Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-02-13
LAND OF rHEsAMBos.
The Natives of Wild section Of
Nicaragua

During the past seven months, says A.
J. Miller, in the Atlanta Constitution, /
have visited all the five republics Of Cen
tral America, but the most interesting
part of my work was the exploration Of
the hitherto unknown country Of the
Sambos, in northwestern Nicaragua It
is wild section. reached only by tor
tu0us Indian trails, covered with vast
virgin forests of mahogany and cedar,
and under the dominion of the savage
Sambos, who have never yet 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 tribeis traced tc'the'
black Indians found upon the isthmus
when first visited by the daring adventu-
rer, Vasco Nunez dc Balboa, the discoE-
erer Of the Pacific. They are stillin a
very barbarious state, going without
any wearing apparel and observing alre-
Hgiom that is a quaint adlmixture' OF
mythology and superstitions They en-
tentain blind faith in witchcraft, and
invest their sukias (success) with un--
limited authority over tenporal and
spiritual affairs.
The religion of the Sambo and his
Worship of the god, Rushika, has . strong
similarity to Puzza, an old god ,ot the
Japanese and Chinese. The Sambo be-,
lieyes that at certain seasons this god
goes into. certain plants and animals. as
we'll as, giving visible manifestations OF
himself in the sun, moon and stars. AS
a consequence, they have great many
objects of veneration. The medicinal
plants are supposed to receive their vir--
tues and to have been given supernatural
powers through the breath of Rnshika-
The anaconda, which furnishes superior
oil forthe cure of rheumatism, swollen
Joints. ETC., is venerated for the same
reason, and religiously protected during
the generative season. They believetthat
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 physical force. For
instance; they think that the storm cloud
is supported by an evil messenger, whom
they can kill, by diseharging their ar
rows intothe .appfsAching ominous cloud.
\ The native doctors, or wise men,
amongtfie Sambos, occupy high places
in theestimation of the natives. They
use a fsw medicinal herbs insickness,
but relElabestly upon charms and spellsrto'
4 drive azsaF the demon of disease. To,
this end they carry with them certain
stones, sead, teeth of wild animals, or
the anaconda and other things. which
are concealed about the patient, who has
ia blind faith in the curative virtues,ofs
the charm The sukia does not encroaehl
upon the domain Aof the dnpt0Bss in tho
powerof healing, but assAmess. BY the.
exercise OF the black art Z to visit the
direst calhanities upon any one thatiin-
ours her displeasure. One. Of. thesa'
witches, came near causing the massacre
sof our entire party, because, OF an mex
plieable dislike she had taken to ONE OFF
the native guides. We only escaped de-
struction by the providential interven-
tion Of thunder storm, which was con-
strued. as the anger Of Rushika atrthst
daed.