Page 67 - The Tigris Expedition

The Tigris Expedition
Nothing on the whole expedition was more pleasing to observe
than the spontaneous friendship and mutual respect between the
Indians and the Marsh Arabs as they sat down together and began
handling the reeds. The eyes of Senor Zcballos and the four Aymaras
reflected astonishment and approbation the moment they saw the
!
marshmen select the best reeds and throw them together with loops
around until they became bundles as compact and smooth as if made
of the best totora. The Aymaras concluded that the Arabs of Iraq
were superior to the Arabs of Morocco, who could not work reeds
like this. Obviously the Arabs here descended from Adam.
The conversation began with the Indians speaking to Senor
Zeballos in the Aymara language, which he translated to me in
Spanish, and I to Mr Shaker in English, who then told the marsh-
men in Arabic what the Aymaras wanted. The system was cumber­
some, but it did not last long. When I emerged next morning, I
found the Aymaras in their caps and ponchos and the marshmen in
their caftans and long gowns squatting around a long mat they had
already produced together. They were talking to each other, nod­
ding and smiling, asking for strings and reeds and handing each
other what was wanted as if they all had a fluent knowledge of
Esperanto. At first I stood behind a palm to make sure I was not
mistaken, then I ventured closer to hear what language they had in
common. I found that I did not understand a single word. Zeballos
and Shaker came and could testify that the Aymaras spoke Aymara
and the Arabs spoke Arabic and the two languages were as different
as English and Chinese. But these people had the reeds in common
and were equally earthbound and alert. With such fine people as
those of the Iraqi marshes, the Titicaca group declared themselves
willing to make a boat of any size. And Gatae, beaming with
satisfaction, said that his men had never worked with more pleasant
and able persons than these South American gentlemen. One more
day, and I found the tall, dignified Gatae in a short brown poncho
with llama cap, and Zeballos and his square-built Indians all hidden
like five white ghosts in long Arab gowns and headgear. The
change of attire was just too comical; the Indians kept stumbling
about in the too long sarks, and Gatae suffered from heat and
itching. In Basra we tried to find some straw hats for the Indians;
they were worn for one day only and then the woollen caps with ear
flaps were on their heads again.
What the Aymaras had taught the marshmen on the first day and
without interpreter was how to tie together the very special mats
that would be folded around each half of the twin-bodied ship like a
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