The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-07-28
'DEATH FOR ELOPING.
A Capital Crime Among the San
BIAS Indians.
Marriage with White Men Forbidden
Under Their Lnws-strangers
Are Excluded After
NiEhtfnll.

near Iu6 COdSb db Odh bluS, NOAOAhpiob
South America. To the few traders who
visit the spot for cocoanuts and vege-
table ivory they are known as the San
Bias Indians. OF their origin and his
tory but little can be discovered.
One thing is certain, that although
friendly to the government of the Unit
ed States and to foreigners who may en-
ter or find themselves weather-bound
in the harbor of San Bias, there is no
record of their having ever been con-
euersd or subjugated by any other tribe
or power.
1t is quite probable that they have de-
scended from the ancient Toltecs, but
what vicissitudes of tribal life they may
have passed through will probably
never be known.
Although inclined to be friendly they
look with most jealous eyes upon any
effort to cultivate closer acquaintance
than the necessities of trade require.
No matter how many vessels may lie at
anchorin the harbor, or how much trad
ing may have been carried on during the
day, every white man at suudown must
go on board his ship, or at least quit the
territory of the tribe until the follow
ing morning. This is tribe law,
against which protest Is useless.
The maidens of this peculiar tribe are
quite attractive, and many jack tar
has risked his life in the effort to win
or capture dusky bride. Love, as in
other lands, occasionally overcomes all
obstacles, but if the unfortunate girl is
caught or returns to her people the
punishment is death.
The young mate of an English bark
lying in the harbor became enamored
ofagirlwhose home was near the beach.
The mates attentions were persistent
and his love was secretly returned.
One night, just before the ship was to
sail, the Indian maiden secreted her
sailor boy in the thickets until after
dark, when they stole a canoe and start
ed to paddle out to the vessel. But an
awful tropical storm came up which
caused the clipping couple to lose their
bearings, and only with difficulty did
they manage to keep afoat. When
morning dawned they were washed
ashore, almost exhausted. The enraged
Indians seized both and made them cap
tives, condemning the girl to imme-
diate death.
The captain of the bark, anticipating
trouble, sent boats crew ashore with
rescue party. A demand was made
for the prisoner, whereupon the mate
was released, but the girl was held for
the death sentence.
Finding argument useless, the desper-
ate youth, with few sailors at his
back, made rush to rescue his sweet
heart, and had almost accomplished it.,
when he was struck down by spear
thrust from the hand of the girls
father. She broke from her captors,
crazed with grief, and, seizing the spear,
drove the head of it into her own breast.
The sailors managed to carry away
their wounded mate, but were driven
into their boat and away from the
shore.
The heterritory held by the tribe is quite
extensive, although its boundaries are
not very accurately defined. 1t extends
from cape San Bias far back into the
mountains.
Cocoanuts are the source of the ma
tons wealth, which is considerable.
Probably the largest groves in the
world are just back Of San Bias, and
belong to these Indians.
A kind of commonwealth or coop
erative system seems to exist among
them, and each member of the tribe
collects and carries each day his share
of the cocoanuts and adds 1t to the
enormous pyramid of them near the
shore, which is the tribes treasury.
Millions of nuts are thus stored and in
waiting for profitable market. The
average price for them is from eight to
ten dollars per thousand in Colombian
silver, or about So per cent. of that
amount in gold. One-half of the pay is
taken in cash and the other half in mer-
chandise.
The nuts are carried from the great
pile" to the beach in palmetto bags
The natives with these loads, each
weighing 80 pounds, travel at brisk
trot all day long and seemingly without
fatigue. Although slender, wiry race
they will accomplish with ease q task
that would kill or PROSTATE Anglo-Sax'
ons.
The Indians are excellent sailors, and
even in the rough weather make the
trip from cape San Bias to Aspinwal
in boats followed out of logs.
A cocoanut grove is source of never
failing revenue to its owners, as thu
tree from the fourth year of its exist
ence bears indefinitely and has few 4
any enemies. The nuts intended fol
commerce are allowed to ripen ant
drop to the ground. Every one tha'
falls is worth about half a cent where 4
| lies.
All day and all night the owner Of thu
| estate may listen to his wealth drop
ping to the earth around him. In fact
1t is necessary to exercise care in walk
ing among the trees, TO avoid having
ones skull fractured by the descending
| fruit.-Boston Globe.