The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-07-31
NO USE FOR MONEY.
AsETTLeaeNT or QUEER PEOPLE ON
THE iSTHMUS or PANAMA.

They DO Not Worry About Fine House,
and Raiment. and Food Is as Plentiful
ms Air-They Are Not Worried over FL
: nsnciaI Problems.
= 1--WE had To remain in Panama bay
three days before the steamer sailed, -
SAID "a traveller who had recently returned
from trip across the isthmus. as he
lighted fresh cigar, land friend and
decided 10 spend the time exploring
the bay. We hired two West India
darkies, who had a longboat, with a
sail which could be utilized when the
wind was fair, to row us around. Well.
OF course, we sailed up the canal as far
as there was any water and saw the
progress which had been made, or rather
the lack of progress but that is another
story.
I'VE shot one alligator and shot at a
dozen moro. They Were lying along the
banks of the canal summing themselves,
and looked exactly like logs to the mex.
perlenced eye from distance. Upon
nearer approach the log would suddenly
| become animated and would slide off the
bank into the water with n splash.
But what / started to tell about was
peculiar settlement of natives some
distance up the northern shore of the
bay Ii seemed peculiar to me, but such
things may be common down in that
country. l am told they are. At any
rate, 1t was settlement of people who
had kept themselves so far removed from
the modern world that they had no de-
sire for money.
ITO tell the truth, they have little or
no use for money, but yet have never
before seen people who honestly cared
so little for the root of all evil ms these
haf naked natives OF the isthmus did.
1t was small settlement of perhaps two
dozen houses. A dwelling consisted of
small poles stuck up endways, an inch
on so apart, To allow the air To circulate
freely, with a matched roof. Each hab.
itation consisted of one room, open TO |
the gaze of all the neighbors through |
the spaces between the poles.
I'm this lived father, mother chill |
dren, pigs, dogs, chickens and ssly other
animals in the possession of the family.
Ihe children, up TO the age of IL or ii.
dld not wear any clothing whatever,
ana the adults none TO amount to any,
thing Bananas, cocoanuts and other
tropical fruits grew on every hand, and
mere were plenty of fish in the bay,
which were easily caught.
The members of the whole COM
nunity seemed to spend their time much
Is the alligators did, lying about sleep.
ng and summing themselves. When they
wanted any fruit 1t was TO be had for
he picking, and the fish were secured
almost as easily. 1t was a long sail in
'ur small boat from the ship lying at
nchor in the bay, but we had started
arly, the wind was fair and we arrived
{ the settlement about noon. The Ma.
ives paid little attention to us and some
L them did not deign even to wake ND
$ we passed. Others partly opened their {
yes and llstlessly looked up upon our
pproach, but when we had passed they
'ent to sleep again without so much az
lrning their heads to see where we
ere going y
"Our guides told us TO pick as much n
the fruit as we wished. We expressed .
fear that the owners would object.
1T were assured ihat they would not.
we picked basketful in one family's !,
lck yard, if that fenceless town could
said to have back yard. But we felt .
mewhat guilty nevertheless in walk a
z away with big basket of delicious +
nit without so much as Offering to
" anything for it. We so expressed
Irselves to our guides, so they told us
offer the people something-what.
er we pleased. fr
Il took several small silver pieces Il
pm my pocket and offered them to the "
an who seemed to be the head of the {,
mily. He was lying with half closed in
es near the entrance of his home. He
ened his eyes little wider when I !,
preached. looking at the coins in nv ~
tstretched hand, shook his head and
lmbled something which l could not r.
derstand. l looked inquiringly at the
ide, who had followed me. He saws
has no use for it, the guide inter -.
eted, and so we went our way. and il =
IS starlight when we again reached :"
, ship. New York Tribune. re