The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-04-16
GIANT ~CANNIBALs.

A Race of Strange Men and Women
Populating a Mexican Island.
A man staying for a time at a hotel in
San Francisco, TINS spoke recently TO a
reportet:-"There are 147 giant cannibals.
gen and women, living on Seri Island, in
the Gulf of California, and not sixty miles
from the mainland Of Mexico.
"What l say might seem ridiculous. but
it is nevertheless a fact. for / have seen
some of them during my travels in Mexic o.
Who their ancestors were. or how long
they have occupied the Island. is not
known. but they are now becomi ng ex-
tinet.
Il saw three women and one man, q n d
their appearance inc manner gave me tn Q
impression that they are brutes by
nature, and bTutes 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 n
shawls, which they make from the skins
aud feathers OF the albatross. They are
cunning thieves, but otherwise their
minds are dublin fact. they seem stupe-
fed. They lave a 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
aud | was told no Mexican or white man
man ever ventures near or attempts to
land on it, as they claim the island is their
domain, and shoot the fntruders with
poisoned arrows or capture aud eat them.
They exist on fish aud goat meat, which
are plentiful. Low houses, buElt of shrub
berry. are their abode. Some live in dug
outs or caves cut into banks. They roam
about the island and lead the lazies5 life
of any people / have ever heard OF. No
one can really tell what their daily rou-
tine of Twins. but it Is feet that the tribe
is dying out and it viii 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 a handful there were several thous-
and not ten years ago. aud If they bury
the dead and do not burn the bodies, as
cannibals do, the bones of their enormous
frames will cover a large area OF the
island.
'The man l photographed is over seven
feet in height. His face was a study when
/ pointed the Tense 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 q present of an old pair of trousers,
which he Immediately tied around his
neck. The gentleman standing next 10
him is about six feet tall, aud 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. Tee
hat he wears is of straw. and he, as he
stands there, is the typical Seri Indian.
"The women wear patched dresses made
of cloth which they receive for albatross
mats and shawls. They are wrinkled and
old, very few girIs being among the tribe.
The bowls on their heads contain broken
vessels made of clay.
They are a wonderful people. and no
doubt their past history, if revealed, will
bring to light facts that relate to the mag
nifcent reign of the M~ontezumas, or even
far beyond the time of Corlez. San
Francisco Examiner.