Evening journal., 1897-04-20
NO USE FOR MONEY.
AsETTLEMeNT OF QUEER PEOPLE ON
THE lSTHMUs OF PANAMA.

Ihey DO NOV Worry ABOUT tlue aousee
and Raiment. and Food Is as Plentiful
as Air--They Are Not Worried over FL
naucial Problems.
"We had to remain in Panama bay
three days before the steamer sailed"
said traveller who had recently returned
from a trip across the isthmus, as he
lighted fresh cigar, land friend and
decided to spend the time exploring
the bay. We hired two West India
darkies, who had 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.
"We shot one alligator and shot at a
dozen more. They were lying along the
banks of the canal summing themselves,
and looked exactly like logs to the mex
perienced eye from a distance. Upon
nearer approach the log would suddenly
become animated and would slide off the
bank into the water with a splash.
buI MlldJ 4 SldIltQ " AIl4 dbOub was
a peculiar settlement Ct 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 a 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 as 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 thatched roof. Each hab-
itation consisted of one room, open tc
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 IL or IA
did not wear any clothing whatever
and the adults none to amount to any
thing. Bananas, cocoanuts and othei
tropical fruits grew on every hand, anC
there were plenty of fish in the bay
which were easily caught.
''The members Of the whole com
munity seemed to spend their time mucl
as the alligators did, lying about sleep
ing and summing themselves. When the.
wanted any fruit, it was to be had fo
the picking, and the fish were secures
almost as easily 1t was a long sail il
our small boat from the ship lying a
anchor in the bay, but we had starte
early, the wind was fair and we arrive
at the settlement about noon. The ma
tives paid little attention to Us and som
Of them did not deign even to wake u
as we passed. Others partly opened thei
eyes and listlessly looked up upon on
approach, but when we had passed the
went to sleep again without so much Z
turning their heads to see where v
were going.
"Our guides told MS to pick as muc
of the fruit as we wished. We expresse
fear that the owrcrs would objec
but were assured that they would no
So we picked basketful in one family
back yard, if that fenceless town coul
be said to have back yard. But we fe
somewhat guilty nevertheless in wall
ing away with big basket of delicioJ
fruit without so much as Offering
pay anything for it. We so expressC
ourselves to our guides, so they told I
to offer the people something-wha
ever we pleased.
''I took several small silver piec
from my pocket and offered them to Il
man who seemed to be the head of Il
family. He was lying with half Close
eyes near the entrance Of his home.
opened his eyes a little wider when
approached, looking at the coins in Il
outstretched hand, shook his head al
mumbled something which l could II
understand. 1 looked inquiringly at 4
guide, who had followed me. He sa
he has no use for it, the guide int
preted, and so We went our way, and
was starlight when we again reach
the ship. New York Tribune