306 IN THE WILDS OF SOUTH AMERICA 



The Indians marry at an early age, the boys* at sixteen 

 and the girls at fourteen. In their wild state each family 

 rears four or five children; at the mission never more than 

 two, and frequently none at all. Should the first-bom be 

 a girl, she is permitted slowly to starve to death. The 

 priest has inflicted severe punishment upon them in his 

 efforts to break this custom, but so far all his work has 

 been in vain. 



As far as possible they are discouraged in the celebration 

 of their native festivals, but it frequently occurs that the 

 entire populace appear with faces gayly decorated with 

 black and blue dots, and all join in weird songs and dances, 

 the purpose of which remains a secret, as they cannot be 

 induced to tell. They worship no divinity, being in this 

 respect in a class almost by themselves. 



Food at the mission is abundant. The clearing comprises 

 several hundred acres and is planted in maize, rice, yuccas, 

 plantains, and sweet potatoes. Like most savages, they 

 have an intoxicating drink, made of the boiled root of the 

 yucca. The women dig great quantities of it, peel and thor- 

 oughly cook it, after which a certain per cent is chewed 

 and expectorated into a huge earthenware jar; the remain- 

 der is mashed and thrown in also, and water added. The 

 following day fermentation has started and the greenish 

 yellow liquid is ready for use. 



At the mission the Indians have learned the use of salt, 

 and this fact perhaps as much as any induces them to re- 

 main, for deprived of it they cannot long exist. A small 

 amount is given to each individual at stated periods — only 

 just enough to supply his wants until time for the next 

 distribution. There are instances on record where families 

 have escaped and gone back to their nomadic life for eight- 

 een months, then returned voluntarily to promise future 

 obedience, so great was their craving for salt. 



The rites attending the death and burial of a man are 

 among the curious and persisting ceremonies of the Yura- 

 car^s. When the husband dies the wife removes all her 



