378 SOUTH AMERICA— THE ANDES EEGIONS. 



or cutlasses of the hard wood of the hactrls ciliata ; but they leave all agricultural 

 work to the women. 



These Guarayos, however, are a religious people, who worship Baba-Buada, a 

 deity identified with the wind, who dwells in the southern regions whence blow 

 the trade winds. Before sowing time, as well as during the harvests, they 

 celebrate great feasts in his honour, and on these occasions also drink a liquor 

 extracted from the manioc, but not to excess. 



Neighbours of the Mosetenes are the Christian Lecos of the Maipiri. basin, who 

 appear to belong to the same ethnical stock. They present a striking contrast to 

 the gloomy Aymaras in their cheerful, gentle disposition and childlike frankness. 

 Although possessing an extremely melodious language, they never sing, possibly 

 because forbidden this indulgence by the missionaries. Nor do they ever dance, 

 and under the stern rule of the priests the slightest fault is punished with the lash ; 

 an " arroba," that is, five-and-twenty strokes, is quite a common punishment.* 



Of all these Antisians or Chunchos the most remarkable group is that of the 

 Yuracares, or " White Men," a people of tall stature and fine presence, who are 

 met chiefly between the headwaters of the Beni and Mamore on the northern slope 

 of the Gochabamba Andes. The Yuracares are nearly white, and this complexion, 

 combined with their proud bearing and graceful slim figures, might at a distance 

 cause them to be mistaken for Europeans. The features, however, are, like those 

 of the Quichuas, very distinctly Indian. D'Orbigny asks whether the light 

 colour of the Yuracares may not be attributed to the tepid moisture of the gloomy, 

 sunless forests in which they pass their lives. 



Their customs differ greatly from those of the Guarani, who are husbandmen 

 seldom indulging in the chase except as a relaxation, whereas the Yuracares live 

 exclusively by the hunt, usually leaving the care of their garden plots to the 

 women. As craftsmen they display great skill in weaving their garments and 

 covering them with patterns stamped by means of carved wooden blocks. It 

 therefore appears that these barbarians are acquainted with the printing process, 

 of which the cultured Quichuas were absolutely ignorant. 



Calling themselves the " First of Men," the Yuracares try to show their 

 superiority over other mortals by their contempt of physical pain. . At the feasts 

 they cover themselves with wounds without ever uttering a cry, and smear them- 

 selves with their own blood. They have also their " code of honour " to regulate 

 their duels, vehemently discussing the various points at the public gatherings. 

 When honour requires it they die, despatching themselves with the magnanimous 

 simplicity of a Japanese, or the dignity of a Roman philosopher. Their strong 

 imaginative faculty has evolved a rich national mythology, in which, however, the 

 supernatural is left a moot question ; the terror of the unknown beyond this life 

 forms no part of their religious system. 



A fundamental principle of education forbids them ever to reproach or offer 

 the least advice to their children, who are left to guide themselves as they please 

 on the example of their elders. But though their freedom is respected, their Hves 



* Bulletin de la Société d^ Anthropologie, 1861. 



