The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-24
H1CooUEs OF CENTRAL AMERICA.

from All the Othor Natives.
The history Of the various Indian tribes OF
Central America has never been and probably
mover will be written. Before the march Of the
armorolad spaniard the native tribes faded
away as the mist before the sun. Only those
who retreated to the Inaccessible swamps or
the Businesses OF the pine-clad mountains es-
capped the torture and slavery which followed
submission to Spanish power. That slavery
and torture. where 1t failed to exterminate
the conquered peoples. left them with but
few. II any. Of the characteristics which
distinguished them before the Spaniard
came. To-day in parts Of Central America
little visited by civilized maj remnants Of once
powerful tribes, now feeble and almost extinct,
are occasionally discovered. Gradually but
surely these races have been assimilated. until
nearly all are now united to form that most
homogeneous Of beings. the Central American
native. in whose veins doubtless flows the blood
OF the Chichimecs. the Calhuas. Nahuas. Tlas-
calans. Olmecs, Toltecs, Aztecs and Of Spain.
Occasionally. but rarely. tribes have been dis
covered of such types as to lead to the belief
that In their case no such amalRamation has
taken place, and the preservation OF q strange
tongue, Of habits and traits wholly foreign to
other tribes near them. renders this entirely
probable. A singular tribe now inhabiting the
interior Of Honduras. near the north coast.
AAANNA w y ~ SO
habits a few small villages. widely separated. the
largest Of which is not far from Villa Nueva. or
the Astor-Honduras Railway. From this place
the trail is up the mountains to Ell Venado,
about $500 feet above the sea. The Indian
village is built upon the, point Of the highest
peak in the mountain chain. and consists OF
less than a dozen miserable huts. There are
no streets, the huts being perched along the
mountain top without any semblance OF regu-
larity. or order.
A,glance shows that these are not the homes
his hut Of mud and thatches his roof with palm
leaves. while these huts are without sides. con-
With the long grass which iI grows among the
pines. The interiors Of the huts are free from
tables or chairs; the only furniture being 2
pita plant. Behind the, huts are little stoves
and ovens of dobe, and hanging on posts near
thing is cooked. The Hicoques use no earthen
vesse Is, for any purpose whatever.
1t is the custom with the Hicoques upon the
approach OF strangers for the entire Village to
stampede to the woods. This excessive timid-
tain any accurate information, regarding their
t 6tSst they pso6 Si5f 81 the IN e6nosTy' ev T5e Taf IEed 5gGm s ars
small and squat. with high cheek bones, broad
hin lips IRAN and large u % u ~ bSsoy With ! prominent s,oani Ioad
and braided. The men wear no clothes save a
small breech e h9Tt, generally woven from some
orally Of wild game and roots. though they oc-
caslonally have a few pigs and sometimes Guilt
! NuIe IL SDluIl BdUcu u COIl. he iitttE Olly nap
pens when they have lived unmolested for q
long timo;in oneiplace. The men are quite skilful
obtain most Of the meat eaten BY the family.
The marriage ceremony is unknown among
them. The seleetion OF a bride haDing been
sion OF her new home and the man gets out q
fritie earlier In order to procure 1926 Tor two.
ing is carried to a dangerously close point, and
inbreeding has doubtless had much to, do with
the Indians imperfect development; The same
cause has retarded their growth in Intelligence
and their increase IN numbers
1t is not believed that these Indians have any
particular form of religious worship. but they
are full OF superstition. which leads them into
G3hIag s many Pe Gvdrtpk tmiH onc Of t them 1nf tEe in.
valid is provided with food sufficient for three
or four days and is t then lett to ilEht 1t oqt
retiring to some other house. Their knowI-
edge Of medicine seems confined to the use OF
not more than four herbal decocttons OF the
simplest forms.
Another singular trait is their superstition in
Should a stranger enter, one OF their houses
and so far forget himself as to spit upon the
It il. extremely dimcuIf to learn much about
their language. owing to their reticence and
i hiikyH that Of II o mat' Western essSgHIIg Indians Sh a .e except S that Il
Is softer and more quickly blended. They seem
TO have quite a complete vocabulary and when
mated and lively. Music seems to be unknown.
and no musical instruments have ever been
voted to their children, and. in this respect. the
Hicoques are perhaps better than many of
the other Indians OF this country. Like tho
squaw of North America. the Hicoque mother
etraps her child upon her back and goes on he.
the native women OF Central America, who
carry the children straddled across the hip. the
mothers arm being placed across the small OF
The complete avoidance OF all other races and
the extreme timidity and shyness which are
the distinguishing characteristics Of the
Hicoques are inexplicable. Their complete
isolation in a thickly settled and remarkably
rich and fertile country renders this tribe a very
interesting study for the student In ethnology.