The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-09

Professor c. A. Pyers, of Unionville.
and F. /. Wolford. of Columbus, VINO
have just returned from South America
where they went to investigate the work
of the mound builders. discovered wnile
IN ,he. Amazon region an insect which
,hev have named the skull-berer.
This insect is a new one to science.
,ut belongs to the genus SarcopsNiiar 10
which family belong "chlsgers ana
ticks. although it is much different III ils
method of boring.
nf a tree lust as quickly as it viii IN a
sl5,,lI. and the effect in the former IS less
harmful. When il rbores hole III ID
persons skull insanity is the result
Professor Wolford, speaking OF his dis-
Covery. said:
Our discovery was made down III WIZ" ,i.'
are known as the Batchua mountains
along the Amazon river The one great
fault of the Batchua Indian rs hduoi.
All crimes were punishable, the execution
,f sentences being carried out by "a spe-
ciallv elected body, who Vigorously uphetd
the laws OF the tribe. They had hul
TWO modes of>punishment, howeNer-death
and Punishment. Death was only mn
posed upon charges OF Wilchcialt, aii
other crimes, even murder pe!.5 49, ,
with by Punishment from the tribe rms
form If iustice means much TO the Bint-
fhlla for before the guilty one Is ieo
from the camp and has his route poihteu
ont 10 him. he Is first prahoeu upon IN
hack and breast by means OF a not lloH'
the symbols or signs thus forever en-
srayed signifying the nature oil the CRIME
ea.,,n,i,te3 Inv the wearer. Thus, the
bapless one becomes AN outcast III tfe
suIlast extent of the word, for no oiher
rthe will permit him TO dwell among
them.
our insect
A DIFFERENT MEANING.
1t seems that man after man OF these
criminals who had been branded and BAN
5shed had returned again to the tribe
after a few days absence, and in each
case had returned insane. The meaning
of the word insane" to the BatchIas
i non what II is to US. To be insane,
with them is to be bewildered; another
spirit has driven Your own from your
body. and has installed Itself there. ana
the only remedy was TO consult with the
sorccrers. OF which the batchuas nave
many. in orde. that they might exert
their occult powers and drive the fe!t
Shirt away Sorcery, however. mas beea
al a. complete JOSS III these cases. All
though some Of ahe returned ones hau
died not one had reSained ms ofisihat
si,1it The trouble. we learned, mad
INST begun saih .'iN''tN'''a
Or Just at the ending OF the previous
rainy season Although these men were
criminals, some If them 1nurdeiers, aiH
had been branded and sent away, sllii
40 Batcfua w4ll harm one thus possessed
They fear 100 greatly that the eva
spri; may in turn. possess them AS
n consequence these criminals We're living
npon the fat Of the land. 50 to speak
and We're tsadulged il everything al com
mand should any Of Them become vlo-
lent and commit other murders, as the
majority Of them aid. they were treated
viii more kindly. In no case was
possessed" Batchua imprisoned or con-
fined III any manner. They argued that
the wrath OF :he false spirit must not
be incurred consequently. acts of vio-
lcncc were frequent and deadly. No Won
Her the village Was in high stare OF
excitement their government their per-
s1nal safety. from the chief down. was
locpar6ized. and none knew how to act.
They easerly questioned uS. through the
Interpretation of chose with Il small
knowledge of English. and il must be
confessed found III US willing and sym-
pathetic hearers. Our curiosity was at
pnce aroused. for an epidemic of insanity
Is remarkable. in whatever portion OF
Tho globe we may find ii. We determined
SYMPTOMS VARIED
We closely scrutiniZed several OF these!
possessed who roamed AT Will through
The very crowd that surrounded u.s. and
sound the insane symptoms We're as varied