Evening star., 1898-02-18

the Royal Geographical Society, has taken
q great interest in Mr.. Sullivans discovery.
Mr.. Halliburton is of the best authori-
ties in the world on pygmy races. He
thinks 1t of the greatest value to anthro-
biologists to have the tradition of pygmy
races in South Amrica recorded by Hum
boldt: in the first years of this century so
strikfngly verified. Humboldt said these
pygm:es were supposed to inhabit the coun-
try at the headwaters of the Orinoco. but
he did not visit that region, and suggested
thaa Hthe rurnors of this strange race OF
men were unfounded. Mr.. Halliburton says
that Martins saw d radical dwarf at Para,
and that little further has been learned on
the subject, though Markham gives the
lanes of two dwarf tribes with the list Of
Indian tribes in the valley of the Amazon,
published by the AnthropoloSical Institute
of London in January, 1895. In Mr.. Hall
burton's opinion Mr.. Sullivan's observa-
tons clear up the subject and leave no
doubt as to the existence of numerous pyg-
my tribes in Guiana and Venezuela. Mr.
Sullivan SAID yesterday:
q met while on the Rio Negro. one OF
the tributaries of the upper Amazon,
race of remarkably small people. who were
more likely of an Indian than of negro
origin Judging from their hair and the Pc,
culiar color of the skin. which Was bril-
liant livid reddish yellow. They are very
Ugly in shape. Their stomach, which is
distended in the back as well as In front Is
big and out of all proportion to their tiny
spindling arms. and legs. | think this is
caused BY their anaconda-like practice OF
gorging. After a hunt -rhey will eat like
ar imals and then lie about listlessly IN
the hot tropical sun for days, till munger
again impels them to get more game
"Curiously enough, they appear to De
metal workers, and tip their carts with DTS
of hardened iron or steel made from ma
tive ores These darts are projected from
q blowg1in, like the boys toy. but with
deadly effect. They can actually propei
light dart several hundred feet by the mere
power of their lungs in blowing through
tnb a of rowing hunters
and warriors. They are vain ana poast-
full people. In converSirg with them as 10
TIE extent of their tribes they make ges-
tires to impress one with their vast num-
bers and point to the west and southwest
as their home This would indicate from
the point where l was the headWaters OF
the Orinoco, or else that part of Venezuela
near the Brazilian border or Rio Negro
watershed. I think that they may NUMBER
ten thousand to fifteen thousand souls.
These people are not over Iour Zee.
eight inches in height. and the women are
less than this. Clothing IS worn only py
adults, and consists merely OF a cioth over
the loins. Their hair is done up and stuck
together by mud in most grotesque ana
repulsive fashion. They have tribal marks
that cover the upper body and head made
by Sits in the skin. Their huts are some
times constructed OF mud. IN wnicn ,.s case
they are low and resemble half egg, with
an opening at one end called massongos
The same name applies to their huts when
made from poles and woven grass
"They are, I believe. all Pagans They
have fetch gods or idols. which rep
resent animals and are very ugly speci-
mems of clay pottery. They have feucn
doctors also, who dress in the worst fash
ion possible and perform cures or anything
their patient wishes by applying to a par
ticular god, according to the patients abi-
ity to pay. AS to the names OF these pyg-
my people, they were, as l remember them,
Makalak. Malaka and Malakrat 1 saw
them in different parts of Surinam They
all appeared to be Of the same race and
give the same location for their homes"