town has no water supply, but an aqueduct to bring water from the river Calancala to the town is being constructed by private enterprise.
In spite of the difficulties of shipping, Rio Hacha is a busy trading and commercial centre.
Maguey Fibre.
While at Rio Hacha preparing for a journey to the Goajira peninsula, I made short excursions in the neighbourhood. On one of these, along the old eastern road to Padilla, I was agreeably surprised to find ex- lensive areas covered with fibre yielding Furcraeas, known locally as Maguey. In fact, so abundant are these plants, that the areas covered may appropriately be described as nature-sown plantations. The fibre is utilized by the Indians for making their hammocks, and is of finer quality than the fique of the interior. The Furcraca has been identified as F. macrophylla, Baker, and as far as is at present known fibre has not been produced commercially from this species. In the ques- tion of the quality Mr. Lyster Dewey, the Fibre Expert of the United States Department of Agriculture, writes to me as follows: "Some specimens of fibre of Fur- craea macrophylla which we have cleaned by hand from leaves received here at this Department indicate that the fibre is finer, whiter and softer than that of either the true sisal of the Bahamas or the henequen of Yucatan."
The possibility of developing a new and important fibre industry in this neighborhood appears to me ex- ceedingly favorable. The lands in the region of the Calancala river, excepting parts which are subject to being flooded in the rainy seasons, are on the whole suitable for fibre cultivation; the best proof of this being the existence of these Furcracas in a state of nature over large areas. The situation of these lands is also favourable, being within seven or eight kilo- meters of the township of Rie Hacha. The lands are
almost level, or only slightly undulating, and therefore adapted for rail transport for the conveyance of the leaves to the factory. The special recommendation of this locality for a fibre proposition, lies in the fact that there is an abundant supply of leaves ready for cutting, so that a decorticator could be installed and extraction commence at once, instead of having to wait three years for the plantations to come into bearing as is the case with sisal. While existing sources of fibre are being ex- ploited, however, plantations should be laid down so as to provide a continuous supply of leaves. Another fea- ture of this proposition is that cheap Indian labour can be employed; the local Indians can at present be ob- tained for a handful of maize per day, but a just wage or suitable payment would doubtless secure permanent and adequate labour. The only doubtful point in the question of plantations is the irregularity of the rain- fall, but as these Furcracos thrive under natural con- ditions, it is not unreasonable to presume that their cul- tivation would likewise be successful. This locality has the advantage that the necessary machinery can be established on the banks of the Calancala river, where adequate water is, I am informed, always available.
Aloe Extract.
While at Rio Hacha I also visited an Aloe plantation. the property of Señor Moises C. Henriques. The extract is prepared on the plantation and exported. The quan. tity exported in 1915 was 253 kilos, and the first six months of 1916 460 kilos. This industry is therefore in its infancy, being new to the locality though the plant- are found wild in the district. The Aloe plant requires a dry soil, and the leaves are ripe for the extraction of aloes in the dry season when they assume a colored hue. Aloes is a well known domestic drug in Colombia, plant being grown in almost every garden in the tropical and sub-tropical parts of the country, and they are also found for sale in most markets.
The Church at Rio Hacha
8
THE GOAJIRA PENINSULA.
Rio Hacha to Tucaraca by Sea. I had intended leaving from Rio Hacha overland on an excursion through the Goajira peninsula, but I was advised to proceed by sea to Tucaraca on the Coast. where transport auimals were said to be more easily procured, and commence the journey from that point. We therefore left for Tucaraca on October 6th at 8 p. m. in a cayuco or dug-out canoe. We sailed when possible, and when there was no wind we were towed by Indians from the beach, my first experience of this novel means of sea transport. At 2 a. m, on the morn ing of the 8th we reached Tucaraca, and spent the rest of the night on the beach. At daybreak we proceeded to the settlement of Tucaraca and occupied the rest of the day in arranging animals for the journey.
Tucaraca to Carraipia.
On the 9th we set out from Tucaraca for Carraipia, our party consisting of Señores Cornelissen, Gomes, Palacio (the guide) Higuera, Rodrigues and two Indi- ans. Our transport consisted of six saddle horses and six donkeys. The Indians took care of the latter and replaced the loads when they fell off, which occurrences were so frequent that I wonder anything is left of my equipment undamaged. We rode on ahead of our donkeys, and after five hours good riding we reached Malace, an Indian settlement, some thirty miles from Tucaraca. The cacique or chief of Malace, whose adopted name is Federico Peñaber (it being improper to recognize or call the Goajirans by their proper names, much less to refer to a departed chief by name, or to use his name) received us kindly, but it was not long before he began to inquire for cigars and tobacco and then for bigger things. Fortunately for me however, for the first night his scope for appropriation was limited, since we had nothing but our guns and what we carried in our saddle bags, for the donkeys did not reach Malace with our loads until late in the morning of the next day. In writing up my notes that evening the cocique was very curious to know what I had written, and 1 was commanded to read it out to him. I therefore read into the notes complimentary remarks about the chief, and this so Battered and pleased the old man that I was commanded to reread it to him several times. He then regaled us liberally with cheese and milk, and we passed the night in hammocks under the shelter of
a tree,
The Covetous Cacique,
On the arrival of our donkeys the next day, the cantique soon became busy to ascertain what he could appropriate. A brand new tachete caught his envious eye and was taken off to his rancho with forced consent. He then brought forward an old battered hurricane lamp which he suggested he should exchange for a new one of mine, but being my only lamp he was unsuccess- ful. He then tried on my samaras and suggested that I had evidently brought these especially for him since they fitted him so nicely, the suggestion however that a cow would be a good exchange left them in my hands! He now escorted me off arm in arın, ostensibly to view his
large herds of cattle, but really to communicate his desires to me, amongst which was an intimation that he wanted so many blocks of tobacco; this I was to give him quietly in the privacy of his rancho and not in the presence of other Indians!
It had been arranged at Tucaraca that we were to change our horses at Malace, and a family connec tion of the cacique had accompanied us to Malace for this purpose. The day was passing and I found that no attempt was being made to replace our horses, and on inquiry, I was told that there were none available, when just at that moment we saw at least two hundred gallop past. Presently a horse with a large saddle wound was brought up and offered me for sale; evidently the object of the delay was to sell me animals. As I had hired horses, and moreover had paid in advance for their hire up to Rio Hacha I was naturally incensed at this suggestion, and requested that the agreed exchange should be effected without delay. After some discus- sion the animals were exchanged, and next morning we proceeded on our way to Carraipia. arriving there to- gether with the donkeys at dusk, having had to increase our number of Indians and donkeys at Malace.
An Indian
Youth of Gnajira
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