SEÑOR BENJAMIN SALDAÑA ROCCA,--I have heard that you are about to begin a legal action denouncing the criminal deeds committed in the Arana "possessions" on the tributaries of the River Putumayo, and as I was an eye-witness of many of these tragedies I will recount to you what I have seen. We had scarcely arrived at La Chorrera when Señor Macedo ordered us to the section of José Inocente Fonseca, who was then on a _correría_. The food given us was a little _fariña_ and water, but Fonseca and his numerous concubines ate abundant viands. We stopped at night at one of the many _tambos_[119] in this region, the hammocks were slung, the sentinels were posted, and those who did not mount guard lay down to sleep. Within a few hours I heard people arriving, and three Indians entered, each one carrying on his back several small bundles, wrapped up in what looked like baskets. The chief was awakened, and he told them to unroll what they had brought. I thought they were fruits or something of that sort, but what was my horror when on unwrapping the coverings there appeared first the head of an Indian, second that of a woman, and third that of an infant, and so on for the rest. The emissary as he unwrapped the heads explained, "This is that of So-and-So, this other that of his wife, the third that of his son," and so on. Fonseca, with the utmost unconcern, as though they were cocoa-nuts or other fruits, took them in turn by the hair, examined them, and then threw them away. I do not record the names of the victims, Señor Saldaña, for they were Indian names, difficult to remember. This took place in Ultimo Retiro, among the nation or sub-tribe of the pacific Aifugas Indians, in March, 1906. On the _sábado de gloria_ Fonseca observed several Indians going out of the house to fetch water. Taking his revolver and carbine, he turned towards them, saying to us (there were present Juan C. Castaños, Pérez, Alfredo Cabrera, Miguel Rengifo, Ramón Granda, Sparro, Lorenzo Tello, and many others whose names I do not recollect now), "Look, this is how we celebrate the _sábado de gloria_ here," wantonly let fly at the Indians, killing one man and hitting a girl of fifteen years. This girl did not die immediately, being only wounded, but the criminal Miguel Rengifo, _alias_ Ciegadiño, finished her with a carbine bullet.