The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-03-07
THE SAVAGE SERBS.
Mexican Indians Who Are Too Dull
of Comprehension to Learn
Anything.

1.-THE Seri Indians" said Prof. W. ].
Magee, who has recently returned to
Washington from an chronological eX-
petition into Mexico, ARE in the scale
of civilization a few degrees above the
Cocopah Indians, whom we set out to
visit; they DO make their own bows
and arrows and boats and show some
cleverness in primitive navigating, but
they still lack the knife instinct"
This commentary. says Washing
ton paper, called forth question as
to the meaning of the knife instinct"
The ordinary man in a civilized COM
munity, the professor explained, is so
familiar with the knife and its pur-
poses that its use has become practical
ly automatic At the table he cuts his
food with his knife without going
through any conscious mental process.
1t is as natural for hem to do this as it
is to take his drink from cup or other
vessel for holding liquor. If he wishes
TO open a package tied with Irvine in a
hard knot or &c whit(le a bit of stick
or to split an apple into two parts. down
goes his hand instinctively into his
pocket for his knife, and he can be
talking or thinking about other things
while he uses the knife for cutting.
Not so the Seri Indian. If he obtains
knife in barter he thrusts it into his
belt as he has seen the Mexican from
tiersman do, but in a meaningless way.
1t is a matter of imitation and not rea-
soning with him, for he has no idea of
the common uses to which the Mexican
puts the knife. If a deer crossed his
path while his knife was in his girdle
and with the aid of his dogs he were
able to capture and kill it it would
never occur to him to use his knife for
cutting up the carcass. He would tear
it, like a wild beast. If he kills pony
for food and hangs a quarter near his
door to be eaten as needed he will bite
into the meat and pull it apart with his
teeth and nails. stripping the sinews
and tendons gradually till nothing but
the bones are left. To cut the flesh
away would be the last thing to occur
to his mind and the most difficult thing
for him to accomplish. Civilized man.
with whom the knife habit. pursued
from early childhood, presently merges
into instinct. can have no idea of what
it means to be without this rudimen-
tary training. 1t is as hard for him to
understand as it is for a person who
has never been without the normal
complement of faculties to understand
the feeling of one born deaf ana dumb
and blind. The knife instinct is sort
of milestone on the road to civilization
one of the means by which we may
measure the progress of any primitive
people.
Speaking of the condition of the
Seris as regards bloodthirst. Prof.
Magee says that it still remains very
deplorable and the visitors must not
only be prepared, but visibly prepared
for trouble at any hour of the day or
night. The one question on which the
Seris' treatment of him hangs is that
of opportunity. 1t makes no difference
whether he be a Caucasian or mixed
blood, Yankee or Mexican. or even
a member of another tribe of Indians;
hOAN
alien, wherever or whenever found. If
the alien is well-equipped with means
of protection. so that it is plainly mex
pedient to attack him boldly. he will
escape trouble as long as his vigilance
remains acute. The night. which would
naturally be considered the most dan
gerous time for the stranger, is really
his safest time, for by doing careful
watch duty by turns party of visitors
can avert an attack. But in the day
light there is apt to be perilous sense
of security and it is then that it be-
hooves every alien to be individually
on his guard. The Serbs seem to have
none of the sense of hospitality or
honor which marks many Indians of
higher type. They have some notion
of loyalty to each other. but the rest
of the world is always fair game.
Another thing differentiates the
Seris from the Indian tribes conven-
tionally familiar to newspaper read
ers. namely, their treatment of their
dead. As far as is known, they have no
respect for the bodies of their war
riors. leaving these unburied wherever
they happen to fall. but the funeral of
woman is an occasion for great pomp
and ceremony. There may be some
relation between this and the fact that
the Serbs, like most other Indians,
trace descent through the maternal
line. Indeed, in the Seri tongue the
women have no word signifying ia
ther." though they have one for moth
err Men only can speak of their IA
theirs. The reason for this distinction
is not manifest.
Rrifish Pm tor nnI