14 THE RUBBER INDUSTRY 



from Portugal and Spain, and a few from Italy. 

 Except in the cities of Mandos, Para, and Iquitos, or 

 in connection with railway enterprises at Porto Velho 

 or elsewhere, persons of British, American, French, or 

 German nationality are met with only on rare occa- 

 sions. The negro and mulatto part of the population 

 owes its origin to the former slaves, and to the immi- 

 grants from the States of Ceard, Rio Grande del 

 Norte, Parahyba, and Maranhao, who have been 

 brought to the Amazon Valley as labourers, or come 

 there on their own account owing to the attraction of 

 high wages in connection with the rubber industry. 

 A small number of negroes from Barbadoes and other 

 West Indian islands are found also in various districts. 

 The number of native domesticated Indians is not 

 large, and they are established principally in Bolivian 

 and Peruvian territory. The wild Indians are an 

 unknown factor. They are nomads, and they live in 

 the interior of the forests for the most part, only 

 coming temporarily to the principal rivers on fishing 

 expeditions or for trading purposes. As far as possible, 

 they avoid all contact with the civilized portion of the 

 community. 



