The National tribune., 1898-10-20

address them but by signs, and had the
greatest difficulty in making them under
stand me, but on the day after my ar
rival | had an interpreter.
A woman came to me with child to
which she wished to give a name; she had
been reared amongst the TagalOcs; she
had spoken that language, of which she
remembered little, and could give, al
though with much difficulty, all the infOr-
nation / desired which was to me of in
tereSt.
The creatures with whom | had thus
formed a connection for few days, and
as wthem, seemed rather to be a large
family of monkeys than human beings.
Their voices very much reSembled the
shrill cries of those animals, and In their
gestures they were exactly like them.
The only difference | could see was that
they knew how to handle a bow and a
lance, and to make a fire. To describe
them properly | shall give a sketch of
their forms and physiognOmies.
The Ajeta, or little negro, is as black as
ebony, like the Africans; his greatest
hight is four feet and half; his hair is
wOoIly and as he takes no trouble about
cutting it, and knows not how to arrange
it, it forms around his head sort OF
crown, which gives him an odd aspect,
and at distance makes him appear as If
surrounded with a kind of halo; his eye is
yellowish but lively and brilliant, like
that of an eagle. The necessity of living
by the chase, and of pursuing his prey
produces the effect on this organ OF giving
to it the most extraordinary vivacity.
The features of the Aietas have some
thing of the African black, but the lips
are not so prominent; while young their
forms are pretty; but their lives being
spent in the woods, sleeping always In
the open air without shelter eating much
fastings followed by repaStS swallowed
with the voracity of wild beasts-gave them
a protrudiIfg stomach, and made their
extremities lank and shrivelled.
They never wear any clothing, unless
a belt of the rind of tree, from eight to 10
inches in breath, which they tie round
their waist; their arms are composed OF
bamboo lance, bow of the palm tree, and
poisoned arrows. Their food consists of
roots, of fruits, and of the products of the
chase; the flesh they eat nearly raw, and
they live in tribes composed of from so to
60 individuals.
During the day, the old men, the infirm,
and the children remain near large fire,
while the others are engaged In hunting;
when they have sufliciency OF food to
fire, and sleep pell-mell among the cinders.
NAMING NATIVE BABES.
1t is extremely curious to see collected
together so or 60 of these bruteS of every
age and each more or less defOrmed; the
old women especially are hideOus, their
decrepid limbs, their big bellies and their
heads of hair give them all
the looks of furies, or of old witches.
had scarcely arrived than women with
very young children came in crowds to
me. In order to satisfy them i careSsed
their babes;. but that was not what they
and Notwithstanding their ges-
lures and their words l could not make
out their wishes.
On the following day the woman whom
have already mentioned as having lived
for some time among the TagalOcs arrived
from a neighbOring tribe, accompanied by
10 other women, each of whom had an in
fant in her arms. She explained what l
was not able to comprehend on the previ-
ous day, and said:
1--WE have amongst us very few words for |
All our children take at |
they are born. There is great confusion |
then, and we have brought them to you |
that you may give them names"
AS soon as understood this explana-
ion, l wished to celebrate the ceremony
With all the pOmp that the circumstances |
and the place allowed. l went to a small |
'ivulet and there as l knew the formula
or applying the baptismal water, i took
ny two Indians as sponsors, and during
several days baptised about so of these
Door children. Each mother who brought
Ter infant was accompanied by two POI
sons of her own family.
l pronounced the sacramental words
md poured water on the head Of the
.hild, and then announced aloud the
lame had given to the child. Therefore.
IS they had no means OF perpetuating
heir recollections from the time that
the name-Francis, for in
mother and her accompany
ng witnesses repeated it very often, until
hey learned to say it correctly, and COM
nit it to memory. Then they went away,
md were constantly repeating the name,
which they were anxious to retain.
The first day the ceremony was rather
ong, but the second day the number les