SUGAR-CANE. 



223 



ago. This beautiful and useful creature caught the eye of the Indian, 

 but as he had never seen an animal fit to straddle and ride, he little 

 knew the true value of the horse who fattened on the pampa grass. 

 When he mounted and found himself flying at full speed across the plain, 

 he must have been quite as much pleased with the invention as more 

 civilized people are with the movements of modern machinery. 



The introduction of these animals among the Indians by the Spaniards 

 had a powerful influence over them. It is said that when first the South 

 American Indians looked at a man on horseback, they supposed both one 

 animal, and it was not until they saw the man dismount that they 

 knew his distinctness from the horse. 



Accounts have been written of an Amazonian race of women defending 

 their country with bows and arrows in their hands. The dress of the 

 Indian men of this warm climate is the same as that worn by the 

 women. The Indians use bows and arrows altogether. It seems reason- 

 able to suppose such was the origin of these stories. 



A few Mojos Indian families occupied the only habitations on this 

 pampa. Around the bed-room door of the commander were very light- 

 colored Indian children. One of the several dogs running about, being 

 impudent to Mamore, received a thorough shaking. 



We obtained a large bunch of plantains and bananas, with some 

 yucas and jerked beef, and a cow was milked for us. As we were from 

 Cochabamba, the native place of the bald-headed commander, he was 

 exceedingly kind to us, hoped we would come back and remain with 

 him, as he found it very lonely on the pampa. He says it is very 

 seldom that the lands are completely covered with water, though he lives 

 up-stairs for fear he might be caught asleep. Like the ants, he keeps 

 in the upper part of the house until the water falls, and this is the most 

 elevated land in the neighborhood. 



On the wave of the land along the river bank the Indians are en- 

 couraged to cultivate sugar-canes. The government has put up a mill 

 under the custom-house for the accommodation of such as choose to pay 

 contribution in sugar. The route of the sugar-cane was originally from 

 China, by the way of the Cape of Good Hope, into Brazil at Rio Janeiro, 

 thence across the interior to the head-waters of the Paraguay river/ 

 vAere the Mojos Indians got it, and carried it up stream to this pampa, 

 and even bore it to Yuracares. 



The best sugar-cane in Peru, it is said, came from the South Pacific 

 Islands. So did that of Yungas, which adjoins Mojos at the base of the 

 Andes in the Madeira Plate. The inhabitants there have received this 



