The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-03-20
THE SAM BOS.
Race of Coal Black Indians in Central
America.

During the last seven months l have
visited all the five republics of Central
America, SAYS A. j. Miller. in the At
lanta Constitution. But the most inter
esting part of my work was the explor-
alton of the hitherto unknown coun-
try of the Sambos, in northwestern
Nicaragua. 1t is wild section, reach
ed only by tortuous Indian trails, COW
cred with vast virgin forests of mahog-
any and cedar, and under the domin-
ion of the savage Sambos, who have
never vet yielded to the authority OF
any government but their own, giving
a nominal allegiance to the Mosquito
king, the last remnant of monarchy in
the western world. These Sambos are
as black as ebony. possessing some
generic identities with the pure Congo,
but widely differing from him in other
mental and physical features. The
origin of this tribe is traced into the
black Indians found upon the isthmus
when first visited by the daring adj
venturer Vasco Nunez de Balboa. the
discoverer of the Pacific. They are
still in very barbarous state, being
without any wearing apparel and OBJ
serving a religion that is a quaint adj
mixture of mythology and superstition.
They entertain a blind faith in witch
craft, and invest their sukias (success)
with unlimited authority over temporal
and spiritual affairs.
The religion of the Sambo and his
worship of the god Rushika has
strong similarity to Puzza, an old
90 tho Tanannsp md 'bInoSn The
Sambo believes that at certain seasons
this god goes into certain plants and
animals, as well as giving visible man
ifestations of himself in the sun, moon,
and stars. As consequence they have
great many objects of yeneration.
The medicinal plants are supposed to
receive their virtues and to have been
given supernatural powers through the
breath of Rushika The anaconda,
which furnishes superior oil for the
cure of rheumatism, swollen joints,
etc, is venerated for the same reason
and religiously protec' during the
generative season. They believe that
all unusual connections in nature, such
as earthquakes and tornadoes, are the
visible angry moods of Rushika, but
that the same can be appeased or
warded off by charms or even by phys
zeal force. For instance, they think
that the storm-cloud is supported by
ali evil messenger, whom they can Kill
by discharging their arrows into the
approaching ominous cloud.
The native doctors, or wise men,
among the Sambos occupy high places
in the estimation of the natives. They
use few medicinal herbs in sickness,
but rely mostly upon charms and spells
to drive away the demon of disease.
To this end they carry with them GER
tain stones, seeds, the teeth of wild
animals or the anaconda and other
things, which are concealed about the
patient, who has blind faith in the
curative virtues of the charm. The
sukia does not encroach upon the do
main of the doctors in the power of
healing, but assumes by the exercise
of the black art to visit the direst
calamities upon any that incurs her
displeasure. One of the witches came
near causing the massacre of our en-
tire party, because of an ineXplicable
dislike she had taken to one of the
native guides. We only escaped de-
struction by the providential interven-
ton of thunderstorm, which was
construed as the anger of Rushika at
tho IaaI