The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-07-12
DEATH FOR ELOPING.
THE SAN BIAS INDIANS PUZZLE ALL
WHO KNOW THEM.

Marriage With White Men IL n Capt.
tai Crime Under Their Laws - No
Strangers May BE Ashore After
NirhtfaIl-WeaIth In Cocoanuts.
A strange race of people, with man.
hers and customs stranger still, lives
near the coast at San Bias, Colombia,
South America To the few traders
who visit the spot for cocoanutS and
vegetable ivory they are known as the
San Bias Indians. Of their origin and
history but little can be discovered.
One things is certain, that although
friendly to the government Of the Unit
ed States and to foreigners who may
enter OF find themselves weather
bound in the harbor Of San Bias there
is no record Of their having ever been
conquered or subjugated by any other
tribe or power.
It is quite probable that they have
descended from the ancient Toltecs,
but what viclssitudes of tribal life they
NAV have passed through will proba-
bly, never be known.
Although inclined to be friendly,
they look with most jealous eyes upon
any effort to cultivate closer ac-
uuaintance than the necessities Of
trade require No matter how many
vessels may lie at anchor in the har-
Dor or how much trading may have
been carried on during the day every
white man at sundown must 60 on
board his ship OF at least quit the ter
ritory Of the tribe until the following
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 q dusky bride. Love,
as in other lands, occasionally over
comes all obstacles, but if the unfor-
tunate 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
Of girl whose 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 q canoe and
started to paddle out to the vessel. But
an awful tropical storm came up,
which caused the eloping 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 en-
ragged Indians seized both and made
them captives, condemning the girl to
immediate death.
The captain Of the bark, anticipating
trouble, sent boats crew ashore with
a 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 des-
| perate 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 IA
ther. 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 territory held by the tribe is
quite extensive, although its bounda-
ries are not very accurately defined. 1t
extends from Cape San Bias far back
into the mountains.
Cocoanuts are the source Of the ma
tion's 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 cooper
ative system seems to exist among
them, and each member Of the tribe
collects and carries each day his share
Of the cocoanuts and adds it to the
enormous pyramid Of them near the
shore, which is the tribes treasury.
Millions Of nuts are thus stored and in
waiting for a profitable market. The
average price for them is from SO to
$40 per 1000 in Colombian silver, or
about 55 per cent Of that amount in
gold. One-half Of the pay is taken In
cash and the other half in merchan-
disc.
The nuts are carried from the "grcat
pile" to the beach in palmetto bags.
The natives, with these loads, each
weighing so pounds, travel at q brisk
trot all day long and seemingly with
out fatigue. Although slender, wiry
race, they will accomplish with ease q
task that would kill or PROSTATE Anglo
SaXons.
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 source Of new
er failing revenue to its owners, as the
tree from the fourth year Of its exist
ence bears indefinitely and has few if
any enemies. The nuts intended for
commerce are allowed to ripen 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
dropping to the earth around him. In