The times., 1901-05-06
FROM THE AMAZON
Prof. speer's Collection of south
American Indian Curios


Prof. j. B. Speer. a Government scient-
ist, has just returned from three
months trip to Brazil having spent
almost the entire time upon the Amazon
River and its tributaries in search of fish
and other aquatic animals. He was at
the National Museum Saturday busily
engaged in uupacking the wardrobe of a
family of one of the numerous tribes of
Indians that inhabit the forests in the
vicinity of Pera. An ordinary golf bag
would hold the clothing worn by an entire
family and leave room for a number of
luxuries besides. Prof. Speer calls them
the Jammadi tribe, and says they are an
interesting lot, OF good physique and un-
usually quaint customs
The dress of the women consists of a
red cotton fringe about six inches In
depth worn across the abdomen and
further embellished with cord and tas-
sci tied about the waist. In addition to
a string of shells worn through the ears
a necklace of monkey teeth, bracelet OF
bark, and pair of bones worn through
the nose. complete her toilet
The men are less extravagant, having a
smaller dress of fringe without the sash
and no ornaments, save the nose bones@
The men wear disk of plated cotton
illiiSts dDOul dI HIGH anu d man HitSf
surrounded by fringe of toucan feath-
ers, worn upon the head in their dance.
The layette of an infant of the Jammadi
tribe consists of a prettily wrought neck
lace of monkey teeth or shells. In their
dances the men further embelish them
selves with a rattle or bunch of toucan
feathers suspended from the side, and
both men and women carry in their
dances a wooden bird, that of the men
representing gull or toucan. and the
women a robin, perched upon the end of
a stick.
pair of bones. tipped off with a scar
let feather. Prof. Speer bought fresh from
the nostrils of noted chief, Kitannea,
for good cotton handkerchief. The
monkey basket of the collection was in
the process of construction by Chief XII
tannea as the professor approached him,
while a large monkey that had been shot
in the forelegs by poisoned arrow, lay
stretched at his feet, awaiting the COM
pletion of the basket, when he would un-
dergo treatment for the wound and tam
ing as a family pet. Later on, should
the family of Kitanuea go short on ra-
tions they would follow the custom of
the rest of the Jammadi tribe and con-
sumo him for food
This same chief sold his "tucana."
crown or tOucan feathers, for a small
price, while the sacrifice of the red fringe
that comprised his suit of clothes, and
a complete hunting outfit apparently left
him little the worse off. This tribe lives
upon the boiled root of the cassava, tur-
ties, fish, game, and corn, their nude
bodies being well rounded and nourished
They are inveterate snuff takers and the
new collection contains a shell filled with
snuff, and pair Of hollow bones used for
of snuffing
The hunting outfit is complete. and
comprises bow with poisoned arrows
Tor shooting game that flies or lives low,
a hcttle OF poison, a lance such as they
use in tiger hunting, and a blow-gun,
the latter being about twelve feet long.
mace OF Two hollow pieces of wood. the
INSIDE polshed, by constantly drawing a
stone back and forth through the bore
Whlle the outside is wrapped firmly with
Dark Sineared with resin. In using this
gun the native wraps a broad belt of
bark about his waist as tight as il can be
drawn, and then initiating the lungs pro-
pels poisoned dart by blowing with all
his force. Within reasonable range their
ar is wonderfully accurate.
Ihls collection, interesting as it is and
comprising perfect glimpse of the life
of strange tribe is not the most valu-
able part of Prof. Speer's collection. He
brought eighteen live turtles of a rare
and interesting sort along with a num-
Der of curious fish, never before seen in |
this country, well a 9 other reptiles To
these he added a collection of curious |
wasp nests, among them one about 21a |
feet long, II inches in circumference. and !
SO nearly resembling the limb of the tree |
from which it hung, that even only one /
qr TWO or the malicious monkeys, the |
"asps worst enemies, knew how TO at
tack It.
Another specimen so nearly resent bIes !
I clump Of bark an the tree from which |
I was cut that 1t would have passed un- |
letected save for a quick-witted guide
The third is still creating considerable |
among. the scientists of the
Institution, who are unable to tell If they
nave a perfectly and skillfully nodded |
)iece of pottery containing the comb of a /
wasp, or If the bees themselves nodded |
he pot, and then built inside If the lat
er is the case the wasps of the Amazon |
ire surprising I'm their artistic taste and |
kill as potters.