The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-31
PYGMIEs IN SOUTH AMERICA.
The Discoveries of a Traveller on the
Upper Amazon.

Boston Letter in New York Tribune.
Boston man lately returned from South
the remarkable discovery of race of pyg-
mics inhabiting the valley of the Amazon.
lie has not only seen them, but stayed in
their villages, entered their houses
and sat about their camp-fres, been with
them on the hunt and witnessed some of
their religious ceremonies. Eben j. Sullivan
was called to South America two years
ago on commercial business which required
his travelling in little-known regions. For
months. accompanied only by natives. he
rowed up the mighty Amazon and it's tribu-
taries in a canoe. IN this way he penetrated
to the headwaters Of the Rio Negro, which
mtngles with the tributaries of the Orinoco
in Guiana Here it was that he came upon
nomadic race of pygmieS.
r. U. Halliburton, of Boston, q Fellow of
the Royal Geographical Society, has taken
a great interest in Mr.. Sullivan's discovery.
Mr.. Halliburton is one of the best authori-
ties in the world on pygmy races. He thinks
it of the greatest value to anthropologists
to have the tradition of pygmy races in
South America recorded by Humboldt in the
first years Of this century so strilSingly veri-
fled. Humboldt said these pygmies were
supposed to inhabit the country at the head
waters of the Orinoco, but he did not visit
that region, and suggested that the rumors
OF this strange race of men were unfounded
Mr.. Halliburton says that Martins saw a
radical dwarf at Para and that little further
has been learned on the subject, though
Markham gives the names of two dwarf
tribes with the list of Indian tribes in the
wiley Of the Amazon, published by the
uary, 1895. In Mr.. Haliburtons opinion Mr.
Sullivan's observations clear up the subject
and leave no doubt as to the existence of
numerous pygmy tribes ip Guiana and Ven
ezuela. Mr. Sullivan said yesterday;
Il 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 a negro origin,
judging from their hair and the peculiar
color of the skin, which was a brilliant livid
shape. Their stomach which is distended
in the back as we'll as in front, is big and
out Of all proportion to their tiny, spindling
arms and legs. l think this is caused by
their anaconda-like practice of gorging.
After hunt they will eat like animals and
then lay about listlessly in the hot tropical
sun for days, till hunger again impels them
to get more game.
Cautiously enough, they appear to be
metal workers and tip their darts with bits
of hardened iron or steel made from native
ores. These darts are projected from a
bowgun, like boys toy. but with deadly
dart several hundred feet by the mere
power of their lungs in blowing through
tube They are race of rowing hunters
and warriors. They are vain and boast
full people. In conVersing with them as to
the extent of their tribes they make a
gesture 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 1 was the headwaters of
the Orinoca or else that part of Venezuela
near the Brazilian border or Rio Negro
watershed. l think that they may number
ten thousand to fifteen thousand souls
These people are. not over four feet eight
inches III height and the women are less
than this. Clothing is worn only by adults
and consists merely of a cloth over the
loins. Their hair is done up and stuck to-
gether by mud in q most grotesque and re-
pulslve 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 which case
they are low and resemble a 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, l believe all pagans, although
| am Informed that some of them have some
idea of ugl-- specimens of clay pottery.
They have fetch gods or idols, which repre-
sent animals and are very ugly specimens
of clay pottery. They have fetch doctors
also, who dress in the worst fashion posi-
BILE and perform cures or anything their pa
tient wishes by applying to a particular
god, according to the patients ability to
pay. AS to the names of these pygmy peo-
pie, they were, as l remember them, Maka-
lax, Malaka and Malakrat. 1 say them in
different parts of Surinam. They all APP
peared to be of the same race and give the
same location for their homes"