184 



YURACARES INDIAN. 



cient for the consumption of the people in the neighborhood. The 

 chocolate-trees are larger than those of Northern Brazil, and seem to be 

 well supplied with a plentiful crop of green nuts. Plantain and papaya 

 trees stand thick about a wooden house thatched with palm leaves. 

 While I was sketching, Don Cornelio looked on, with a sugar-cane stalk 

 in one hand and a long knife in the other. He cut off large mouthfuls 

 which swelled out his cheek. A Yuracares Indian stood by who had 

 overtaken us on his return from Cochabamba. The frock he wore was 

 the uniform established among the Indians by the Jesuits. It is of 

 white cotton cloth, after the fashion of a dress made by the savages 

 from the bark of certain trees. When this Indian and his companion 

 first arrived on the top of the mountains, they suffered much from cold. 

 They doubled their " camisas," but the winds whistled about their legs 

 so freshly they say they were taken sick. When they had delivered 

 their despatches to the Bishop of Cochabamba, from a padre in their 

 country, they hid away in the warmest ravine they could find, and re- 

 mained there several days waiting clerical orders. As soon as they re- 

 ceived permission to return, they scampered back to warm weather as 

 fast as they could. They left Cochabamba after us. We have not 

 delayed a day, so that they have travelled faster than our mules. On 

 these terrible roads the Indian moves up or down at a steady pace, 

 while the mule stops to blow and to rest. 



The poor Indians had brought nothing to eat on the road, and the 

 first thing they seized here was the sugar-cane. We gave them some 

 provisions. They cannot bear the coca, and laugh when they see the 

 Quichuas poking green leaves into their mouths. They were examining 

 their bows and arrows to be ready for game and for fish, which they 

 said were plenty farther down the country. We gave them fish-hooks 

 they were delighted to get, and promised if we overtook them in the 

 morning, they would shoot us a turkey or some fish. After they slept 

 for a few hours, Cornelio says they rose up and travelled at midnight, 

 single file, by the path we afterwards followed by the light of day. 



Their forms are straight and well made, but they were not strong men. 

 The expression of face was feminine. They looked bleached by the side 

 of a Quichua Indian, who was much stouter built. Their hair is 

 worn long, like the Quichua and Aymaras, wearing it in a long trail 

 behind. The Yuracares had rather a pleasant face, but not a very 

 bright eye. Besides his knife, he carried a cane fife, showing a taste 

 for music ; and from the variety in a bark camisa, he certainly is fond 

 of fancy colors, which he procures from the dye-woods of the province. 

 His bows and arrows were the same as the Indians use in California ; 



