i\.jio by H. Pittier 

 PROVISIONAL SUMMER ROOF, MADE OE THE LEAVES OF THE NATIVE ROYAL PALM 



(Attalea gomphococca) : note the long palm leaves 



religious discipline, perhaps the most 

 conspicuous is the flowing gown of the 

 women, tight at the neck and reaching 

 down to the feet. In every aboriginal 

 tribe committed to their guardianship 

 the first care of the pious fathers seems 

 to have been to create among those sim- 

 ple creatures not the sense of modesty 

 which is innate among them, but a feel- 

 ing of shame of their physical beauty. 



This is why in countries with a con- 

 stantly warm climate, and where the 

 rugged topography, the predominance 

 of brush and bush, and the multiplicity 

 of rivers make necessary only the scan- 

 tiest clothing, we often see the poor fe- 

 males moving awkwardly in their cum- 

 brous imposed garments, under which, 

 however, they still wear the primitive 

 and more practical bark skirt. It is true 

 that when there is no stranger near the 

 gown is mostly discarded, and if a rain- 

 shower surprises a caravan on the trail 

 the women quickly strip, wrap their togs 

 in a large Calathea or Heliconia leaf, 



place the parcel in their load, and then 

 continue on their way. 



The men do likewise, and besides 

 when they go on a hunting expedition 

 they invariably abandon their trousers 

 before starting on a run after some wild 

 animal. This practice has been adopted 

 by the other more civilized native in 

 some parts, and sometimes one discovers 

 a whole collection of blue trousers hang- 

 ing on the lower branches of some tree 

 at the opening of a forest path. In f lis 

 case the shirt that forms the only other 

 part of the male wearing apparel is 

 taken off and tied around the loins. 



The Guaymies are usually not of a 

 very prepossessing appearance. Their 

 stature is rather variable and their bear- 

 ing has not the stateliness that is often 

 noticed among other Indians. Among 

 the men the face is seldom attractive. 

 The lips are usually thick, the nose is 

 flat and broad, and the coarse black hair 

 worn short (see page 644). 



Among the women a few were met 



639 



