A CARIPUNA INDIAN.
In spite of his scanty costume he was rather picturesque in appearance, as he had ornaments in his ears and a necklace of jaguar's claws hanging on his breast. By signs, he invited the party to visit their camp on the other side of the river; the rowers were timid about venturing there, but the Doctor quieted their fears by intimating, through Manuel and the pilot, that the weapons of the party were sufficient to defend them in case of trouble.
The Caripunas were given to understand that the visit would be made as soon as breakfast was over; they seemed perfectly satisfied with this arrangement, and returned to their canoes, where they sat until the meal was finished. The return of the boatmen to their oars was the signal for the Caripunas, who paddled on ahead and indicated the best place for landing.
The landing was made without difficulty, and the whole population of the village, some twenty or thirty men, women, and children, came out to meet the strangers. For fear of treachery, Dr. Bronson gave orders that none of the rowers should leave their places; Manuel was to remain standing by the side of the boat, and the three Americans were not to go more than a few yards from the shore, where the huts of the Indians stood about ten feet above the water's level.
An old man, who was evidently the chief of the tribe, came forward and led the way to an open shed between the two principal huts. It was evidently a place of public resort, and corresponded to the city hall or court-house of civilized lands. All the rest of the natives followed, and the conversation soon became as animated as it is possible to make it where neither party understands a word the other says. Frank observed that the skins of the natives were of a reddish-brown color, and the tallest of them did not exceed five feet eight inches in height.
Beads, small mirrors, fish-hooks, and similar barbaric goods were distributed in the shape of presents, and then our friends tried to make a bargain for whatever the Indians had to sell. Unfortunately they had only a few bows and arrows and some feathers from the birds of the forest; beyond these nothing was in the market; and as the natives were unwilling to part with their weapons, it required a good deal of persuasion and the display of the glittering baubles to secure their consent. With these trifles the strangers were compelled to be satisfied, and after a visit of an hour or more they returned to their boat and continued the voyage.
A curious fact was ascertained by Mr. Keller in his visit to the Caripunas, that they bury their dead in their houses, removing the earth of the floor for that purpose. When a space beneath a hut is occupied with graves the place is abandoned, and a new dwelling is erected elsewhere. This is deserted in its turn, under the same conditions.
The Caripunas are skilful hunters and fishermen; they cultivate the soil occasionally, but not often, depending for their vegetable food upon the products of the forest. Some attempts have been made to civilize this people, but they have not succeeded, except in convincing them that it is better to be on friendly terms with their neighbors than in open hostility.
When the travellers reached Guajara-Merim, the first of the falls of the Madeira, their contract with their boatmen terminated. The men were paid off, each one receiving a small present in addition to his wages, and the pilot a larger one, in proportion to his importance. There is a small village of Mojos Indians just above the falls, and their special occupation is to transport travellers and their property up or down the stream. Manuel opened negotiations, but they could not be rapidly pushed, as it is not the custom of this people to do anything in a hurry.