The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-06-03
NAVIGATING GIANTS OF sERI.
Stories of q Horrible People Living
Island.
TSan Francisco Examiner


Island.
Tsan Francisco Examiner
There are ia giant cannibals, men
and women, living on Sen island, in the
Gulf of California, and not sixty miles
from the mainland of Mexico" said
George G. Mcnamara to an Examiner re-
porter at the Palace hotel last night.
what l say might seem ridiculous, but
IL is nevertheless a fact, for l have seen
some OF them during my travels in
Mexico. Who their ancestors were or how
long they have occupied the island is not
known, but they are now becoming ex-
tinct.
81 saw three women and one man, and
their appearance and manner gave me
the impression that they are brutes by
nature and brutes in heart and soul. 1t
was Just by chance that | saw them, as
few of them venture away from the island
except to sell the mats and shawls which
they make from the skins and feathers OF
the albatross They are cunning thieves,
but otherwise their minds are dull-in
fact they seemed stupefied. They have q
vacant stare in their eyes. and when not
serious, an idiotic smile spreads over their
faces.
THE island of Serbs about twenty miles
long and at places ten miles wide, and l
was told no Mexican or white man ever
ventures near or attempts to land on 1T, as
they claim the island is their domain and
shoot the intruders with poisoned arrows
or capture and eat them. They exist on
fish and goat meat, which are plentiful.
Low houses, built of shrubbery, are their
abode. Some live in 'dugouts,' or caves
cut into banks. They roam about the
island and lead the LATEST life of any peo-
pie that l ever heard of. No one can
really tell what their daily routine of liv-
ing is, but it is fact that the tribe is
dying out, and it will not be many years
before they will become extinct.
Their mode of burial is not known, but
it was estimated that where there are
now handful there were several thou
sand not ten years ago. and if they bury
the dead, and do not burn the bodies, as
cannibals do, the bones of their enormous
frames will cover large area OF the
island.
"The man photographed is over seven
feet in hight. His face was study when
he saw the lens pointed at him, and he
could not understand what was being
done. He, as are all his race, was super
stitious, but we overcame that obstacle
by giving HIM present of an old pair of
trousers, which he Immediately tied around
his neck. The gentleman standing next
to him is about six feet tall, and he had
TO hold the Indians hand. An old rag
encircled the upper portion of the Indians
limbs, and it was tied around the waist.
The blanket is made of albatross skin and
feathers The bow and arrows which he
holds are the only weapon they know OF
or use. His legs from the knee down are
not covered, and he as he stands there, is
the typical Indian.
The women wear patched dresses
made OF cloth which they receive for
alabatross mats and shawls. They are
wrinkled and old, very few girls being
among the tribe. The bowls on their
heads contain broken vessels made of clay.
They are wonderful people" continued
Mr.. Mcnamara, "aud no doubt their past
history, if revealed, will bring to light
facts that relate 20 the magnificent reign
of the Montezumas, or even far beyond
the time of Cortez."