The North-West Amazons: Notes of some months spent among cannibal tribes

CHAPTER XX

Chapter 19835 wordsPublic domain

No individualism--Effect of isolation--Extreme reserve of Indians--Cruelty--Dislike and fear of strangers--Indian hospitality--Treachery--Theft punished by death--Dualism of ethics--Vengeance--Moral sense and custom--Modesty of the women--Jealousy of the men--Hatred of white man--Ingratitude--Curiosity--Indians retarded but not degenerate--No evidence of reversion from higher culture--A neolithic people--Conclusion 255

APPENDICES

I. Physical Characteristics 269

II. Mongoloid Origin 280

III. Depilation 282

IV. Colour Analysis and Measurements 283

V. Articles noted by Wallace as in use among the Uaupes Indians that are found with the Issa-Japura Tribes 291

VI. Names of Deities 293

VII. Vocabularies and Lists of Names 296

VIII. Poetry 311

LIST OF BOOKS REFERRED TO 313

INDEX 315

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PLATE NO. FACING PAGE

Boro Medicine Man, with my Rifle _Frontispiece_

I. Houses in the “Rubber Belt” of the Issa Valley 4

II. A House in the “Rubber Belt,” Issa Valley 16

III. 1. Typical River View below the Mouth of the Negro River 2. Bank of Main Amazon Stream in the Vicinity of the Mouth of the Japura River 18

IV. 1. River View on Main Stream near Issa River 2. Landscape on Upper Amazon Main Stream 20

V. The Bulge-stemmed Palm, _Iriartea Venticosa_, showing portion of Leaf and Fruit 28

VI. Flowers and Section of Leaf of the Bussu Palm. The Leaf is used for Thatching 44

VII. 1. Self, with Nonuya Tribe 2. Muenane Tribe 46

VIII. 1. Group of Witoto 2. Group of Some of my Carriers 70

IX. Medicine Man and his Wife (Andoke) 72

X. Boro Tribesmen 74

XI. Witoto Feather Head-dresses 76

XII. Groups of Resigero Women 78

XIII. Centre of Dancing Group--Muenane 80

XIV. Boro Comb of Palm Spines set in Pitch and finished with Basketwork of Split Cane, Fibre Strings, and Tufts of Parrots’ Feathers 78

XV. 1. Dukaiya (Okaina) Bead Dancing-girdle 2. Condor Claws, used by Andoke Medicine Man of the Upper Japura River 80

XVI. Necklaces of Human and Tiger Teeth 82

XVII. 1. Necklace of Polished Nutshells. 2. Leg Rattles of Beads and Nutshells. 3, 4, 5, and 6. Bead Necklaces. The Black “Beads” are Bits of Polished Nutshell, threaded between White Beads 82

XVIII. Boro Ligatures 84

XIX. Boro Leg and Arm Ligatures. Witoto Leg Ligature 84

XX. 1 and 3, Boro. 2, Witoto, Ligatures 86

XXI. Andoke Girls 88

XXII. Witoto Baskets of Split Cane and Fibre 90

XXIII. Boro Necklace of Jaguars’ Teeth with Incised Patterns Necklace of Jaguar Teeth, Incised, and Flute made of Human Bone 92

XXIV. Boro Cassava-squeezer. (A) Loop at End 96

XXV. 1. Okaina Group 2. Group of Okaina Women 98

XXVI. 1. Indian Plantation cleared by Fire preparatory to Cultivation 2. View on Affluent of the Kahuinari River 102

XXVII. _Erythroxylon-Coca_ 106

XXVIII. 1 and 2. Andoke Bamboo Cases with Darts and Cotton. 3. Dart with Cotton attached. 4. Blow-pipe with Dart. 5. Javelin. 6. Fishing Trident. 7. Spears in Bamboo Case. 8. Dance Staff 108

XXIX. Andoke Bamboo Case with Darts for Blow-pipe and Gourd full of Cotton 110

XXX. 1. Water Jar, Menimehe; (a) Witoto. 2. Drums (Witoto). 3. Pan-pipes, Witoto; (a) Boro. 4. Stone Axe (Andoke). 5. Paddle used on Main Amazon Stream. 6. Paddle used on Issa and Japura Rivers. 7. Menimehe Hand Club. 8. Wooden Sword (Boro). 9. Pestle--Coca, etc. (Boro) 116

XXXI. Bamboo Cases, filled with Darts for Blow-pipe, showing Fish-jaw Scraper, and Gourd filled with Raw Cotton. One Dart has Tuft of Cotton placed ready for Use. These are Andoke Work 118

XXXII. Witoto War Gathering 120

XXXIII. 1. Boro Necklace made of Marmoset Teeth 2. Andoke Necklace of Human Teeth 124

XXXIV. Boro Women making Cassava 132

XXXV. Witoto Cassava-squeezer. Boro Manioc-grater with Palm-spine Points 134

XXXVI. One of the Ingredients of the Famous Curare Poison 138

XXXVII. Incised Gourds 144

XXXVIII. Karahone Child. Boro Women carrying Children 150

XXXIX. Boro Women carrying Children 154

XL. Okaina Girls 158

XLI. Stone Axe Head (Boro). String of Magic Stones (Andoke) 184

XLII. Anatto, _Bixa Orellana_. A Red Dye, or Paint, is made from the Seed 190

XLIII. Half Gourds decorated with Incised Patterns, made by Witoto near the Mouth of the Kara Parana River. Dukaiya (Okaina) Rattle made of Nutshells 192

XLIV. Okaina Girls painted for Dance 194

XLV. Boro Dancing. Group of Nonuya, Men and Women 196

XLVI. Muenane Dance 200

XLVII. Okaina Dance 202

XLVIII. Okaina Dance 204

XLIX. Pan-pipes 210

L. Group of Witoto Women by Double-stemmed Palm Tree Group of Witoto Men by Double-stemmed Palm Tree 232

LI. 1 and 2. Witoto Types. 3. Witoto from Kotue River 270

LII. Combs. 1. Andoke Comb with Nutshell Cup for Rubber Latex. 2. Witoto Comb. 3. Boro Comb 272

LIII. Boro Tribesman from the Pama River A Menimehe Captive 274

LIV. Witoto Types. Witoto Woman with Leg Ligatures 278

MAPS

MAP. 1. Approximate Plan of Route 2

MAP. 2. Sketch Map 10

MAP. 3. Diagrammatic Map of the Issa-Japura Central Watershed, showing Language Groups 58

Sketch Map of the North-Western Affluents of the Amazon River _At end_

Sketch Map of the Amazon River with its Northern Affluents _At end_