Washington sentinel., 1898-02-19
"A Re markable Race and Their
Many Curious Customs.

1t is not long since that reports were
received OF the killing of a party of
Americans by the Serl Indians who
inhabit Tiburon island, in the Cult Of
California, while within a few weeks
there was a report of the attempted
killing OF another party OF Americans.
Those Seri Indians seem to be a queer
set, II all that is said about them is true
First, they are noted for their large size
and their abilities as athletes on land
and water. According to an account Of
them, those who have witnessed their
aquatic sports at a safe distance declare
that many of them can actually walk, or
rather, run, upon water with no other
assistance than broad rawhide shoes
They are expert fishermen and hunts.
men, giving most Of their time to this
sort of enjoym snt. They have rigid
ideas OF maintaining the game preserve
on their island, and limit, under severe
penalties, the killing of game. They
destroy all children in infancy that are
maliormed or appear to lack a certain
degree OF intelligence. In this way the
standard OF both physical and mental
condition in both sexes is kept very
high. 1t is accurately believed that at
one time the native women were exter-
minated to make room for a whittier and
superior race of women.
The nucleus of this race of higher
women was formed from captures made
at various times, extending over a series
OF years, on land and " ater. They have
no schools, but each home has a system
OF mental and physical training. The
natives guard their shores day and night,
and no man is allowed to penetrate the
island, if he shall succeed in making a
landing. 1t is said no epidemics have
ever prevailed on the island, and disease
OF every kind is scarcely known among
this extraordinary people. In conse-
quence of this the men and women are
magnificent in their physical endow-
ment. No man or woman is allowed to
live beyond the age OF 70, no matter how
we'll preserved in body and mind. By
careful selection a large percentum Of
the women have transparent, peachy
complexion and deep, auburn hair.
There is most likely a great deal Of
romance in this account of them, for
little being known of them they readily
become the subject oi romance and ex-
aggeration. If they destroy children
who are lacking in physical or mental
development, they are putting in prac-
tice one Of the most advanced theories
OF the day. 1t may be that the Indians
who live on Tiburon island are magnIfi-
cent specimens Of manhood, such as
PigaHetI, who accompanied Magellan
IN his world circling voyage, described
the Patagonians to be, though Darwin
did not find them up to the standard Of
tradition.
II il is these Seris' custom to permit
no one to live beyond 20 years of age,
no matter what his or her physical con-
dltIon, they have approached the Uto-
plan ideal. though that ideal was to
dispose OF people when they had become
so old and inhrm that they were nothing
but burden. We know that in some
parts of Siberia the same custom obtains
more advocates. But why forbic any
one to live beyond 70 years' Is the idea
derived from a peryersion OF the teach
ing Of some early missionary that mans
allotted time on earth is three score years
and ten? It is not impossible.
These Seri Indians seem to be an IN
teresting remnant Of some race. and if
they were studied scientifically by skill
full ethnologIsts some interesting facts
would be sure to be developed. FIRST
attempts to study them would probably
be quite hazardous.-SaHL Lake Herald.