Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-11-18
Tattooed by savages.

l
Alonzo Hewitt, belonged to the crew Of
the ship Angelica, which went ashort
during q severe gale on the Patagoniau
coast. The vessel was manned by thirteen
men, all of whom were captured by the
savages and taken into the interior. The
men were separated from each other and
given to different native chiefs as slavea.
Mr.. Hewitt never knew what became OF
his shipmates. He was taken by savage
named Mlnehoo, and compelled to carry
heavy loads of provisions and hunting
materials on long journeys. at night his
hands would be tied behind his back, and
one end of the leathern thong was fastened
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 sufferings
while in the hands of the savages would
| I'LL a whole volume, but the most interest
ing portion, which can be confined 10 the
limits or newspaper account, 10 his ac-
count OF the manner in which he was tat
tooed by the Patagonians.
Almost the entire surface of Mr.. Hewitt's
body Ia covered with indellible representa-
tions of beasts, birds and reptiles. He
said that the savages occupied over o
months time in making these unique pic
tures. A preparation In many respects re-
sembling India ink, was used, and the
method of producing the pictures was to
puncture the skin with the points of small
fish bones, and then rub the ink upon the
wound thus produced. The ink thus pro-
duced a discoloration of the skin that can
never De efaced.
''What caused the Patagonians to mark
you In this mannerl" inquired the report
er.
81 presume, the chief who held me cap
tive wanted TO disfgure me for the amusO-
ment of himself and his associates, was
the reply.
"1hen you do not think the chief meant
to punish you2"
'tNot especially. In my mind he wished
to display the artistic skill of one of his
young braves in the pictorial line. He un-
doubtedly regarded my skin in much the
same light that q painter does the white
canvas. was good groundwork for Or
namentation."
''Was the chief proud of you after the
work was done2"
'sHe was, indeed. I was taken about
among the people and exhibited to admir-
ing eyes. The young men and maidens
would point at the pictures and then
look at each other and smile.
Older savages would admire me by ths
hour, and was one cf the greatest objects
of interest in Patagonia"
'tDo you know the meaning Of the pic
tures2"
81 only know that the pictures represent
beasts, birds and reptiles; but why they
were selected as subjects, battles my COM
prehension- suppose that am sort OF
Patagonian obelisk and although unlike the
Alexandrian monolith, / am not 5000 or
1000 years old, perhaps represent reiR-
ious ideas and historical facts.
The tattooed man brushed his locks OF
shaggy hair back from his forehead, and
disclosed blue d-yellowish representa-
ton of q bird. Although the bird has out
stretched wings and beak and claws like
an eagle, it is far from being good repre-
sentation of the glorious American bird of
freedom. On either side Of the mans face
is a bird that looks more like O young
chicken than anything else. LengthwiSe
on the nose Is a tiny picture of blue snake
with red eyes. A red snake with blue
ewes encircles the mans neck. Rolling up
his sleeves and barring his arms, MIR. Hewitt
exhibited pictorial representations of more
than a dozen different kinds OF animals.
Some of them resembled goats, others
sheep and foxes. There were animals
with horns and others without horns.
There was a singular looking creature that
reminded the reporter of a centaur, above
the elbow of the right arm There were
more figures on the left arm than on the
right one. The total number of distinct
pictures on the mans body, he said, was
1873. Only three colOrs are shown-red,
blue and yellow. The inks were obtained
by pressing the juice from vegetables and
mixing it with fine earthly pigments. MIR.
Hewitt thinks that the inks were of o
poisonous nature, because they caused the
limbs TO swell to twice their normal size
while the pictures were being made.