The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1896-07-08
NO USE FOR MONEY.
AsETTLEMeNT OF QUEER PEOPLE ON
THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA.

They Do Not Worry About Fine Houses
and Raiment, and Food Is as Plentiful
as Air-They Are Not Worried Over FL
nancial Problems.
eve had to remain in Panama bay
three days before the steamer sailed"
said traveller who had recently returned
from trip across the isthmVs, as he
lighted fresh cigar, 'and friend and
decided to spend the time exploring
the bay. We hired two West India
darkies, who had longboat, with
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
dozen more. They were lying along the
banks of the canal summing themselves,
and looked exactly like logs to the mex
perienced eye from distance. Upon
nearer approach the log would suddenly
become animated and would slide off the
bank into the water with splash.
But what / started to tell about was
a peculiar settlement of natives some
distance up the northern shore of the
bay. 1t seemed peculiar to me, but such
things may be common down in that
country. am told they are. At any
rate, it was settlement of people who
bad 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 Us these
half naked natives of the isthmus did
1t was a small settlement of perhaps two
dozen houses. A dwelling consisted of
small poles stuck up endways, an inch
or SO apart, to allow the air to circulate
freely, with matched roof. Each hab-
itation consisted of one room, open to
the gaze Of all the neighbors through
the spaces between the poles.
"In this lived father. mother, chill
dren, pigs, dogs, chickens and any other
animals in the possession Of the family.
The children, up to the age of 10 or IA,
did not wear any clothing whatever,
and the adults none to amount to any
thing Bananas, cocoanuts and other
tropical fruits grew ON every hand, and
there were plenty Of fish in the bay,
which were easily caught
1.-THE members Of the whole COM
munity seemed to spend their time much
as the alligators did, lying about Sleep
ing and summing themselves. When they
wanted any fruit, it was to be had for
the picking, and the fish We're secured
almost as easily. 1t was long sail in
our small boat from the ship lying at
anchor in the bay, but we had started
early the wind was fair and we arrived
at the settlement about noon. Tho ma
tives paid little attention to us and some
e them did not deigq even to IKE up
eyes and listlessly looked up upon our
approach, but when we had passed they
went to sleep again without so much as
turning their heads to sec where we
were going.
"Our guides told us to pick as much
of the fruit as we wished. We expressed
fear that the owners would object,
but were assured that they would not.
So we picked a basketful i'll one family's
back yard, if that fenceless town could
be said to have back yard. But we felt
somewhat guilty nevertheless in walk
ing away with big basket of delicious
fruit without so much as offering to
pay anything for it. We so expressed
ourselves to our guides, SO they told us
to offer the people something-what-
ever we pleased.
1T took several small silver pieces
from my pocket and offered them to the
man who seemed to be the head of the
family. He was lying with half closed
eyes near the entrance Of his home. He
opened his eyes little wider when 1
approached, looking at the coins i'll my
outstretched hand, shook his head and
mumbled something which ] could not
understand. looked inquiringly at the
guide, who had followed me. He says
he has no use for it, the guide inter-
preted, and so we went our way, and it
was starlight when we again reached
the ship. New York Tribune