1 



148 FUNERAL CEREMONIES. 



prohibits the gathering of bark, to see there is no smuggling. This plais 

 is both difficult and expensive. From Yungas the woodsmen sometimes 

 find their way into Peru by secret paths through the tangled forests, 

 and exchange bark under the shade of trees in the Amazon basin for 

 the gold of Carabaya. * It is astonishing to see the toil and labor these 

 poor men go through under tropical sun and rains for this article of 

 trade ; yet neither they nor those having the monopoly appear to be 

 accumulating money. The expenses of labor, the distance from market, 

 and the want of system in the business appear to be obstructions. The 

 law requires the woodsman to sell his bark to the bank ; the company 

 again are required by the same law to pay fixed prices per quintal. The 

 market prices in the northern countries are so low that the bank is occa- 

 sionally obliged to stop. The woodsmen crowd in and require money • 

 for their bark ; the business becomes choked, and the people engaged 

 are dissatisfied. Then the government is called upon for temporary 

 relief for money to pay the woodsmen, or a decree to prohibit the gather- 

 ing of bark until the market prices rise. 



"While in Cochabamba we witnessed ceremonials for the funeral of a 

 little child. A number of ladies came to prepare the infant for the 

 grave. They dressed it in a white silk frock, fastened on by diamond 

 rings, and trimmed with gold and silver threads ; the little feet and head 

 bare. In its right hand was placed a golden cross, and in the left a 

 small silver lamb. The coffin was lined with deep-blue silk, inside of 

 which was placed a little bed ; the whole hung by three bands of blue 

 and white ribbon. While the ladies were engaged upon this prepara- 

 tion, they laughed and talked as though making very different prepara- 

 tions. The mother and family were brought in to see the arrangements. 

 Six little boys, dressed in black, held the ribbons, and carried the 

 child towards the church. The ladies, headed by the commadre (god- 

 mother) of the dead infant, followed, and after them friends on foot. 

 The eldest sister was the only one of the family who followed to the 

 church. As the boys moved along through the streets, Indian women 

 crowded round to look at and admire the finery. The boys were cau- 

 tioned to see that none of the jewellery were stolen. These are taken 

 off after the body leaves the church for the graveyard, where the" coffin 

 is placed on a shelf in a brick wall above ground. Great care is taken 

 that the coffin is not stolen, particularly when it is an expensive one. 

 The same coffin is sold several times for eight dollars. Among the 

 mestizos we are told are found many bad people. Twenty priests, with 

 lighted candles, knelt in prayer by the music of "misa de las Angelas" — 

 angels' mass. The ladies returned to the house of the mother, and spent the 



