hey attribute to natural objects
with which they come most in contact, the possession of good or evil
qualities, thus assigning to them the nature of spiritual beings.

None of these tribes appear, as yet, to have advanced so far as to be
impressed with the persuasion that the whole of nature is guided by
unchangeable laws over which one will presides. In general, they have
no idea of a spiritual unity, and are utter strangers to the knowledge
of one God. They all, however, believe in the immortality of the soul.
They see the lifeless body, they have certain proof that the earthly
integument is no longer the abode of the soul; but, as they can form
no notion of anything spiritual entirely self-existent, they imagine
that their dead will, in new life, appear under a new bodily form. The
several tribes differ greatly in their belief of the nature of the
metamorphoses which they expect to take place. Those who look forward
to the re-appearance of the deceased in human life, bury with the men
hunting and agricultural instruments; but their notions even on this
head are not very clear, and when questioned on the subject their
answers are very confused. They say that they are going to a very
beautiful place, far from their present dwelling; but, according to
their conception, it appears that the place, though distant, is still
on earth. Those races who believe in metamorphoses into the forms of
the lower animals, are persuaded that the dead in their new forms will
inhabit the woods around their homes, and avenge the wrongs they have
suffered during life. This is the belief of the inhabitants of Upper
Ucayali and Pachitea.

In considering the physical formation of the wild Indians, we may class
them according to their natural divisions, viz., the inhabitants of the
more highly situated lands, or mountains, and those of the low hot flat
country. The former dwell on the eastern side of the hill-chain,
dividing the river territory of the Huallaga and Ucayali, and spreading
to the banks of the Chauchamayo, Perene, and Apurimac. These are the
Iscuchanos. They are rather tall and generally slim; their limbs are
vigorous; their hands and feet small, and in walking their toes are much
turned in. The head is proportionally large, with very strong bones; the
forehead is low, the eyes small and animated, the nose large and rather
sharp, the cheek-bones a little prominent. The mouth is not large, and
the lips are delicately formed, but o