Adventure Magazine Cover, October 10, 1921 — page 89: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Pathless Trail cannibals, they do not kill for the sake of eating ‘long pig’, like the cannibals of the South Seas. Neither do they eat the whole body. Only the hands and feet of their dead enemies are devoured. These are carefully cooked and eaten as delicacies along with monkey-meat, birds, fish, and other things prepared for a feast in honor of a victory. The eating of human flesh seems to be symbolism rather than sav- agery. Furthermore, they do not range the jungle hunting for victims. They eat only those who come against them as enemies. “So it is quite possible, you see, that strangers might go among them and escape death. It would depend largely on the ability of the strangers to convince the savages that they were friends. The diffi- culty is that the savages. consider all strangers to be enemies until friendship is proved.” “A sizable difficulty,” McKay remarked. ‘Almost insurmountable. Yet it might be done. Mind, I speak now of the Mayorunas, not of the Red Bones. [ tell you again that the Red Bone country is closed.” “And where is the Mayoruna region?” “In the same general section. The Mayorunas are much more widely dis- tributed. They are on both banks of the Javary and extend as far west as the Ucayali. ~“Now if I sought to enter the Red Bone region—and again I say I would not—this would be my way of going at it. I would go first among the Mayorunas near’ the Red Bones and seek to convince them that I was their friend. I would make the Mayoruna chief as friendly to me as possi- ble. I might even take a Mayoruna woman for a time—some of them are hand- some, and such a step would make me almost a Mayoruna myself in their eyes. Then I would persuade the chief to send messengers to the Red Bones with word of me and a request that I be allowed to visit their settlement. The request, coming from the Mayoruna chief, probably would be granted. I would then go in with a bodyguard of Mayorunas, do my business, and come out via the Mayoruna route.” A thoughtful silence ensued. Bottle- necks clinked against the cups. “Something in that idea,” conceded Knowlton. ‘A good deal init. Barring the woman part, of course.” | 79 “Aye,” spoke McKay, his tone casual as ever. ‘‘When you came out what would you do with your woman, mein herr?” Schwandorf, tongue loosened a bit by his kiimmel, chuckled. “Ho ho! The woman? Leave her, of course, when she had served my purpose. Why bother about a woman here and there?”’ “T see.” McKay’s face, indistinct in the gloom, was unreadable, but his tone had a caustic edge. Schwandorf laughed again. “You are fresh from the woman-worship- ing United States, and you disapprove. But this is the jungle and all is different. Cada terra com seu uso, as these Brazihans say—each land with its own ways. Perhaps when you have met the Mayoruna women, looked on their handsome faces and shapely forms—they wear no clothing, by the way—you will change your ideas. More than one man along thi§ border has risked his life to win one of those women. But that rests with you. And now if you will excuse me, gentlemen, I have an engage- ment with a man at the other end of town.” “Certainly. We are indebted to you for your interest.”’ “Tt is nothing. Remember that I strongly advise you not to go. But if you will go, I shall gladly do whatever lies in my power to aid you in preparing for the trip. Do not hesitate to call on me.” He passed into the house, returning al- most at once. “By the way,” he added, has the room next mine?”’ “T have it,” said Knowlton. “Yes. Are you a good sleeper? I some- “fone of you times snore most atrociously, I am told. So perhaps——” “Don’t worry. I can sleep in the middle of a bombardment.” “You are fortunate. gentlemen.” Good evening, wus WHEN he was gone they sat for aii a time smoking, sipping now and then at their highballs. At length McKay said— ‘“Humph!”’ “Amen. Pretty square sort of chap, though, don’t you think?” “I’m not saying,” was the Scot’s cautious answer. cCoOmicoooks ‘Seems to be trying to discourage - C@