Los Cerrillos rustler. (Cerrillos, N.M.) 188?-1891, 1891-05-01

a rssun.r Trlh. whs IahAhu = Ss- Ms.-
lean laland-

q recauar Trlhe whs IuhAhit = Nsw Ne.
lean Island.
There arr Que hundred and seventy
four giant cannihalA men and women,
living on Seri Island IN the Gulf o. Cal.
iforuia and not sixty miles from the
mainland OF Mcxioo.- said George q.
Mcnamara 10 the reporter Of a San
Francisco paper.
what ] Gay might seem ridiculous
but Il Is nevertheless a fact for 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 becom-
ing extinct
Il saw three women aud one man and
their appearance and uanncr gave me
the impression that they are brutes by
nature and brutcs In heart and soul. IL
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 seem stupe-
fed. They have n vacant stare In their
eyes, and. when not serious, an idiotic
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 20 land
on Il, as they claim the island Il their
HNHaufn wrH aI.lN Al. Ea-N-m iii.
poisoned arrows or capture and eat
them. They exist on fish and goat
meat, which are plentiful. Low houses,
built Of shnbbery, 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 II Is n fact that the tribe is dying
out, and II will not be many years be-
fore they will become extinct. Their
mode Of burial is not known, but IL is
estimated that where there are now a
handful there were several thousand
not ten years ago, and II they bury tho
dead and do not burn the bodies, as can
uibals do, the bones of their enormous
frames will cover q large area Of tho
island
"The man I photographed Is over
seven feet in height. His face was a
study when he saw the lens pointed at
him, and he could not understand what
was being done. He, as is all his race,
was superstitious, but we overcame that
obstacle by giving him a present Of an
old pair Of trousers, which he immedi-
ately tied around his neck. The gen
tleman standing next TO him is about
six feet tall, and he had to hold the In
dams hand. An old rag encircled the
upper portion of the Indians limbs, and
Il 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. The hat he
wears is of straw, and he, as he stands
there, is n typical Seri Indian.
1.-THE women wear patched dresses
made of cloth which they receive for
albatross 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 n wonderful people" con
tinued Mr.. Mcnamara, ''and no doubt
their past history, II revealed, will
bring TO light facts that relate TO the
magnificent reign Of the Montezumas,
or even far beyond the time Of Cortez."
Chicago Journal.