The Globe-republican., 1891-04-29
INDIAN NAN EATERS.
4 Peculiar Tribe Who InhAbit . New Ae1'
aAan Islaud.

4 Peculiar Tribe Who Inhablt New Ae@
lean Island.
"There are one hundred and seventy
four giant cannibals, men and women
living on Seri Island, in the Gulf OF CAL
ifornia, and not sixty miles from the
mainland of Mexico" said George u.
Mcnamara to the reporter OF San
Francisco paper.
what say might seem ridiculous,
but it is nevertheless a fact, for 1 nave
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 becom-
ing extinct
81 saw three women and one man and
their appearance and manner gave me
the impression that they are brutes oy
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 ano
feathers of the albatross. They arc
cunning thieves, but otherwise their
minds are dull-in fact they seem stupe-
fed. They have a vacant stare in their
ewes. and. when not serious. an ldlotic
smile spreads over their faces.
The island of Seri is about twenty
miles long and at places ten miles wide,
and was told no Mexican or white man
ever ventures near or attempts to Iand
on it, 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 people
that have heard of. No one can really
tell what their daily routine of living Is,
but it is fact that the tribe is dying
out, and it will not be many years be-
fore they will become extinct. Their
mode of burial is not known, but 1T Is
estimated that where there are now a
handful there were several thousand
not ten years ago. and il they bury the
dead and do not burn the bodies, as can
uibals do. the bones of their enormous
frames will cover a large area OF the
island.
1.-The man I photographed is over
seven feet in height. His face was Z
study when he saw the lens pointed a
him. and he could not understand wha
was being done. He, as is all his race
was superstitious. but we Overcame tina
obstacle by giving him a present of al
old pair of trousers. which he immedi
ately tied around his neck. The gen
tleman standing next to him is abou
six feet tall. and he had to hold the In
dams hand. An old rag encircled tn
upper portion of the Indians limbs, ant
it was tied around the waist Tn
blanket is made of albatross skin an
feathers. The bow and arrows whicl
he holds are the only weapon the
know of or use. His legs from the kne
down are not covered. The hat b
wears is of straw. and he, as he stand
. there. is typical Seri Indian.
, 1.-The women wear patched dresse
made of cloth which they receive TO
albatross mats and shawls. They ar
wrinkled and old, very few girls bein
. among the tribe. The bowls on thel
: heads contain broken vessels made c
) clay.
{ They are a wonderful people" COZ
| tinued Mr.. Mcnamara, land no dout
their past history, if revealed. wi
, bring to light facts that relate to tn
magnificent reign of the Montezuma
! or even far beyond the time of Cortez
4 Chicago Journal