The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1896-01-25
FINGERS LIKE CLAWS.
distinguishing Defornity Of tho
Robbins Tribe" of New York.
The Strange i;irthmar.r pcrpetuatcd
Through Several Generations
with an Occasional Va

with an OccnSlonAl va
riation.
Themost picturesque stream in west
crn New York IS the Cattarnugus.
Through most of its course it is the
boundary line between the counties OF
Erie and Cattardugus, and it is not !
large stream, except when melting
SHOWS or autumn rains hive swelied
it into torrent Rich farlnE. wooded
slopes. deep gorgcs whose lofty walls
form the high banks, as the natives call
them, and tangled wilderness where
nature still runs riot, rs sic has from
the first; these mark the course of the
Cattaraugus. The Indian name is it
self musically expressive, and recalls
the days when only red men occupied
it's banks. There arc still Indians
along it, and the reservation named for
it contains most of the few remaining
members of the Seneca tribe, once tic
possessor OF all the region from Lake
Erie to and beyond the Gcncsec.
The reservation begins near the vii
Iagc of Gowanda, and just above there,
shut in by high hills, is The widest and
i1lOob iiktCNNSolOlC oiJOJ III TN ~ AOlS IL
gion, the valley of Zoar. How or from
whom the place received its Biblical
name, or what is the resemblance be-
tween this secluded spot and the city
which, in the Old Testament story, fig
urcs along with Sodom and Golnorrah,
are matters which not even the Oldest
inhabitant is able to explain. IIcre
among the hills, where strange faces
are rarely seen, is concealed & rcnlarka-
bic example of natures occasional va
gnrics and the strange persistence of
',hnornalitics through hercdity. Among
the few residents of Zoar there are sew
oral families of claw-fingered persons.
They are not wild or hair-c0vcrcd, at
least not more SO than most of the folk
among the Cattaraugus, but nearly all
OF them have u curious dcforlnity OF
the fingers and toes which gives them
their name. They have lived here many
years, and, although their nejghbors
arc still inclined 10 look upon them
romewhnt askancc, they are no longer
regarded rs especially wonderful, and
one might travel through tic valley 4
dozen times without once hearing q
word about its strange Inhabitants.
In driving through the valley recent
ly the writer came across an old farrcr |
loading hcJnloclS bark by the read
side, md inquired for the claw-lrgcred
residents.
"Thnt Robbins tribe 2" was the reply |
"Ycs, I've knowed some of en- for nigh !
on forty years, cause was raised right /
here. Yes, their hands is like claws.
Some of en-. It's mighty GURUS |
thing, but faint nuthin' rmch to lool; /
at. Why, folks come all the way from |
buffalo (bctwceu 30 and 40 miles, /
10 look at en-, an you'd think by the
way they go on about it that they was /
goin' to 4 circus."
The old man shook his head at the
unaccountablc curiosity of the lmfralo /
visitors, and turned again TO his work.
Although the residents Of Zoar usual
ly refer to their strange neighbors as a (
tribe. they nsc the word Only as it is
frequently employed III rural districts
in speaking of any large family. They
arc by no means looked upon rs sep
aratc order of beings. Still there is
strong social predjudice against them.
Although this prejudice has not feeli
sufficient TO prevent marriages with
other families in the neighborhood, il
has discouraged such marriages. The
consequence is that there hao been
much intermarry;ng in the family, and
this may have something to 90 with the
perpetuation of their defornity.
As well as can be learned. the peculiar
digital formation of the claw-fingcred
folks has existed in zoar through four
generations. In the carly part Of the
century man named Robbins settled
in Zoar. He was remarkable because
his fingers aud toes were SO bent thai
they resemblcel claws somewhat more
than they did human digits. In other
respects there was nothing particularly
striking about his appearance. His
strange, cIaw-like hands and toes be-
came objects of considerable curiosity,
but 1t does not appear that Robbins
ever explained the origin of his de-
forInity. Of course after it reappcarcfl
in his descendants it became the rem
cral opinion that Robbins himself in
hcrited ii. Others believe that he was
the foiinder of the claw-fingered family,
md that lie settled in this remote spot
because of his disfgurement.-N. Y.
Sun.
The Parting Stone"
Among the old landmarks yet re-
,noinino In the Roxbury district one