Machiganga Indians of the San Miguel Valley 6t, 



and low-pitched. . . . The Indians chew much coca, both 

 men and women sharing their chews with the children. They do 

 not paint around the mouth or on the chin and seldom on the 

 forehead. A stripe or two down the nose is very common and 

 sometimes there is one across the bridge. The women appear 

 to be very modest. Though they do not object to measurement 

 of their calves, they see that their garment does not get above 

 the knee. They are indifferent as to the exposure of their breasts. 

 The eyelashes are longer than those of the average white woman. 

 There is no odor about the person. . . . Pinto (overo, a 

 parasitic skin disease) is very common, both the dark and light 

 varieties, on the hands and feet. One man had a woven cotton 

 head band with short feathers. Women have bunches of nuts, 

 seeds, bones and bright bird heads hung on their ponchos. Their 

 teeth are poor and gums are retracted and filthy. . . . The 

 Machigangas live a few in each clearing in palm thatched huts. 

 They raise yuccas, tobacco and cotton in a very small way. . . . 

 Six men, five women and several children live at this clearing 

 called Pancochi. Most of the men are away hunting. The 

 village consists of one large building and four small shelters, 

 including a very neat hen-coop. Everything is of Saga palm. 

 The main hut is thirty feet by twenty feet and twelve feet high. 

 The walls are only two and one-half feet, with a long rounded 

 slope to the ridge. . . . The huts are very cool and clean 

 inside. Mats of woven palm leaves gave comfortable seats. 

 To the roof were hung baskets, nuts and gourd bottles with corks 

 of corn cobs. Bunches of arrows of various sizes and design 

 were stuck in behind the rafters. Bundles of reeds for arrow 

 shafts, sticks of cariri palm and bunches of feathers were stored 

 in various places. On one side was a group of ollas of black, 

 hard pottery, very crudely made. . . . The chief gave us a 

 demonstration with his bow and arrows. He could keep an 

 arrow up in the air for seven seconds. He brought one down 

 unpleasantly close to us and it stuck five inches into the hard 

 baked ground. At fifty feet he shot twice at an eight-inch gourd, 

 striking it once. They all enjoyed posing. One lady was much 

 'peeved' because I could not include her in a group. 

 They have no form of writing or communication by pictures ; 

 no painting on mats or pots. Some of their gourd utensils are 

 decorated with carved lines and I have seen some crude carving 



