WHITE CANNIBAL RACE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2281, 26 May 1921, Page 1

WHITE CANNIBAL RACE.

GIANTS OF THE ORINOCO.

AMERICAN EXPLORER’S ESCAPE.

Dr. Hamilton Rice, the American explorer, who rediscovered a giant race of blond Indians in South A ra " erica recently, gave interesting details of his encounter with these savages, who have never been seen by any white man since the year 1703, when the Spaniards are reported to have caught sight of them. They live in the hills‘near the spot where the Castkjuiari Canal, the only natural canal in the world, 227 miles long', connects the Orinoco with the Rio Negro, an afflu-

ent of the Amazon. They are a fierce and war-like tribe, who live by hunting and fishing, but, unlike other Indians, have no dogs, and trap and catch animals themselves. They have absolutely no knowledge of fire, eat their food raw, go completely naked, and prey on other human beings, whom they kill and eat.

Dr. Rice and a party of ten, with tents, cooking outfit, and surveying instruments, had left the main party 150 miles north of Esmeralda on a mapping survey. The parly consisted of three white men and seven Indian guides. Their only weapons were one shot gun and one rifle. The expedition had arrived in the night of January 21st by canoe at an island in the rapids. They saw no sign of Indians, hut were evidently seen hy the cannibals, who watched and waited all night with the intention of attacking the intruders.

In the morning, ns soon ns it became light, (hi! party were startled by most blood-curdling shouts, and, looking across to the opposite hank, a few hundred yards away, they saw the hank lined by a dense mass of these naked blond warriors, running frantically to and fro and brandishing long and deadly-looking spears, while many were taking aim with Imws and arrows. They were led by a chieftain, who was a magnificent specimen of humanity, nearly seven feel tall, with a massive round head, from which fell n moss of towny hair, and enormously powerful shoulders. ITc commanded Ids warriors with lordly gestures, telling them off to different spots along the bank. The parly of whites, with their guides, had hardly time to realise the danger of the situation when a shower of arrows, each measuring (ill. (tin., with deadly poisoned tips, began to fall all round them. One of these shafts grazed Dr. Rice’s shoulder. The position of the parly seemed desperate, and every moment they expected to see the savages wade into the water to attack the island. They therefore'resolved to open fire. The first shot brought down a big Indian, hut it was necessary to kill a dozen before the party could emerge into the open and collect their tents and other possessions, which 'they piled in their canoes. They then slipped away down the rapids, followed hy shouts and showers of arrows, which, fortunately, fell out of harm’s way.

Ouly two women were seen with the tribe. They were fine, well-de-veloped specimens, and, like the men, entirely nude. These two were probably allowed to take part in the lighting, while the rest were in camp and out of danger,