The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-08-01
CURIOUS CRADLES.
HOW BABIES OF SOME RACES
ARE ROCKED TO SLEEP.
The Queer Chinese Institutional
Lapp Baby's Snow Cradle-A
Palm Leaf Bed-Samoan
Torture Box, Etc.

Torture Box, Etc.
Different people have cradles peculiar
to themselves, and merry little eyes
sometimes look out upon this big, round
ball that swings in the air from some
novel houses. There are persons living
to-day whose cradles were of the primi-
tive backwoods pattern, being roughly
hewn troughs fastened to clumsy rockers.
From cradles of this kind have stepped
presidents, generals and statesmen, and
the frontier rockers, in more than one
instance, have rocked the world.
The Chinese have queer institution
which they call the winter cradle. 1t is
shaped somewhat like an hour glass and
stands on end. There is an opening
above and below, and the waist, which
is contracted, serves to keep the celestial
baby on his feet. Day after day little
almond shaped eyes peep over the top OF
this cradle and little hands play with
miniature dragons and other toys till the
nurse puts in an appearance. Some of
these winter cradles are made of wicker
work and are beautifully painted by
Chinese women artists. 1t is almost i'm
possible for one to be upset; but now
and then, when two are placed close to-
getner and the occupants declare war
and measure arms, two cradles roll over
the floor to noises that "bring down the
house."
The Lapp baby very often has snow
cradle. for when the indulgent mother
attends church she max es a hole in the
snow outside and deposits the young
Laplander therein. 1t is no uncommon
sight to see circle of these snow cradles
in front of Lapp chapel, and now and
then fierce looking lot of dogs are on
guard to keep off the wolves that might
mediate raid on the baby contingent
The Lapp cradle in material differs
essentially from that used by the Bush
man baby, whose mother digs hole in
the hot sand and chucks him therein in
the shadow of some lonely bush. Some
times the cradle is ready to hand in the
shape of an ostrich nest, and now and
then some feathers left by the mighty
bird help to soften the nest of the future
Bushman warrior.
There is tribe in the palm region of
the Amazon that cradles the young in
palm leaves. a single leaf turned up
around the edges by some native process
makes an excellent cradle, and now and
then it is made to do service as bath
tub. Strong cords are formed from the
sinews of another species of palm, and
by these this natural cradle is swung
alongside a tree, and the wind rocks the
little tot to sleep. Long ago the
Amazonian mothers discovered that it
was not wise to leave baby and cradle
under cocoa palm, for the mischievous
monkey delighted to drop nuts down
ward with unerring precision. An older
child is stationed near by to watch the
baby during his siesta, and the chatter
of monkeys overhead is enough to cause
speedy migration.
Patagonian babies are kept in Grad les
made of flat pieces of board. Two
pieces of guanaco skin are so arranged
across the cradle that the child is firmly
fastened inside, and can be carried thus
suspended from saddle bow without
danger. In the rude huts of this people
these cradles are hung, hammockwise,
to the rafters, and, amid the smoke that
darkens everything, including his very
nature it seems, the Patagonian infant
passes his first stages of babyhood.
When the village migrates the cradle is
swung from the saddle, aud in swim
ming a stream it floats like canoe on
the surface, while the horse is almost
entirely submerged. Sir Francis Head,
who saw a great deal of Patagonian life
years ago, leaves on record that the Pata-
gonian baby in his cradle is one of the
best. .natured representatives of the in
FAINT world.
The Samoan cradle, I am sorry to say,
is torture box. So is that used by the
Chinooks of the Northwest coast. The
baby is lashed to a board with strong
thongs. Under the head is O pillow
formed of moss or rabbit skins, and
piece of wood is placed over the head at
an incline and is held in its place by
cords which reach to the foot of the
queer cradle. The forehead is bandaged
and the pressure of the inclined board
gradually fattens the head of the child
to the desired degree. Imprisoned thus
the Chinook baby passes the first eight
months of its existence. During all this
time it is never wholly released, though
the various bandages are taken off at
stated intervals from motives of cleanli'
ness. This is Chinook baby raising.
The Samoans encase their children in
torture cradles, face upwards, and i'm.
pede the growth of the skull with
weights of fiat stones. There is no pos
sble escape from the crd!e, and the
Samoan and Chinook babies are COM
PEELED to begin life in manner that
savors of heartless brutality.-New York
Graphic.