The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-09-10
A MYSTERIOUS RACE.
A SETTLEMENT or WHITES WHO
HAVE LIVED 500 YEARS UNKNOWN.

Gut OF From the World In Their Mous
tain Home - Bsaatifal. Fair Haired
white Skinned 0irls CIsA In s.ov,
Linen 0srmsats-
That white races of mysterious origin
and Ut IN advanced grade Of civilization
exist In certain Of the = yet UNEMPLOYED
plateaus of Africa has long been = mat
ter Of tradition among all those win
have devoted their attention TO the eth
biographical and geographical science O
the dark continent, and Rider Haggart
and other English novelists have fount
In reports bearing upon the subject tn,
theme Of many Of their most popular
storiea
But no attention has been drawn u
yet to the fact that in the interior Of
San Jago. the largest Of the Cape Verde
islands. which nestle in the Atlanti.
OF the most westerly point Of northern
Africa, there exists . strange people
known ty the name of the Cantadas.
who for 500 years past have been sbso.
lutely cut of from all intercourse with
the outer world, and who are fair
haired. light complexioned and blue
eyed. whereas the remaining population
Of the Cape Verde islands consists OF
negroes and of Portuguese. who are
almost a swarthy and somber in color
ny full blooded Africans.
Clear and sharp against the sky line
Of San Jago the mountain Of San An
tonic towers aloft in y pinnacle to the
height Of some s. 900 feet. In form IL
conveys the impression Of an ancient
volcano. with its sharp alope ON the
hide toward the sea. but ON the inland
side the declivity 10 broken BY . sort Of
cup shaped interval. al the farther end
Of which there IL the stump Of what
seems in times gone by to have constt-
tuted . second peak. Of equal height to
San Antonio. but which. through some
great cataclysm Of nature. has been
above the common base.
Strangely enough. the peak Of San
Antonio Is accessible to clever noun
taineers. whereas the sister mountain
that 10 TO say. the broken OF peaks
quite the reverse. From the point where
it rises from the surrounding desert
table land there 10 nothing but . steep
wall Of volcanic rock. not merely hun
dreds but probably . couple of thou
sand feet. high. Indeed the only point
whence access could ever be obtained
10 the summit Of the sister mountain Of
San Antonio would be from the cuplike
interval which divides the two, and
mention Of which has been made above.
This cup. however. il nlied with
water and 10 known by the name Of the
CaDtsdas lake. 1t IL . great sheet Of
water Of marvellous depth and clearness
On this faftber end Of the lake. and
In the interior of this sister mountain
Of San Antonio. dwells the mysterious
white race known ~ the Cantadaa. Dis
trustful. apparently. Of the gaze Of stran-
gers. these people Of the mountain sal
dom leave their habitatiops during day
time. and ON tho slightest alarm Of
visitors they seek the shelter Of the rock.
But BY hiding on the opposite ellis I'M
til evening and with the aid Of glasses
IL il possible to get . good view Of them
when they begin 1t sunset 70 gather on
the grassy meadow which fronts the
opening Of the caves and extends down
to the waters edge.
Beautiful fair haired. white skinned
girls. clad In flowing white linen gar
meDts. which scarcely conceal the sinu-
ous beauty q perfect grace and form.
come out ~ wash linen In the lake and
70 sport ON the cool green grass. The
men. too. are simply dressed in much
the same way. their white linen gar
being admirably suited to the
tropic climate. Many other signs Of q
high degree Of civilization appear, and
from certain points near the summit Of
San Antonio IL 10 possible. with the aid
Of strong glasses. 70 catch glimpses
assures here and there in the
wall Of rock Of the twin mountain, Of
sheep and cattle grazing. Of green fields
and trees and Of white. dat rooted houses
parallel with one another, all
lighted by the sun. and there-
fore leading to the belief that the into
rior Of this sister mountain Of San An
tonic must be followed out into some
possibly the crater Of an extinct
volcano. which, through some freak Of
nature. has been converted from barren
basalt and lava into grassy and fertile
An intrepid explorer would NOT have
great difnculty in reaching the Cantadas
people. All that would be necessary
would BE- to ascend the San Antonio
peak. to descend ON the other side until
reached the cliffs that overhang the
Cantadss lake. 70 have oneself lowered
BY means Of . rope TO the surface Il The
latter and then 10 swim across The lake,
which may b anywhsrs from four 70
six miles In length.
Certain scientists who have invegti-
gated the tradition and rumogu that On.
ist about ths Oantadas among The In.
habitants, AfSisan and Postuguesa, ol
the Cape Verde islsnds, ase inclined -
the belief that they ass q Cornish
origin. This theory 10 due 70 The fact
that what 10 ssatsd to b their tongue
resembles the dialect u the natives ol
Cornwall more than any other Known
Language. New York Journal