The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-03-03


Among the most interesting observa.
tons made by Lieutenant Bove in Terre
del Fuego, are those on the Jagan tribe,
which counts about 5000 individuals,
who inhabit portion of the southwest OF
the country. With slight sbridgment
the London Daily NesCs gives the account
in Lieutenant Bove's own words:
The Jagans impress one as a poor race.
In general the, men are scarcely more
than Of medium stature, while the women
rarely reach it. The faces of this race
are round, large and fiat with highcheek
bones, low foreheads and large nat noses,
very black and restless eyes, wide apart.
large, timid lips, and strong jaws fur.
and chest are disproportionately large
compared to the extreme slcnderness OF
arms and legs, and it u marvel how
the latter can support the well -developed
trunk and head. In spite of this strange
formation, both men and women have
uncommon strength, and / have seen
them carry weights that would have
taxed the robustest Of our sailors. No
less surprising is the smallness OF their
hands and feet, which, if beauty, is
very advantageous to the men, who can
carry on1v one or two objects in their
hands sst the same time. They have
rough, lustreless black hair, which they
wear long and falling over face and
shoulders. Some bind Il with q leather
strap, butt most let it grow to such
| an extent that they look more like
| furies than human beings. The men
have very little beard and that little they
| pluck out. They do not tattoo, but use
all kinds of paint. Two or three hues of
color On the face and a few necklaces Of
shells Of birds bones is the usual dress
of the Fuegian. For protection against
the terrible hurricanes. the SHOWS that
fall during the ten months in the year,
and the torrential rains that daily visit
this miserable archipelago. the Fucgian
/ only wears q small mantle OF seal or
guanaco skin over his shoulders. The
wigwams are only made of intertwined
branches Fixed in some sheltered spot.
but they are too weak to keep out snow
and rain. These wigWams are used by
! the Fnegians who dwell near the few
residents Of Usciumata or round tho
mission. The other natives scarcely
ever remain more than one or
two days in the same place;
they lead vagrsnt life in their small
canoes among the complicated canals
of this broken up country, fishing and
hunting for their subsistence, of which
the sea furnishes larger part The
women are looked upon IS slaves, and
the greater part Of the work falls to their
share. I have often seen the men sitting
quietly round q good fire while tho poor
1 women were exposed in fragile ski6s to
the snow, wind and waves. fishing Tor
their idle and angry husbands. The
greater the number of wives or slaves q
man has, the easier for him it is to find
living; hence the practice of polygamy
| which is so rooted among the Fuegians
that in spite of the efforts of the mission
aries it is no rare thing to see convert
suddenly break through restraint and
add two or more wives to the one al
lowed him by the new religion. But,
though Fuegian may marry as many
wives as he pleases, he seldom takes
more than four, and even with that small
number it is difficult to preserve domestic
peace. The wigwam is the scene OF daily
battles, and sometimes the prettiest Of
the wives pays with her life the prefer
ence of her husband. Sometimes, how
ever, the wives all unite against theil
common husband. Tie girls begin t.
hunt for husbands at ten to twelve year.
} of age. The man marries at fourteen o.
sixteen years of age. The marriages ar
| dictated by convenience, and are q mat
ter Of sale and purchase rather than o
love or reciprocal sympathy. The fathel
chooses from among the suitors for hi
daughter the one who is sti ongest, mos
dexferous, and docile to his wishes, ant
: | fixes the number of skins to be given ant
DAYS that his son-in-law has to work TO
him. A canoe, spears and harpoon
| form the dowry Of the bride. When al
is settled, the bride is informed, AMI
whatever may be her sentiments, sh'
takes good care to show no resistance Z
her father, and is taken away to her hus
, bands wigwam. But generally tn
: fathers choice is also the daughter 8
for nowhere do strength and dexterit.
: make greater impression than upon tn
: Fueeian girls, who fly from q crooke'
3 or dcformed man, as from an impur
|. beings pariah. There is no feast o
1 wedding ceremony. The bride simpl,
!. goes to her husbands wigwam. or he es
!. tablishes himself in that of her father
b But some rules have to be observed. |
Q the husband wishes to continue to eat th
b flesh of the guanaeo. or seal, he mus
take purifying bath in the sea the morn
!. ing after his wedding Such bath, es
. pecially in the depth of the winter is p
+ doubt often the cause Of many OF tn
: maladies to which the young Fucgian
9 are subject. The children seldom a
: survive their parents. for the mortslit
|, between two to ten years of age is cz
. traordinary. The variable and frigi
! climate, the want OF nourishment, th
: terrible heats, aud bad treatment BY th
9 parents, are the chief causes Of the deaf
q Of these miserable infants, yet unarme
!. against the frightful struggle for exis
4 onco. The mother love lasts it NAV