The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1897-09-04
SAN SALVADOR.
PARTING GLlMPSES OF THIS,
INTERESTING COUNTRY,
Ihe Port OF Acajutla-PeruviaD Balsam.
And How it is Obtained-The "Balsimos'',
themselves are the Nearest Approach--to
Continued from End Col.
The "Balsimus1 Themselves.


These semi-savages are the nearest ap-
proach to the aboriginal tribes to be found in
Central America, and among them the Ian
guage of their ancestors and many of the
ancient usages still prevail. Their terri
tory is wilderness which borders on the,
hoWling-a terra incognita to the paler race
OF the same small country-traversed only
by narrow trails, so intricate that the strang-
ers who attempted to follow them would
soon be lost 1t would be extremely haz-
ardohs to make such an attempt, not only from
the natural dangers, of the tropic forest but
because the Indians, apparently peaceful!
enough when they come out to trade with
the whites, resist to the death any intrusion
Into their stronghold. They live in co1n-
munlt1es. all their earnings being intrusted
to the care of certain old men, called ahuales.
who exercise both civil and religious author
1ty, something as did the patriarchs of Abra-
hams day.
These ahuales keep the common fund in a
treasure box. to be distributed among the
families as their necessities require. 1t is
sort of bank which never breaks" and fro1H
which no cashier absconds with the funds
and although the belief prevails in Salvador
that the tribe has an enormous sum of money
on hand-their earnings having been so large
since time out of mind and their simple
wants so few and ineXpensive-nobody is
foolhardy enough to attempt a robbery It
is said that at the end of each year the ex-
listing surplus is buried in a sacred spot
known only to the ahuales, with religious
ceremonies. The "Balsimos," as these In
dams are commonly called, are much larger
in stature and darker in color thai the tribes
and races of Central America-probably be-
cause with less alien blood in their veins:
They are more morose and taciturn too, but
temperate, Industrious, and extremely re-
ligious after strange fashion of their own.
They profess the Roman Catholic faith, but
have no very clear idea Of its more exalted
tenets, and have interpolated many peculiar
aboriginal rites and superstitions, some Of
their festivals being more like bacchana-
Ian riots than religious ceremonies, accom-
panied by scenes Of revolving bestiality.
When they come to town both men and
women are dressed much like the poems OF
the country: but in their own territory the9-
90 unc1othed from the waist up-the women
wearing only a short skirt of blue cotton
cloth, woven by themselves in hand-looms:
the men, white cotton trousers; and it is
said that when beyond the sight of outsiders
discarded in favor of the breech- clout by
both sexes. Physically angular and severe
Of countenance, the women are especially
lgly and live to extreme old age
They number little more than 1000, ak
told. Their villages, or communities, are
all on the mesas of the low mountains, each
with its tiled church, surrounded by group
Of traw-thatched huts. While the men arg
off in the forests gathering balsam, the
women cultivate little patches of vans, corils
and tobacco, only enough for home consump-
lion, and weave cloth for their garments,
and braid hats OF dry grass; and at rare in
:ervals a man or woman trudges into town.
dragging cedar plank, or scantling, rough
y hewn out with the machete, which finds
ready sale for building material. Their laws
are ostensibly those of the state, but i'll point
Of fact the only laws consulted in their civil
and criminal decisions are of their own max
ing. They have sort of court of their own,,
held in house erected for the purpose,
presided over by the ahuales. Strange to-
say, the court always sits at night, lighted
by dim wood fire built in one corner Of the
room. The people listen with the greatest
respect to the words of the ahuales, and carry
out their decisions to the letter, whether it
be the confiscation of their own property.
the death sentence Of relative, or the muir
aering of an intruder in the territory.
Leaving Acajutla not far from midnight.
we sat on deck till almost morning, charmed
with the moonlight view Of rough, jagged.
mountains, pierced by volcanic peaks. A
small but turbulent river, rushing into
.he Pacific, forms the boundary line
between Salvador and Guatemala; and rs We
proceeded along the shore Of the latter re-
public a splendid view Of the famous VOL
canoes Aqua and Fuergo. all glorified in silver
light, suddenly burst upon us. Then we
turned in," as the sailors say, for an hour
Or two of slumber, and on awakening fount
ourselves rolling and lurching In the troubled
.oadstead of San Jose.
FANNIE BRIGHAM WARD.