"In the church they had an organ which was played during mass by one of the Indians, while another performed on a sort of pan-pipe of enormous proportions. Several tubes were arranged side by side, and fastened together; the largest was about six feet in length, and the opening at its end measured at least four inches. The performer kept his eye on the music before him, and blew into one pipe after another with great facility. The instrument compassed two octaves, and the sound it gave resembled that of a trombone. "The church contains several relics, among them a piece of the True Cross, which was brought here by the Jesuits nearly two centuries ago. That the people have degenerated somewhat from their old-fashioned honesty is revealed by a little incident of Mr. Keller's visit to the church. [Illustration: A MOJOS INDIAN.] "In the pedestals of two of the columns he saw some enormous nails, and asked their use. It was explained that in the time of the _Padres_ all articles found in the streets were hung on these nails, so that anybody who lost anything would know where to find it. 'But to-day,' said the sacristan, 'these nails rust in their places, for no one thinks of returning what he finds.' Colonel Church thinks Exaltacion must be an exception to the rest of Bolivia, as he found everywhere the most scrupulous honesty on the part of the people among whom he travelled. The Mojos Indians who inhabit the valley of the Mamoré are an inoffensive race, and have a high reputation for honesty and integrity. [Illustration: THE CHERIMBITA.] "Some of them wear a curious ornament, known as the _cherimbita_. It is a little rod with a head, and has a general resemblance to an ordinary screw. It is made of white quartz, or some other hard material, and is worn in the under lip, which is pierced for its admission, just as ladies in America, and other countries, have their ears pierced for the wearing of ornaments. "The other towns that were visited did not materially differ from the one already described. They had the same kind of population, the same dilapidated churches, and the same devout worshippers who adhered to the religion taught by the Jesuit fathers two hundred years ago. There was said to be a great abundance of silver in all these Bolivian towns, but it is far less than formerly. Everything imported from other parts of the world is enormously dear, while the products of the country are correspondingly cheap. At Exaltacion, English iron was worth four hundred dollars a ton, while gold at ten dollars an ounce was much easier to obtain." CHAPTER XVII. HUNTING THE TAPIR.--AMONG THE CARIPUNA INDIANS.--ARRIVAL AT THE FALLS OF THE MADEIRA.--MAKING INDIA-RUBBER.