The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-09
QUEER WILD FOLKS IN BRAZIL.
Facts About the Savage Botocudos and
Their Interesting Ways
From the Washington EUenin0 Star.
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Their Interesting Ways
From the Washington EUenin0 Star.
1.-The Botocudos of Brazil are among the
most interesting savages In the world. said
an eshnologist. Although other wild peo-
pIes in various parts OF the world distend
their lips aud ears with wooden plugs for
ornamental purposes, Indians OF this race
carry such practices TO an unparalleled ex-
treme. The piercing OF the flesh Tor tots
object is performed when the child IS ABOUT
years Of age. a sharp spine from a kind OF
palm being used as a surgical instrument
Openings have thus been made in the lower
lip and lobe Of each ear bits Of wood are in
serted to keep them from healing, bigger
and bigger pieces being substituted until the
plugs attain diameter sometimes OF as
much as four inches. These plugs are cut
from a tree which furnishes wood quite as
light as cork and OF white Color 4hey
are threesduarters of an inch thick
1.-THE wooden disk in the lip is worn most
of the time, but it is from time TO time re-
moved, when the lip hangs In a hideous
loop Of flesh against the chin, looking like
great worm, and displaying the teeth in
horrible grin. Ordinarily the pressure OF
the plug against the lower front teeth
pushes them out Of place ard causes them to
fall cut, thus adding to the unpleasant
effect. When the plug is in position, the
features being in repose il is carried horl-
zontally, smile causing it to touch the tip
of the nose. In quarrels the perforated ears
and lips are apt 10 suffer, and 1t is no I'M
common thing to see them broken. When
such en- accident occurs the severed parts
ore tied together. and the plug Is replaced:
| More often than not the ear disks are not
worn, and the loops of flesh are left dangling,
sometimes reaching to the shoulders: In
travelling through the forest such loops
would be likely to catch upon boughs OF
trees, so they are often turned up and hung
over the ears for convenience.
"The color of the Botocudos Is light
yellowish brown. 1t has been said that
they are capable Of blushing occasionally,
which would seem to be an accomplishment
worth having, inasmuch as both sexes COM
monty 60 stark naked. When brought into
contact with Europeans they manifest not
the slightest embarrassment on account OF
their lack Of clothing, however. From GER
tain seeds and fruits they obtain brilliant
dyes, with which they adorn their bodies.
There is no set style, the method of painting
the person varying with the taste OF the
individual. A favorite fashion is to paint
the face above the mouth a bright red, the
upper half of the body being stained black
ana red stripe encircling,the waist. A new
warrior thus decorated, with lip and ear
ornam ents, presents a most demoniacal ex-
preston. The colors employed are mixed
in the upper shell of turtle, and are
carried in joints of the bamboo. When at
work on plantations belonging to the whites
the men often tie shirt by the arms around
the waist, letting the body hang down in
front. They are never seen to wear such
garment otherwise. The women adopt
tattered skirt But these articles of APP
parel are Immediately discarded as soon as
they return to the forest, where they roam
about without even fig leaf apiece to
cover themselves with.
1.-THE arms Of the Botocudo consist of the
bow and arrow. His bow is made from the
wood Of the airi palm, from five to seven
feet in length, ana 30 heavy and strong that
no other man can bend It, The arrows are
six feet long with, shafts of strong and light
reeds tipped for use in war with javelin-
like head made from the side Of joint Of
bamboo. This head, which is convex on
one side and concave on the other, is sharp
ened to O long point, the edge being rem
dered as keen as a dnife. Such arrows are
employed also in the chase Of the tapir.
They are plumed with the feather of a large
bird. The wounds they make are terrible
and particularly dangerous. because Of the
; concave shape Of the arrow head, which
facilitates bleeding.
For birds and small game the eavages
utilize arrows with blunt points, which stun
the prey, but do not tear 1t. They capture
small lizards with these weapons. For call
ing one another in the forest they have
the tail of the great armadIllo. While
travelling through the woods they build for
, themselves temporary shelters of palm
| leaves, sticking the stems into the ground in
} a half circle, so that the tips Of the fronds
arch together and form a sort Of soof. When
, encamping for a considerable time in one
! place they construct houses often big enough
to hold several families. The furnishing Of
a Botocudo cabin Is extremely simple, beds
, being made from bark fiber and the fire
being in the middle of the dwelling. Gourds
are used for drinking purposes and in the
| preparation OF food.
"The Botocudos are particularly fond of
the flesh of monkeys but they also subsist
! upon ant eaters, alligators and boa con-
! strictors. Fish they usually shoot with
small bows, which they use with great dex-
7 terity; but sometimes they employ poison
GUS root. which, put into the water, brings
the fish to the surface. They regard as
delicacy certain kinds Of huge caterpillars,
Z which burrow in decaying wood These
Q unpleasant grubs are impaled on a sharp
t stick, number at a time, and toasted at
s the fire. This is their usual method of
cooking animal food. Fire is to them very
Z valuable. because if lost it can only be re-
/ kindled with great difficulty by means of
b the friction of wood, and SO they take much
= care that 1t shall not go out.
a Tho men usually take but one wife each
( warrior purchases the woman he wants
i from her father and there is no further
ceremony. When the husband is angry
with his spouse he beats her numerically
: and cuts her with his knife. So common is
: this latter method of conjugal discipline
that 1t is a rare thing to see married
woman who is not covered with the scars OF
q terrible wounds on her face, back, breast
q and arms. All hard work is done by the
women who are really slaves They wear
for ornaments collars made of hard berry
/, like fruits strung on threads, necklaces OF
> monkeys teeth or the hoofs of wild pigs
and armlets of beads and teeth. The Botoc-
= udos have been hunted down and massacred
= by the Portuguese. Undoubtedly they prac
? tice cannibalism more or less. 1t is a re-
( markable race, but the last survivors are
o rapidly passing away