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National Geographic : 1920 Sep
Contents
KAIETEUR AND RORAIMA recall the conflict of many diverse emo tions. Satisfied to have reached the end in view, with the "biological traverse" completed, yet I was somewhat appre hensive of what might happen before the return journey could be safely ended. The Indian bearers had become greatly weakened by the ardors of the trip and also through the effects of the severe in fluenza, known as the "Brazil cold," which every newcomer contracts. They could carry only the most needful things, including the new supplies of food that we expected to obtain from the Arecunas of Kamaiwa-wong on the morrow. The return must be made without any un toward hindrances or setbacks, if we were to reach home in safety. Other dangers were fortunately unknown to me at the time. With bitter disappointment, having considered all the elements in the situ ation, I determined to forego the attempt to reach the summit of Roraima, and to turn back after a single day of biological study and association with the Indians of the locality. Sir Everard im Thurn and others had described the top of the mountain, and my own personal desire to view the scene from the crest was less important than the scientific studies for which the journey had been projected. Yet it was a hard decision to make. The next day was eventful indeed. Some of my bearers had gone to the vil lage on the previous evening and had apprised the chief of my arrival. They also learned that an American missionary had died here some two weeks previ ously, under circumstances that to them, at least, had seemed suspicious. Warned by Jeremiah to say nothing to me of that sad event, as he believed that he and his tribe would be blamed by me, nothing was told me of the occurrence. Every injury and death is attributed by these people to "kenaima" work, or sor cery, and they believed that the white man's death would be laid to them," al though from what was learned subse quently a tribe to the north was perhaps more accountable, if, indeed, the unfor tunate man's death was due to other than natural causes. When, with four or five of my bearers, I approached the village in the early morning, no one stood forth to greet me. The Arecunas, clustered about their huts, stolidly awaited events. I asked for Jeremiah's house, but my interpreter said, "Me no sabe"-in effect a refusal to tell me. I singled out the largest "banaboo" and approached it; whereupon the old man emerged with his sons and stood silently before us. His failure to order the cassava ceremony of welcome seemed strange and, at the time, unintelligible. But the situation had to be met; associa tion elsewhere with primitive peoples had taught me that they are all children of a larger growth, to be humored as such. First, I shook hands with all the na tives, now standing in a great half-circle, and, as if by inadvertence, a second round was begun, which amused them to a degree; but still the cassava was not forthcoming, and something more was needful. A DANCE SAVES THE DAY By some process of thought, it oc curred to me to dance a few steps of the simple "paiwari" dance of their carouses, which I had learned from the Guiana bucks. The sight of the bearded, spectacled, and khaki-clad stranger solemnly per forming in such a manner was too much for their sense of humor. Soon all were laughing and chatting. Jeremiah unbent to a degree, the cassava was ordered out, and all was well. The remainder of the morning passed off without any really untoward incident. Here some fresh supplies of cassava bread were secured for our return jour ney, and here also I bartered powder and shot, fish-hooks and pins and cloth for specimens of their basketry, bows and arrows, and blow-guns, which the people used with tiny arrows poisoned with the deadly curare. Many of the natives trooped back to my camp to see what the traveler might have for which they could trade. During the days that followed the pan orama of the upward march unrolled be fore us in reverse order. One night an Arecuna of Kamaiwa-wong became ex tremely ill-why I do not know, unless he had been meddling with my cyanide 243
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