Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-08-03
FIELD FOR EXPLORERS.
Researches of Scientists In Por'
to Rico.
HAS GREAT NATURAL RESOURCES

Its Mountains Are StOrehOuses OF
Many Minerals, While the Soil
Brings Forth Varied Harvests-Pro-
fessor Beckwith's Collection Of
Specimens of Gods and Idols Wor-
shipped by Aborigines.
While the soldier boys Of 1898 are
gathered at the Preside in their north
ern homes, with the snow falling out
side and the sharp, cold wind whistling
about the house tops, telling their moth
ers and sisters of the scenes they saw in
beautiful Cuba and still more beautiful
Porto Rico, scientists and relic hunters
by the score are traversing those same
mountains and valleys and woodland
jungles. These hunters began to arrive
in the West Indies after most of the
soldiers had left. Some are in diligent
pursuit of materials, weapons. cooking
utensils, bullets and the like which
were used by the soldiers. Others are
gathering invaluable scientific knowl-
edge in regard to the islands.
The scientists now in Cuba and Porto
Rico are as yet a comparatively small
lot, but they are progressing with their
usual enterprise and persistency, and al
ready they have made a number Of dis
coveries which will prove Of no little
Importance to the specialist in geology,
botany, zoology, anthropology, and the
like. The Smithsonian institution is
taking a very prominent part in these
researches, and several scientists detail
ed by it are conducting extensive inves-
LEGATIONS. Many specimens of the fora
and fauna Of the West Indies have al.
ready been shipped to Washington
through the assistance Of the depot
quartermaster of the army located il
Cuban and Porto Rican cities. The rel
les, as one Of the scientists said, are tt
be used as an object lesson to the Amer
lean people, for, when deposited in suit
able cases in the department Of Ameri'
can history in the National museum,
they will be seen by thousands of visit.
ors annually, not only by Washington
ans, not only by Americans, but by
people from all over the world.
Among the scientists now in Porto
Rico is Professor Paul Beckwith of the
Smithsonian institute, who is making
collections of historical, archaeological
and war relics. Another is DR.. A. B.
Baker of the National Geological park,
also detailed by the Smithsonian insti'
tute. He is making a ''grand tour" or
the U. s. s. Fishhawk in West India1
waters and is gathering a collection o.
living animals and especially Of fish. Oh
the latter it is said he has found severa
species which were totally unknown tt
the naturalist. Books and rare manu-
scripts are being collected BY Mr.. Erie
denwald, who represents the congress
sional library, while many others, trav
cling on private enterprise, are making
botanical and geological collections. Ii
their work they are being assisted b,
Professor Mark N. Harrington, who i
now located in Porto Rico.
Professor Beckwith, in a recent arti
Gle in the San Juan porto Rico) News
tells of some Of his experiences and O
his researches. The professor has beef
in Porto Rico for over three months
having travelled from north to south sew
eral times and three-quarters Of tn
route around the coast from San Jual
to Arroyo, and he will now continue hi
labors on the island of Cuba. Among
the relics he has already forwarded tt
the institute are swords Of very ancien'
date, rare fintlock pistols, weapons o
hardened cocoa wood, equipments O
officers in the recent war, all kinds O
Spanish weapons, insignia of honor for
merly worn by the S%paniards, domestic
implements of the natives, articles O
luxury from the rich Porto Rican'l
palace, and SO on.
In speaking of the general condition,
of Porto Rico Professor Beckwith refer,
to the general richness of the soil ant
to the great opportunity for develop
mGub u I'LL hlAluS VI AdbuIdl IeSOuICcS
Among minerals he has found placer
geld and also copper, iron, galena of fin,
grade, phosphates and graphites. Thu
fora, he says, is very rich, and one could
see in looking down on one valley tn,
coffee plant, the sugar cane, tobacco, ba
mana, %cocoanut, orange, lemon ant
guava side by side.
Professor Beckwith has also mad,
some researches into the past history 0
Porto Rico's inhabitants and has gath
cred specimens Of their gods and idols
In regard to this he writes as follows:
~ believe that the Indo-B orinquer
was the first people Of whom any trac,
has reached us. Then followed the Ca
rib, who, in my mind, exterminatet
the last Of the Indo-B orinquens, tn
a%borigines, as far as indicated by the re
mains left by this prehistoric race, con
sisting Of stone idols, insignia of ranl
and ornaments, celts and mortars. TIL,
insignia Of rank are stone collars, sup
! posed to have been worn around tn,
neck by their chiefs, who also performed
the functions Of high priests celts sim
liar to those of the American Indian O
the stone age; idols Of peculiar form
representing q mountain similar il
form Ia the largest in the island anf