“THE GREEN HELL”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8588, 26 November 1913, Page 7

“THE GREEN HELL”

HORRORS IN SOUTH AMERICA. By Telegraph— Press Association— Copyright LONDON, November 24. In connection with the Beni horrors, a book, “The Green Hell,” is exciting attention in Brazil. The cover of tho book portrays a naked Indian woman whose body ia scored with cuts from, which tho life-blood has been drained into little tin cups used by rubber collectors. Tbe book describes how the South Brazilian natives are persuaded _to work on the Upper Amazon, domiciled in forest clearings, where they stop till they die, as they are put into debt for clothes and food and unable to secure sufficient rubber to pay off tho debt for ruinously costly goods. The density of the iunglo renders escape Impossible. A traveller who voyawtd on tho Amazon to Bolivia states that five bundled lashes k a common punishment. A woman was cruelly beaten at Beni for upsetting lamps. There are no missionaries or travellers to report tho tragedies. A feature of tho traffio is the frequent suicide of despairing white agents*. SHOCKING CRUELTY. (Received November 25, 11.25 p.m.) LONDON, November 25. Mr Woodroofe, who supplied tho reports to tho Anti-Slavery Society, spent eight years on tho Bolivian frontier, and most of tho time in tho rubber trade. Fifteen or twenty firms dealing direct with Europe are concerned in the peonage system. One employer, who had six workmen sick with beri-bori and fever, told them that he would only feed folk who work. The sick men were placed on a rock in tho rapids, and were swept away when the river rose. Tho Brazilian authorities opened an inquiry, hut influence procured tho cessation of the investigation. Mr Woodroofe saw a boy flogged so severely that his eye was torn out. Tho Peruvian and Bolivian Governments are more directly responsible. Brazil’s is tho only Government seriously attempting to protect tho natives. Young children and girls axe sold into slavery.