Daily camera. [volume] (Boulder, Colo.) 1891-1928, 1899-09-04
DEATH FOR ELOPING.
A Capital Crime Among the San
Bias Indiana
Marriage with White Men Horhilae
Under Their Laws-StraA4ers
Are EXclaAeA After
Nigh tall

near the coast at San Bias, Colombia,
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-
quersd 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 g closer acquaintance
than the necessities of trade require.
No matter how many vessels may lie at
anchor in the harbor, or how much trad
ing may have been carried on during the
day, every white man at shutdown 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
ofa girlwhose 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 sccretcd her
sailor boy in the thickets until after
dark, when they stole u canoe and start
ed TO paddle out TO the vessel. But an
awful tropical storm came up which
caused tie clipping couple 10 lose their
bearings. and only with difficulty did
they manage to keep afioat. When
ashore. almost exhausted. The enraged
Indians seized both and made them cap
tives, condemning the girl to imme-
date death.
The captain of the bark. anticipating
trouble, sent boats crew ashore with
n rescue party. A demand was made
for the prisoner, whereupon the mate
II. 9, h.. Il al a 10
the death sentence.
Finding argumen, useless, the desper-
ate youth. with n few sailors at his
back, made n 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 il 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 territory held by the tribe is quite
extensive, although its boundaries are
not very accurately defined. lt'Ntends
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
belong TO these Indians.
A kind of commonwealth or coop
eratire system seems to exist among
them, and each member of the tribe
collects and carries each day his share
of the cocoanuts and adds il 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 S. per cent. of that
amount in gold. one-haf 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 so pounds, travel at n brisk
WV hii VA ioht "i''tbHN
fatigue. Although n slender, wiry race,
they will accomplish with ease 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 Aspinwall
in boats followed out of logs.
A cocoanut grove is n source Of never
failing revenue to its owners, as the
tree from the fourth year of its exist
ence bears indefinitely and has few II
any enemies. The nuts intended for
commerce are allowed to ripcn and
drop TO the ground. Every one that
falls is worth about half cent where it
lies.
All day and all night the owner of the
estate may listen to his wealth drop
ping TO the earth around him. In fact,
IL Ia necessary to exercise care in walk