The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-11-04
Tattooed by Savages.

and ne IS now at NOME lof lew uaSS
respite from the aT6uous duties of 'life
on the ocean wave" a week ago he
returned from long voyage, and on
Friday next ne will say good bye to his
wife and little ones and go before the
mast on the sailing vessel William Lamb,
which is engaged in the grain carrying
trade between New York and San Fran
cisco. The route taken by the William
Lamb is down around Cape Horn. AS
is well known TO all sailors, the ''doub.
ling of the Horn" is usually attended
with some risk of shipwreck. High
winds prevail IN thai latitude, and when
the weather is especially bad week is
consumed N getting around the south
ermost point Of South America. Mr..
Hewitt has sailed this route from New
York 10 San Francisco since 1850. lie
has been shipwrecked half dozen times
and can relate some pretty severe eXpe-
riences; but the most remarkable Of
them all was lis three months sojourn
among the Patagonian savages.
In 1868 Mr. Hewitt belonged 20 the
crew of the snip Angelica, which went
ashore during severe gale on the Pata-
gonian coast The vessel was manned
by thirteen men. all of whom were cap
tured by the savaSes and taken into the
interior The men were separated from
each other, ard given to different native
chiefs as dawes. Mr.. Hewitt never
knew what became of his shipmates.
He was taken by savage named Min
ehoo, and compelled to carry heavy loads
of pr DIVISIONS and hunting materials on
long journeys. At night his hands were
-iea behind his back, and one end of the
leather thong was ia stened TO tree, so
that he could not run away. No knife
or sharp instrument of any kind was
left within his reach, and he was as
effectually a prisoner as though he had
been locked up within strong walls. The
whole story OF his troubles and suffer
iags while in the hands of the savages
would FL large volume, but the most
interesting portion, which can be con-
fined to the limits of a newspaper ac-
count, is his account OF the manner IN
which he was tattooed by the Pa.ago-
mans.
Almost the entire surface OF Mr..
Hewitt's body is covered with indelible
representations Of beasts binds and rep
tiles. He said that the savages cccl-
pied over a months time II making
these unique pictures. A preparation
in many respects resembling India ink
was used and the method OF producing
the pictures was to punctuye the skin
with the points Of. small fish bones, and
then rub the ink upon ,he wound thus
produced. The ink thus made d;scol-
Grafton of the skin INA: can never De
efiaced.
What caused the Pa:aconia1s 70
mark you in this manner {" asked The
reporter
Il presume the chief who he'd ne
captive wanted to dishgare ne FOR The
Amusement of himself and lis associ-
a:es," was the reply.l
"Then do YOU think tie chief meant
to punish you p
"Not especially. In ny mind he
wished TO display the artistic skill Of one
of his young braves IN ,he pictorial line.
He undoubtedly regarded ny skin il
much the same light thai painter does
white canvas / was good ground
work tor ornamentatio-.
WAS the chief proud Of yol AFTER
the work was done! =
''He was indeed. | was taken about
among the people and exhibited 20 ad-
miring eyes The Young men and
maidens would point a: the pictures and
then look at each other and smile Older
savages would admire ne by the hour,
and l was one OF The greatest objects Of
interest in PATAGONIA.
"Do you know he meaning Of The
pictures 2
~ only know tina: the pictures repre-.
sent beasts, birds and reptiles; but why
they were selected as subjects battles my
comprehension. suppose that am a
sort Of Patagonian ooe.isk, and although
unlike the Alexandrian monolitu, sm
not 5000 or 1000 years Of age, l per
haps represent religious ideas and his
torical facts.
The ,attooed man brushed his LOCKS Of
shaggy hair back from his forehead, and
disclosed blue and yellowish represen-
tation Of bird. Although the bird
has outstretched wings and beak and
claws Ike an eagle, il ID far from being