Evening star., 1896-01-18


one days supply ahead. On the fourth day
We moved camp to a point four miles from
the spring. and. worried about the re-
mafnder of our band, + determined to build
raft and venture across the strait
In search for them. I took two water
casks and some drift wood and had just
sent four Of the party into the mountains
to cut some additional poles when caught
sight Of the Anita crossing the channel.
It appeared that after leaving the island
our companions experienced a severe gale
down the channel for twenty-five miles to
desert islan& where they were forced to
spend the night without water or wood.
They landed about midnight and the sea
of losing the beat. in which event they
would undoubtedly have starved to death
! Lest it be washed out to sea by the rising
tide they sunk it near the shore.
The Party Reunited.
"In the morning when they awoke 1t
was filed completely with sand and stood
erect upon the beach. The caulking had
been beaten out, and the next morning
the two men were employed until noon in
| shoveling away the sand. After three more
hours spent in recaulking they at last
| pushed off and sailed around in sight of the
camp where the remainder OF the party
were waiting on the mainland. By this
| time they were almost starved and fam
ished, but they found those in lamp faring
| little better than themselves. While walt
| ing for the boat to return the latter mad
| run out Of water. but fortunately had
| found some bisnago, water-bearing cac-
| tus, which quenched their thirst. The
plant is much like the watermelon in text
| ure, but the water Is very insipid, though
wholesome.
Though our companions were weak from
hunger and thirst on reaching the Island,
they were soon revived and we had a very
happy reunion in camp that night. Next
day ten Of us went to the spring and
brought back supply of water, examining
on our way many dwellings deserted by the
Seris, who had all this time avoided us.
The next day. which was Christmas, We
walked fifteen miles, exploring our island
and returning by the spring, from which We
carried back fourteen gallons of water to
camp. This was enough to last for two
days more, SO we were able to make long
journey into the interior. But still the ma
tives avoided u.s.
I'VE were unable to see a single one of
them, but that they were often near to us
was made evident by the fact that in their
huts we often found the fires still burning
In one instance where We passed one Of
their settlements twice within few days
We found that they had returned and gone
away again in the meantime. One night We
also saw their fires not far distant. We
made every possible effort to find them, but
always without avail. This is for the rea-
son that the Mexicans have waged war
upon them for the past twenty-five years,
and they now afraid of white man.
This was especially so after they had
| learned from those who crossed before us
that the cowboys were in pursuit.
In Regard to Cannibalfsm.
''The island has an area of about 500
| square miles and we reconnoitered almost
| the whole Of the eastern section. In this
| examination we came across altogether
| about twenty-five villages of from one to
| twenty houses each. The whole tribe num-
| bers from $50 to 400 men, women and chill
| Gren. The houses are all very much alike,
| being made Of timber sticks bent in semi
| Circular bows. five or six in row, each end
| stuck into the ground. These are covered
with brushes. Green turtle shells, averag-
ing about two and half feet long, are set
| up along the side and often on the roof for
| wind-breaks.
| II saw nothing which might indicate that
| the Seris are cannibals, and I doubt very
| much II there is any truth in the assertion
! tnat they are Last year. when l studied
| them on the mainland, / gave this matter
considerable attention. In my conversa-
| tons with them often referred to the sub
| ject incidentally, but was always assured
| that they never ate human flesh Of the
1 specimens which have brought back with
| me doubtless the most interesting and val
| liable are four of their reed canoes, which
| l appropriated after they deserted. These
! are each made of three sheaves of reeds
laid together in careful and artistic fashion
! and bound with cords of mesquite root At
| each end the extremities of the sheaves
| taper into long and graceful curves. The
remainder OF the relics are stone imple-
! nents mostly very crude, since these peo-
| pie depend for the most part upon nature
for the shaping of their tools.
After making this extensive expedition
| inland we began to run out of our supplies,
| which had been prepared in contemplation
| of sojourn of only a week on the island.
| But again we found ourselves delayed by
! the heavy gales. We caught few oysters
| and other sea food, which appeaSed our ap-
| petites until the wind abated We then re-
| turned to the mainland ten days after ar
irving on the island.
| Long Tramp.
| "On reaching shore we were without food
| or water and twenty-five miles from sup
| plies. 1t being necessary to make inn
mediate provision for getting supplies set
| out on foot, leaving my companions be-
hind, and followed the rocky coast, which
l assure you was exceedingly rough walk
ing, to the site of the supply camp. Here
1 had expected to find team, but to my
great disappointment found that it had
gone. I now had before me the task OF
pushing further to the ranch, which lay
thirty miles ahead. 1 reached it at last
| having walked ffty-five miles in twenty
consecutive hours, without food or water
Having only In mind my companions
| Immediately packed up as much supplies
| as l could carry and returned to then
hastily on horseback, having experienced
| forty-three hours of activity without once
closing my eyes. Every one in the party
| was exceedingly weak from thirst, but
| had brought enough water to revive them
! This. the day of my reaching them, was
at 10 o'clock the morning of the 30th Of
December. We now were able to move
| without difficulty to the ranch, and on oul
| way met a rescue party sent to meet US
and who had heard reports that several oi
| US were killed by the Indians and another
| drowned.
although our inability to meet with any
| of the people Of the island was source
of disappointment by doing so 1 shoule
have learned but little more than already
know of their personalities. 1 met a grea
number of the inhabitants of the islant
when I visited the mainland a year ago
My main ambition on this trip was to study
the modes Of life on the island, and this
was able to do from the objects I found
although the people themselves were alb
sent. I have therefore had advantages O
studying In detail their habits, and hav,
| learned that there is nothing prehistori,
antedating their works - which indicates
that they have occupied this territory con
tinuously. We now have as much informa
ton as we need. except as to their my
thology and social institutions"