial ,venus of ,corinth1 and      
,isis1 sister to ,osiris1 the god of    
,egypt4 ,these popular images1 so       
universally worshipped1 were naturally  
the aversion of the early followers of  
,christ4 ,the primitive ,christians were

 possessed with an unconquerable        
repugnance to the use and abuse of      
images4 ,the ,jewish disciples were     
especially bitter against any but the   
triune ,god receiving homage1 but1 by a 
slow1 though inevitable1 progression1   
the honors of the original were         
transferred to the copy1 the devout     
,christian prayed before the image of a 
saint1 and the pagan rites of           
genuflexion1 luminaries1 and incense    
stole into the ,christian ,church4      
,footnote3 ,gibbons' ,rome4  ,having    
,paul's masterly epistle to the ,romans1
 in the first chapter of which he so    
distinctly portrays man's tendency to   
change the glory of the uncorruptible   
,god into an image made like to         
corruptible man1 and worship and serve  
the creature more than the ,creator1 who
 is blessed forever1 they were careful  
to remember that ,god is a spirit1 and  
to be worshipped only in spirit4 ,peter1
 in his epistle to them1 also wrote of  
the ,one whom having not seen ye love4  

,as time wore on1 however1 the original 
inclination of man to worship a god he  
could see and feel 7a trait seen all    
down the pages of history7 asserted     
itself1 and ,mary1 the mother of        
,christ1 took the place in the eye and  
the heart previously occupied by her    
predecessors4 ,footnote3 ,just as this  
work goes to press1 the dally papers of 
the world announce that the oldest idol 
ever discovered has just been unearthed4
 ,the idol is a goddess1 who is holding 
an infant in her arms4 ,being in        
possession of the ,acts of the          
,apostles1 which plainly declares that  
,mary herself met with the rest of the  
disciples for prayer and supplication1  
and1 knowing from the four ,gospels that
 no worship had been at first given to  
her1 the innovation was slow to find    
favor2 but1 in the year #dca1 the       
,council of ,ephesus decided that ,mary 
was equal with ,god4  ,after the ruin of
 paganism they were no longer restrained
 by the apprehension of an odious       

parallel in the idol worship4 ,symptoms 
of degeneracy may be observed even in   
the first generations which adopted and 
cherished this pernicious innovation4   
,the worship of images had stolen into  
the ,church by insensible degrees1 and  
each petty step was pleasing to the     
superstitious mind1 as productive of    
comfort and innocent of sin4 ,but1 in   
the beginning of the eighth century1 in 
the full magnitude of the abuse1 the    
more timorous ,greeks were awakened by  
an apprehension that1 under the mask of 
,christianity1 they had restored the    
religion of their fathers4 ,they heard  
with grief and impatience the name of   
'idolaters1' the incessant charge of the
 ,jews and ,mahometans1 who derived from
 the ,law and the ,koran an immortal    
hatred to graven images and all the     
relative worship4 ,footnote3 ,gibbons'  
,rome4  ,it should be a most humiliating
 fact to the ,romanists to have it      
recorded as authentic history that the  
great miracle-working ,madonna of ,rome1

 worshipped in the ,church of ,st4      
,augustina1 is only a pagan statue of   
the wicked ,agrippina with her infant   
,nero in her arms4 ,covered with jewels 
and votive offerings1 her foot encased  
in gold1 because the constant kissing   
has worn away the stone1 this haughty   
and evil-minded ,roman matron bears no  
possible resemblance to the pure ,virgin
 ,mary2 yet crowds are always at her    
feet1 worshipping her4 ,the celebrated  
bronze statue of ,st4 ,peter1 which is  
adored in the great ,church1 and whose  
feet are entirely kissed away by the    
lips of devotees1 is but an antique     
statue of ,jupiter1 an idol of paganism4
 ,all that was necessary to make the    
pagan god a ,christian saint was to turn
 the thunderbolt in his uplifted right  
hand to two keys1 and put a gilded halo 
around his head4 ,yet1 on any ,church   
holiday1 you will see thousands passing 
solemnly before this image 7arrayed in  
gorgeous robes1 with the ,pope's mitre  
on its head71 and after bowing before   

it1 rise on their toes and repeatedly   
kiss its feet4 ,footnote3 ,vickers'     
,rome  ,this method of receiving heathen
 deities as saints has been common all  
over ,south ,america1 and many ,indian  
idols may be seen in the churches1 now  
adored as ,roman ,catholic saints1 while
 the worship of ,mary has grown to an   
alarming extent4 ,in ,lima's largest    
church1 printed right over the chancel1 
is the motto1 ,glory to ,mary4  ,in     
,cordoba1 the ,argentine seat of        
learning--a city so old that university 
degrees were being given there when the 
,pilgrim ,fathers landed on the shores  
of ,new ,england--charms1 amulets and   
miniature images of the ,virgin are     
manufactured in large numbers4 ,these   
are worn around the neck1 and are       
supposed to work great wonders4 ,as may 
be understood1 the workers in these     
crafts stand up for ,romanism1 and are  
willing to cry themselves hoarse for    
,mary1 just as the people of old cried  
for ,diana of the ,ephesians4  ,it is   

often told of the ,protestant worker    
that he keeps behind his door an image  
of the ,blessed ,virgin1 and1 when      
entering or leaving the house1 he spits 
in her face4 ,no pains are spared to    
stamp out any dissenting work1 and the  
missionary is made a by-word of         
opprobrium4 ,i have repeatedly had the  
doors and windows of my preaching places
 broken and wrecked4 ,the priests have  
incited the vulgar crowd to hoot and    
yell at me1 and on these occasions ,i   
have been both shot at and stoned4  ,in 
,cordoba1 there is a very costly image  
of ,mary4 ,once every year it is brought
 out into the public square1 while all  
the criminals from the state prison     
stand in line4 ,by a move of her head   
she is supposed to point out the one    
whom she thinks should be given his     
liberty4  ,from ,goldsmith's ,rome we   
learn that the vestal virgins possessed 
the power to pardon any criminal whom   
they met on the road to execution4 ,thus
 does ,romanism follow paganism4 ,with  

the ,virgin is often the image of ,st4  
,peter4 ,the followers of this saint    
affirm that they are always warned1     
three days before they die1 to prepare  
for death4 ,st4 ,peter comes in person  
and knocks on the wall beside their bed4
  ,as the virgin1 ,diana1 was the       
guardian of ,ephesus1 so the ,virgin    
,mary protects ,argentina4  ,the ,bishop
 of ,tucuman1 in a recent speech1 said3 
,argentina is now safe against possible 
invasion4 ,the newly-crowned ,lady of   
the ,miracles defends the north1 and the
 ,lady of ,lujan guards the south4  ,a  
writer in ,the ,times of ,argentina     
naively asks3 ,if these can safely defy 
and defeat all comers1 is there any     
further necessity for public expenditure
 in military matters8  ,south ,america  
groans under the weight of a mediaeval  
religion which has little to do with    
spiritual life4 ,in ,spain and          
,portugal1 perhaps the two most deluded 
of ,european lands1 ,i have seen great  
darkness1 but even there the priest is  

often good1 and at least puts on a      
veneer of piety4 ,in ,south ,america    
this is not generally considered        
necessary4 ,frequently he is found to be
 the worst man in the village4 ,if you  
speak to him of his dissolute life1 he  
may tell you that he1 being a priest1   
may do things you1 a layman1 must not4  
,in ,spain1 ,portugal and ,italy1 next  
door to highly enlightened countries1   
the priest cannot1 for very shame1 act  
as he is free to do in ,south ,america4 
,that great continent has been ruled and
 governed only by ,roman ,catholics1    
without outside interference1 and       
,romanists in other lands do not1 and   
would not1 believe the practices there  
sanctioned4  ,you ask about this nation 
and the ,roman ,catholic ,church1 said  
the ,american ,minister in one ,south   
,american capital4 ,well1 the nation is 
rotten1 thanks to the ,church and to    
,spain4 ,the ,church has taught lies and
 uncleanness1 and been the bulwark of   
injustice and wrong for #cjj years4 ,how

 could you expect anything else8 ,lies1 
said a priest to a friend1 who told the 
remark to us1 what do lies have to do   
with religion4 ,footnote3 ,missions ,in 
,south ,america1 ,robt4 ,e4 ,speer4  ,a 
missionary writes3 ,recently the ,roman 
bishop and several other priests visited
 the various towns4 ,it was a business  
trip1 for they charged a good price for 
baptisms1 confirmations1 etc41 and      
carried away thousands of dollars4 ,in  
,santa ,cruz a disgraceful scene was    
publicly enacted in the church by the   
resident priest and one of the visitors4
 ,both saw a woman drop a twenty-five   
cent piece into the pan2 each grabbed   
for it1 and then they fought before the 
people6 ,the village priest wanted me to
 take his photo1 but he was so drunk ,i 
had to help him put on his official     
robes4 ,he was taken standing in the    
doorway of the church beside an image of
 the ,virgin4  ,there wan a feast in    
honor of the image of the ,holy ,spirit 
in the church4 ,this is a figure of a   

man with a beard2 beside it sits a      
figure of ,christ1 and between them a   
dove4 ,great crowds of people attend    
these feasts to buy1 sell and drink4 ,on
 a common in the town a large altar was 
erected1 and another image of the ,holy 
,spirit placed1 and before it danced    
,indians fantastically dressed to       
represent monkeys1 tigers1 lions and    
deer4 ,saturday1 ,sunday and ,monday    
were days of debauchery4 ,men1 women and
 children were intoxicated2 the jails   
were full1 and extravagances of all     
kinds were practised by masked ,indians4
 ,the vessels in the church are of gold 
and silver1 and the images each have a  
man to care for them4 ,the patron saint 
is a large image of the ,virgin1 dressed
 in clothing that cost #b1ejj4  ,since  
returning to more civilized lands1 ,i   
have been asked3 ,but do they really    
worship the ,virgin1 or ,god1 through   
her8 ,i answer that in enlightened      
countries where ,roman ,catholicism     
prevails1 the latter may be true1 but   

that in ,south ,america1 discovered and 
governed by ,romanists from the earliest
 times1 millions of people worship the  
,virgin without any reference to ,god4  
,she is the great goddess of the people1
 and while one may see her image in     
every church1 it is seldom indeed that  
,god is honored with a place--then ,he  
may be seen as an old man with a long   
white beard4 ,what kind of ,god they    
think ,he is may be seen from the words 
of ,missionary ,f4 ,glass3 ,i found a   
'festa' in full swing1 called the       
',feast of the ,divine ,eternal         
,father1' and a drunken crowd were      
marching round1 with trumpets1 drums and
 a sacred banner1 collecting alms       
professedly on ,his behalf4 ,footnote3  
,through the ,heart of ,brazil  ,mary is
 the one to whom the vast majority of   
people pray4 ,they have been taught to  
address supplications to her1 and1 being
 a woman1 her heart is considered more  
tender than a man's could be4 ,during a 
drought their earnest prayer for rain   

was answered in an unexpected way1 for  
not only did she send it1 but with such 
accompanying violence that it washed    
away the church6  ,in some churches the 
mail-box stands in a corner1 and        
,letters to the ,virgin is printed over 
it4 ,there are always many young women  
to be seen before the image of ,st4     
,anthony1 for he is the patron of       
marriages1 and many a timid confession  
of love is dropped into the letter-box1 
and it often happens that a marriage is 
arranged as a result4 ,the superstitious
 maiden believes that her letter goes   
directly to the ,virgin or to the saint 
in his heavenly mansion1 and she has no 
suspicion that it is read by the parish 
priest4  ,saints are innumerable and    
their powers extraordinary4 ,when       
travelling in ,entre ,rios1 ,i learned  
that ,st4 ,ramon was an adept in guiding
 the path of the thunderbolt4 ,a        
terrific storm swept across the country1
 and a woman1 afraid for her house1     
placed his image leaning against the    

outside wall1 that he might be able to  
see and direct the elements4 ,the       
tempest raged1 and as though to show the
 saint's utter helplessness1 the end of 
the house was struck by lightning and   
set on fire4 ,little damage was done1   
but ,i smiled when the indignant woman1 
after the storm ceased1 soundly thrashed
 the image for not attending to its     
duty4  ,while preaching in the town of  
,quilmes1 a poor deluded worshipper of  
,rome turned from idols to serve the    
living and true ,god4 ,he had been a    
sincere believer in ,st4 ,nicolas1 and  
implicitly believed the absurd account  
of that saint having raised to life     
three children who had been brutally    
murdered by their father and secreted in
 a barrel4 ,he brought me a picture of  
this wonder-worker tapping the barrel1  
and the little ones in the act of coming
 out alive and well4  ,one familiar with
 ,romanism in ,south ,america has said3 
,it is amazing to hear men who have     
access to the ,word of ,god and the     

facts of history and of the actual state
 of the ,romish world attempt to        
apologize for or even defend ,romanism4 
,romanism is not ,christianity4  ,the   
,church deliberately lies about the ,ten
 ,commandments1 entirely omitting the   
second and dividing the tenth in order  
to make the requisite number4 ,can a    
,church which deceives the people teach 
them true religion8 ,is the preaching of
 ,mary the preaching of ,christ8        
,footnote3 ,mission ,in ,south ,america1
 ,robert ,b4 ,speer4  ,there is not an  
essential truth which is not distorted1 
covered up1 neutralized1 poisoned1 and  
completely nullified by the doctrines of
 the ,romish system4 ,footnote3 ,bishop 
,neely's ,south ,america4  ,a missionary
 in ,cartago writes3 ,i must tell you   
about the annual procession of the      
wonderful miracle-working image called  
',our ,lady ,queen of the ,angels1'     
through the principal streets of the    
town4 ,picture to yourselves1 if you    
can1 hundreds of people praying1        

worshipping1 and doing homage to this   
little stone idol1 for which a special  
church has been built4 ,to this image   
many people come with their diseases1   
for she is supposed to have power to    
cure all4 ,on a special day of the      
procession1 people receive pardon for   
particular sins if they only carry out  
the bidding of ',our ,lady1' ,she seems 
to order some extraordinary things1 such
 as crawling in the streets with big    
rocks on the head after the procession1 
or painting one's self all the colors of
 the rainbow4 ,one man was painted      
black1 while others wore wigs and beards
 of a long parasitic grass which grows  
from the trees4 ,some were dressed in   
sackcloth1 and all were doing penance   
for some sin or crime4 ,this little     
image was carried by priests1 incense   
was burned before her1 and at intervals 
in the journey she was put on lovely    
altars1 on which sat little girls       
dressed in blue and green1 with wings of
 white1 representing angels4 ,some weeks

 ago ',our ,lady' was carried through   
the streets to collect money for the    
bull-fights got up in her honor4 ,she is
 said to be very fond of these fights1  
which are immoral and full of bloody    
cruelty4 ,this year the bulls were to   
kill the men1 or the men the bulls1 and 
the awful drunkenness ,i cannot         
describe4 ,after this collection the    
bishop came over here1 and is said to   
have taken away some of the money4 ,soon
 after he died1 and the people here say 
that ',our ,lady' was angry with him4   
,from a recent list of prayers used in  
the ,church of ,rome ,i select the      
following expressions3   ,queen of      
heaven and earth1 ,mother of ,god1   my 
,sovereign ,mistress1 ,i present myself 
before   you as a poor mendicant before 
a mighty ,queen4   ,all is subject to   
,mary's empire1 even ,god   ,himself4   
,jesus has rendered ,mary omnipotent3   
the one is omnipotent by nature1 the    
other   omnipotent by grace4   ,you1 ,o 
,holy ,virgin1 have over ,god the       

authority   of a mother4   ,it is       
impossible that a true servant of ,mary 
should be damned4   ,my soul is in the  
hands of ,mary1 so that if   the ,judge 
wishes to condemn me the sentence   must
 pass through this clement ,queen1 and  
she   knows how to prevent its          
execution4   ,we1 ,holy ,virgin1 hope   
for grace and salvation   from you4     
,dispensatrix of ,divine ,grace4  ,how  
history repeats itself6 ,how hard       
paganism is to kill6 ,the ancient       
,egyptians worshipped the ,queen of     
,heaven4 ,jeremiah1 as far back as #ehg 
,b4,c41 prophesied desolation to ,judah 
for having burned incense to the ,queen 
of ,heaven1 and poured out drink        
offerings unto her1 and made cakes to   
worship her4--,jer4 xliv4 #ag-ai4  ,of  
the wise men 7,matthew ii47 we read3    
,and when they were come into the house1
 they saw the young child with ,mary1   
,his mother1 and fell down and          
worshipped ,him4  ,the ,south ,american 
version of ,matthew #aa3bh1 as may be   

seen carved on a stone of the ,jesuit   
,church in ,cuzco1 is3 ,come to ,,mary1 
all you who are laden with works1 and   
weary beneath the weight of your sins1  
and she will alleviate you1 ,a literal  
translation of one of the prayers       
offered to her reads3 ,yes1 beloved     
,mother6 of thee ,i supplicate all that 
is necessary for the salvation of my    
soul4 ,of whom should ,i ask this grace 
but of ,thee8 ,to whom should a loving  
son go but to his beloved ,mother8 ,to  
whom the weak sheep cry but to its      
divine shepherdess8 ,whom seek the sick1
 but the celestial doctor8 ,whom invoke 
those in affliction but the mother of   
consolation8 ,hear me then1 ,holy       
,queen6  ,the statues of the ,queen of  
,heaven are often of great magnificence1
 the dress of one which ,i know having  
cost #b1jjj4 ,in the poor ,indian       
churches a bag of maize leaves1 tied    
near the top to make a neck1 and above  
that an ,indian physiognomy1 painted    
with some vegetable dye1 serves the same

 purpose4 ,the ,bishop of ,la ,serena1  
in ,chili1 has received as much as      
#dj1jjj a year for keeping up the       
revered image in that church1 and these 
images are worshipped4 ,bequests are    
often left to them1 and a popular one   
will receive many legacies annually4    
,to be just1 ,i must mention that in the
 arms of this ,mother of ,god there is1 
almost invariably1 the child ,jesus1 but
 ,i must also state that to tens of     
thousands this baby never grew to       
manhood1 but went up to heaven in ,his  
mother's arms4 ,what a caricature of    
,christianity6 ,paul said3 ,if ,christ  
be not risen1 then is our preaching     
vain1 and your faith is also vain4 ,make
 ,jesus a perpetual child1 and          
,mariolatry becomes lower than ,chinese 
ancestral worship4 ,if ,he1 as a child1 
was translated to heaven1 then ,he never
 died and rose again4 ,mary is1 to them1
 the ,saviour4 ,the child ,jesus        
happened to be her son1 and1 as she was 
the great divine one1 ,he1 through her1 

partook of divinity4 ,la ,cruz1 a weekly
 paper1 published in ,tucuman1          
,argentina1 in its issue of ,september  
#crd1 #ahii1 had the following article3 
,,the ,,birth ,,of ,,mary4  ,chroniclers
 say that such was the fury that        
possessed the devils in hell1 at the    
moment of the birth of the ,most        
,blessed ,virgin1 that they nearly broke
 loose4  ,there was sounded in heaven   
the first cannon shot in salutation of  
such a happy event4 ,lucifer gave such a
 jump that he got his horns caught in   
the moon1 and there1 it is said1 he     
remained hanging all the day1 like the  
insignificant fellow he is1 to the great
 amusement of the blessed ones above1   
who laughed to see such an uncommon     
sight4  ,the other devils1 who could not
 jump so high1 remained below screaming 
and kicking61 and tearing their apology 
for beards1 when not otherwise occupied 
in scratching and biting and burning the
 unfortunate condemned ones4  ,and all  
this because444 it had been foretold    

that444 a woman1 yes1 a woman1 should   
one day bruise their heads444 and1      
according to all appearances1 this was  
the woman444 and that she was that      
bright and morning star that announces  
the appearance of the ,sun4  ,why should
 we not therefore rejoice1 as the angels
 in heaven rejoiced1 over that moat     
happy event--the birth of ,mary4  ,from 
this it is clear that in ,tucuman1 at   
any rate--and this1 by the way1 is an   
important city1 of at least #ge1jjj     
inhabitants--they believe that ,mary1   
not ,christ1 came to bruise the         
serpent's head4 ,the ,roman ,catholic   
translation of ,gen4 #c3ae is3 ,she     
shall bruise the serpent's head4 ,thus1 
the reader sees1 at the very            
commencement of ,god's ,word1 and in the
 very first promise of a ,saviour for   
fallen men1 the eyes of seeking souls   
are turned by ,romanists from the       
,creator to the creature4  ,how these   
words are understood by ,romanists is   
plainly seen by the pictures of ,mary   

trampling on the serpent1 which are     
found everywhere in ,romish lands4      
,under pictures of the ,virgin1         
circulated everywhere1 are the words3   
,we have seen the star and are come to  
adore her4 ,the prayers of adoration    
run1 ,to the holiest birth of ,mary1    
that in death it may bring about our    
birth to eternal glory4 ,ave ,maria6 ,to
 the anguish of ,mary1 that we may be   
made predestined children of her        
sorrows4 ,ave ,maria6  ,the veneration  
with which the ,virgin ,mary is         
regarded1 and the power with which she  
is invested1 are thus told by many a    
priest3 ,once ,god was so angry with the
 world that ,he determined to destroy   
it1 and was about to execute ,his design
 when ,mary said to ,him3 ',give me back
 first the milk with which ,i fed you1  
and then you can do so6' ,in this way   
she averted the impending destruction4  
,millions in ,brazil look upon the      
,virgin ,mary as their ,saviour4 ,a book
 widely circulated throughout northern  

,brazil says that ,mary1 when still a   
mere child1 went bodily to heaven and   
begged ,god to send ,christ1 through    
her1 into the world4 ,further on it says
 that ,mary went again to heaven to     
plead for sinners2 and at the close     
,mary's will is given1 disposing of the 
whole world1 and ,god the ,father1 ,son1
 and ,holy ,spirit--the ,trinity--act as
 the three witnesses to the will4 ,how  
many good ,christians at home think     
,brazil is a ,christian country8        
,footnote3 ,w4 ,c4 ,porter4  ,if the    
,bible were in circulation throughout   
,south ,america1 the populace would be  
enabled to see that ,christ is not the  
remorseless ,judge but the loving       
,saviour1 and that it was ,he who       
purchased redemption for us4 ,mary1     
according to ,luke #a3dg1 was herself in
 need of a ,saviour1 and her only       
recorded command was to do as ,he1 the  
,christ1 enjoined 7,see ,john #b3e74    
,not only ,protestants1 but not even    
,roman ,catholics born in ,protestant   

countries1 can understand what ,romanism
 is in ,south ,america4  ,christ said3  
,search the ,scriptures4 ,rome has done 
her best to destroy the sacred volume4  
,papal bulls1 said to have been dictated
 by the ,holy ,ghost1 have been issued  
by several ,popes4 ,rome sometimes      
burned the martyrs with a ,bible hanging
 around their necks4 ,romanists showed  
their hatred against ,wycliffe1 the     
first translator of the ,new ,testament 
into ,english1 by unearthing his        
crumbling remains and burning them to   
ashes4 ,i have often seen the same      
spirit shown in ,south ,america4  ,a    
colporteur1 writing of ,scripture       
circulation in the ,argentine1 says3    
,many of the people are trying to get us
 ejected from the city4 ,one1 to whom a 
,bible was offered1 became so infuriated
 that he said3 ',if it were not such a  
public place8 ,i would drown you in the 
river4' ,a missionary writes3 ,a young  
fellow called out after me1 ',i renounce
 you1 ,satan1' but as that is not my    

name1 ,i did not turn back4 ,during the 
meeting on ,sunday evening1 the priest  
came riding up to the window1 and       
shouted that he would soon put a stop to
 us4 ,today he has had a number of bills
 printed1 warning his parishioners to   
have nothing to do with us4 ,to-night   
one of the bills was pasted on the door4
 ,br4 ,arena took it off1 and no sooner 
had he the door shut than two shots were
 fired1 but they did no more harm than  
to pierce the door--thank ,god6 ,i have 
been informed that a number of young men
 will either beat or shoot me1 and that 
as ,i am the only one left they are     
going to make me leave1 too1 by foul or 
by fair means4 ,the following is a      
translation of the priest's warning3    
,to the faithful of ,candelaria4        
,beware4   ,this parish has been invaded
 by one of the   wicked sects of        
,protestantism1 and1 having the   sacred
 duty of warning my parishioners1 ,i    
give   them to understand that should   
any one of   them attend1 even from mere

 curiosity1 to hear   the false and     
pernicious propaganda1 or accept        
tracts or books that come from the      
propagators   of ,protestantism1 he will
 be excommunicated   from the true and  
only ,church of ,jesus ,christ1         
,catholic1 ,apostolic1 and ,roman1      
wherein resides   the infallible        
authority4 ,beware1 then1 oh1 ye        
faithful1 and listen to your parish     
priest1 who   advises you of the danger 
of your souls4  ,yet with all this      
darkness and error1 the majority are    
well contented1 and quite willing to    
obey warnings like this and the         
following1 published in ,los            
,principios1 of ,cordoba3    ,it has    
come to our knowledge that there are    
amongst us various ,protestant          
ministers1 that   distribute with       
profusion leaflets containing their     
erroneous doctrines and calumnies       
against the   ,catholic ,church4 ,some  
of these leaflets and booklets   have   
fallen into our hands1 and in them we   

have found confirmation of what we say  
above4   ,in one of these leaflets1 for 
example1 they treat   as idolatry the   
worship that we ,catholics tribute   to 
the ,mother of ,god4 ,they treat as     
superstition   the veneration they have 
in ,rome for the holy   staircase by    
which our ,lord ,jesus ,christ went   up
 to the judgment hall of ,pilate4 ,they 
combat   the worship of images1 relics1 
and things of that   description4       
,catholics ought to know that it is not 
lawful   for them to read these         
leaflets1 nor the ,sacred   ,bible      
distributed by the ,protestants1 because
 it   has been falsified by them1       
accommodating its   texts to their      
errors4 ,the ,church has prohibited     
its children many times these pernicious
 readings4   ,let us reject1 according  
to the counsel   of ,st4 ,paul1 these   
ravenous wolves that come in   sheep's  
clothing1 for they come to kill and to  
destroy souls1 thrusting them into the  
ways of   error1 being separated from   

the true ,church of   ,jesus ,christ1   
from which ,luther1 ,calvin1            
,zuinglio1 ,henry ,,viii1 and others    
separated   themselves1 of whom         
,cobbell1 the ,protestant   historian1  
himself has said3 ',never has the       
world seem gathered into one century so 
many   perverse men as ,luther1         
,zuiniglio1 ,calvin1' etc4   ,one       
acquainted with ,spanish-,american      
,romanism will smile at the reference in
 the above article to the ,bible having 
been falsified by us4 ,if the text of   
any version extant is compared with     
those which are painted on the walls of 
the church in ,celaya1 there surely will
 be found a great discrepancy4 ,the     
following are translations3  ,,mary1 my 
mother1 in thee ,i hope2 save me from   
those that persecute me4--,psalm vii4   
#a4  ,be thou exalted1 ,o ,,mary1 above 
the heavens1 and thy glory above all the
 earth4--,psalm lvii4 #e4  ',i will sing
 to ,,mary while ,i live4--,psalm civ4  
#cc4  ,serve ,,mary with love1 and      

rejoice in her with trembling4--,psalm  
ii4 #aa4  ,offer sacrifices of          
righteousness and trust in              
,,mary4--,psalm iv4 #e4  ,let everything
 that hath breath praise ,,our ,,lady1  
etc41 etc4  ,protestant ,christians pay 
almost all the entire cost of           
circulating ,roman ,catholic            
translations of the ,scriptures over the
 world4 ,in the versions of ,de ,saci   
7,french71 ,martini 7,italian71 ,scio   
7,spanish71 ,pereira 7,portuguese71 and 
,wuyka 7,polish71 we find in ,matthew   
#c3 #b1 and thirty-four other places1   
instead of repent ye the words1 do      
penance1 while in ,matthew #c3 #h1 and  
some twenty other places1 the word that 
should be translated repentance1 is     
rendered penance4 ,in the following     
light way penance can be done1 while    
repentance is not thought of4  ,for sins
 against the ,church the priest will    
often condemn the culprit to wear a     
hideous garment for hours1 or days1     
according to the gravity of the offence1

 but this punishment can be worn by     
proxy4 ,there are always those who1 for 
a consideration1 will don the badge of  
disgrace4  ,what is called ,holy ,week  
gives proofs of the shallowness of      
,rome's piety4 ,priests and people alike
 can weep1 fast and faint1 because their
 ,god is suffering and dying2 all       
traffic can stop because1 they say1 ,god
 has died2 but as soon as the death of  
,judas is announced1 at noon on         
,saturday1 the noise of guns1 pistols1  
squibs1 etc41 takes the place of the    
death-like quiet that had reigned4      
,after an hour or two silence again     
prevails till ,sunday morning1 when all 
restraint is removed1 and people seem to
 make up for lost time4 ,drinking and   
kindred evils run riot1 and it is no    
uncommon thing on the ,sunday night to  
see the people drinking and dancing by  
the light of the candles they were      
burning to their favorite virgin or     
saint4  ,in the large city of ,lima1 for
 centuries a very stronghold of image   

worship1 the interest in the ,church has
 of late years been waning4 ,perhaps one
 reason for this is the changing nature 
of the native population of the city1   
for the deaths there exceed the births4 
,seeing this falling away from the      
,church1 the priests announced that they
 had decided to send for the ,sacred    
,heart of the ,virgin1 and trusted that 
the presence of this holy relic would   
promote the more faithful attendance of 
the flock4 ,the heart arrived and was   
with great solemnity hung from the roof 
of the cathedral as the incentive to    
piety4 ,thousands flocked into the      
sacred building with reverent awe4 ,the 
women gazed upon the heart with tearful 
eyes1 and as they thought of ,mary's    
sufferings and goodness they were       
emulated to deeper acts of love and     
piety4 ,one day the wind blew very      
strongly through the open doorway1 and  
the ,sacred ,heart began to sway to and 
fro4 ,getting more and more momentum    
with every oscillation1 the heart       

finally struck against a sharp cornice1 
when lo--all the sawdust fell out of the
 canvas bag they had worshipped as the  
heart of flesh of their goddess4 ,how   
they reconciled the existence of the    
heart of the ,virgin with their belief  
that she ascended to heaven in a bodily 
form ,i do not pretend to imagine4 ,it  
may be remarked that this is surely     
,romanism corrupted4 ,nay1 it is rather 
,romanism developed4  ,andacilli is a   
hamlet1 at which there is an image of   
the ,virgin4 ,every year pilgrims resort
 thither1 and a great feast to the      
,virgin is celebrated1 the most         
important day being ,december #bfth4    
,during the last few years there has    
been a falling off in the number of     
pilgrims1 especially those of the better
 class1 but this last year the clerical 
authorities have left no stone unturned 
in order to get together more people    
than ever4 ,six bishops were advertised 
to come1 and they were to crown the     
,virgin with a crown which cost         

thousands of dollars4 ,these proceedings
 rouse an incredible enthusiasm in the  
people4 ,footnote3 ,regions ,beyond4    
,sometimes ,mary's image is baptized in 
the river1 while men and women line the 
bank1 ready to leap into the holy water 
when she is lifted out4 ,afterwards the 
water in which she was immersed is sold 
as a cure for bodily ills4 ,sometimes   
the earth from under the building where 
she is kept is also sold for the same   
purpose4  ,imagine a church like that in
 ,tucuru6 ,it consists of a palm-leaf   
hut1 with a bare floor and no furniture 
whatever4 ,round the sides stand twelve 
life-size figures1 made of canvas and   
stuffed with husks of corn1 which some  
one of the ,indian worshippers has      
painted with the features and dress of  
his own race4 ,when ,i went in two women
 lay prostrate on the floor1 and one of 
them screamed in agonizing tones1 ',my  
,lords1 send the rod of your power to   
heal him6'--evidently praying to these  
apostles on behalf of some sick         

relative4 ,here1 once a year1 a priest  
celebrates mass1 and when he last came  
he stuck a paper over the entrance1     
which read3 ,hoec est ,domus ,del et    
,porta ,coeli 7' ,this is the ,house of 
,god and the ,gate of ,heaven4'7 ,in    
,san ,jos we have the four walls of a   
new church1 consecrated to the          
',virgin1' where1 recently1 a raffle was
 held on behalf of the projected        
edifice4 ,as we enter1 the first thing  
seen is an inscription1 professing to be
 a message to each visitor from the     
,virgin1 which says1 ',my son1 behold me
 without a temple4 ,come1 help in       
building it1 and ,i shall reward thee   
with ,eternal ,life4 ,footnote3 ,report 
of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible     
,society4  ,christ said3 ,i give unto   
,my sheep eternal life2 but the record  
of that saying is jealously kept from   
them4  ,when the early colonists left   
,spain for the ,new ,world1 they took   
with them the ,creed of ,pius ,,iv4     
,that creed expressly states that the   

,bible is not for the people4 ,whoever  
will be saved must renounce it4 ,it is a
 forbidden book4  ,in #ahej1 when the   
,christian world was first being roused 
to the darkness of ,south ,america1 and 
philanthropic men were desirous of      
sending ,bibles there1 ,pope ,pius ,,ix4
 wrote an ,encyclical letter in which he
 spoke of ,bible study as 'poisonous    
reading1' and urged all his venerable   
brethren with vigilance and solicitude  
to put a stop to it4 ,thus has ,south   
,america been denied the revelation of  
,god4 ,the priest has1 because of this  
ignorance1 been able to 'lord it over   
,god's heritage4' ,footnote3 ,guiness's 
,romanism and the ,reformation4  ,with  
an open ,bible1 ,spanish ,america would 
have progressed as ,north ,america has  
done4 ,without the enlightening         
influences of that ,word1 behold the    
darkness6 ,could anything be more       
eloquent than the prosperity of the land
 of the ,pilgrim ,fathers in proclaiming
 the value of the open ,bible8  ,mr4    

,hudson ,taylor1 of the ,china ,inland  
,mission1 speaking on a recent occasion1
 said3 ,i always pray for ,south        
,america4 ,it is a most needy part of   
the world1 and wants your prayers as    
well as mine4 ,the workers there have   
great difficulties to contend with1 and 
of the same sort as we have in ,china1  
from ,roman ,catholicism--the most      
,god-dishonoring system in the world4   
,the heathen need your prayers1 but the 
,roman ,catholic needs them ten times   
more4 ,he is ten times as much in the   
dark as the heathen themselves are4     
,the ,missionary ,review of the ,world  
describes ,south ,america as ,earth's   
darkest land4 ,do you not think1 ,o     
reader1 the words are most truly        
applied8  ,there are in ,south ,america 
eight hundred missionaries1 men and     
women1 from ,great ,britain1 the        
,continent of ,europe1 ,canada and the  
,united ,states4 ,in ,canada and the    
,united ,states there is on an average  
one ,protestant minister for every #ead 

persons4 ,in ,south ,america each       
missionary has a constituency of about  
fifty thousand1 indicating a need in    
proportion of population one hundred    
times as great as in the ,protestant    
countries of ,north ,america4 ,footnote3
 ,bishop ,neely's ,south ,america4      
,yet1 ,one called ,jesus1 whom we say we
 love1 said3 ,go ye into all the world  
and preach the ,gospel to every         
creature4