The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-07-03
FAR AWAY FROM HIS HOME.
a wAN0ERER IN CENTRAL AMERICA.
The Mosquito Territory-Its Government,
Capital and PeopIe-The Land of Beauty
and Banana-A Trip Up the EscOn-
dida River. Etc.


qua, a small portion of the territory of
Nicaragua was surveyed off and given to
the Mosquito Indians, the aborigines OF
this republic, and is called the Mosquito
reservation. This reservation is about
fifty miles wide and extends from Spanish
Honduras, on the north, to river san
Jaun. Costa Rico, on the south.
The treaty provides that the Indians
shall have undisputed right to make and
execute their own laws without the inter-
vention OF any other power. The death
of Chief Heudy recently necessitated the
election OF a new man for the position.
Although the chiefship is claimed to be
hereditary, still it is elective, as any one
of the "royal family" is eligible and an
election decides upon whom the honor
falls. At the recent election, held by for
ty-three head men, who are appointed
BY the chief, Jonathan was declared duly
elected. He celebrated the event by Civ
ing freedom to all persons confined In
prison, some Of whom were sentenced Tor
life.
An amusing incident occurred during
the election, and caused much mIrth
among the spectators. The presiding otl-
Ger requested all those who desired to vote
for Jonathan to stand UP, and that lndl-
vidual was on his feet in a second, and all
the reasoning OF his supporters could not
make him sit down while the votes were
being counted. Previous to his election
he husked cocoanuts for a living, and
made a very poor one at that, and now he
receives 5000 soles about 5000 a year
for doing little or nothing
The Mosquito Indian deserves a passing
notice and nothing more. A picture OF
these Indians does not bear the we'll
known features of the renowned hunters
and daring warriors whom we are &C
quainted with from Leather Stockings,
The Pathfinder" and other Indian stories.
There are no noble figures roaming on
horseback over the boundless prairie,
with scalping-knife in hand, and a belt
around the waist, Enthusiastically ornamented
with thirty or forty fresh scalps. l say
YOU must not imagine such things, for
they are not true, and I must confess that
! felt astOnished and disappointed when l
first saw them. Ii seems that Dame Ma
ture, trying her hand on man. cut these
Indians out for models and forgot to finish
them, for, indeed, they only look as very
rough sketches OF the real article-man.
They are remarkably small of stature,
having black hair and very flat noses and
faces. | don't think they would be con-
sidered at all extravagant in dress, for the
entire outfit of the average Mosquito In
dian could be purchased in IndianapOlis
for 90 cents. They wear pants made of
coarse cotton stuff and without the slight
est regard 10 their architectural arrange
ment or the latest fashion. The next Is a
shirt of the same material, made about a
foot longer behind than in front. and
come down TO the knee behind. Not the
least restraining influences are thrown
around this article of wear and its lower
extremities are allowed TO fit about IN the
breeze at its own free will. Just why they
wear their shirts after this fashion I am
not able TO say. They exc out living by
fishing, hunting and cutting rubber.
The capital Of the Mosquito reservation,
the largest port on the eastern coast OF
Nicaragua, is the pretty little town of
Bluefeids, built on hill, or rather several
hills, about six miles south of Bluefields
(Escondidal river, and situated on the
border OF Bluefelds Lagoon, beautiful
body OF water about fourteen miles long
and seven wide. Eight years ago this
place was an insignificant settlement. Now
it is prosperous and growing town with
a population of about two thousand, in
GLIDING 100 white men and about ten
white women. 1t contains over two hun
dred and fifty substantially built houses,
two hotels or inns, a large church erected
by the monrovian missionaries), a good
sized school house, the government house,
a local court house and twenty stores. The
main street of the town is lighted BY
lamps; the laws are enforced and disturb.
snce of any kind is rare. The climate is
MI he Tar
Eeventy-five to ninety the year round.
The sanitary condition of the town is ex-
cellent and the health of the people as
good as could be desired. The deaths av-
erage one a week. There are only two
physicians here, but they are all, if not
more, than are neces saTy. Uncle Alec,
aged lob, recently lost a son aged seventy
three. Bluehelds Is healthier than many
OF the cities In the southern states, and a
case of sun-stroke, yellow fever, smallpox
or rabies was never known here The
population OF Bluefelds is wonderfully
mixed. About half are "creoles," as they
are pleased to call themselves. They
speak the creole language, which is moth
ing more or less than terrible bad English
with a peculiar accent, and not easily IN
derstOOd by stranger. For instance, they
say, me Moons" and me poopa," lac
cent on last SYLLABLE instead OF mamma
and papa. The creoles are a mixture of
negro, Spanish, Indian, ETC., etc.
In ny opinion the American negro is
lar superior, intellectually. to the creole or
Jamaica negro, and nothing will excite
the ire of an American negro so quickly
as to ask if he is from Jamaica But the
Jamaica negro feels highly fattered if you
ask him If he is from America, and shows
you as nice a set of teeth as you ever saw
IN your life for your trouble. The native
houses are made from bambo, covered
with palm leaves -Four or five natives.
with no other tool than their machettes,
IA long heavy bladed knife,) will put up
q good house IN a few days. The frame,
of posts and poles, is tied together with a
small. stout and pliable vine, no nails,
screws or pins being used Some Of the
roofs are a foot thick, and a good one will
last six years. A house with a roof of
palm leaves is much cooler than the shin
gle roof
The native food consists of beans, plant
aims, bananas, cassaya, bread fruit, fish,
turtle and numerous kinds of snail fruit.
The bread-fruit tree is a large and most
beautiful tree; the fruit is very tOothsome,
and is prepared by boiling, baking or fry
ing, same as potatoes. A walk to the
creek, running through Bluefelds, will
give you an idea as to how your linen is
washed Seated on rocks in the stream,
with the water about their waists, the wo-
men pound and rub clothes all day. Many
Nr~-.,.