Native American swimmer-couriers in Peru, 1800s

Native American swimmer-couriers in Peru, 1800s. Men with letters wrapped in turbans swim in rivers between Quito and Jaen de Bracamoros Province. Where the rapids are too dangerous, they cut a path through the jungle with a knife. Copied from Alexander von Humboldt's Vues des Codilleres. Handcoloured copperplate engraving from Carl Bertuch's Bilderbuch fur Kinder (Picture Book for Children), Weimar, 1810. A 12-volume encyclopedia for children illustrated with almost 1, 200 engraved plates on natural history, science, costume, mythology, etc. published from 1790-1830

1810 Bilderbuch Fur Kinder Carl Bertuch Encyclopedia Engraved Plates Friedrich Johann Bertuch Messenger Native American Natural History Peru Picture Book For Children Quito Rapids Runner Swimmer

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