The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-06-12
THESE CLOTHES FIT.
SINGLE PIECE SUITS THAT ARE SPUN
UPON THE eOOY.

A Remarkable Tale of the Henarl>n-
bic Garments OF SILK That Are
Worn by Some Remarkable South
american Indians.
Probably no country on earth is more
interesting to the traveller on the look
out for queer things and unusual exDe-
riences than the silvas of the Amazon.
and here is a story about an Indian
tribe of that region told by Arthur Az
tell. an American traveller, that can
hardly be beaten.
These particular Indians were contin-
ually bent on discovery and expert
menting, says Mr.. Axtell. Somehow
they had come into possession Of some
silkworms. These worms were not
known before in that country, and
most of them died before the natives
found out how to raise them. But they
persevered and by feeding them on the
tender leaves of some native plants
produced a good quality Of silk, not so
good as the Chinese product by feeding
the worms Oh white mulberry leaves,
but nevertheless strong. serviceable
silk, certainly good enough for the
dusky bodies of these savages. fcr this
silk has not yet become an article Of
commerce.
Their method Of obtaining the silk
and Transforming it into garments was
crude. When the moths laid the eggs,
the natives carried them in great quan-
titles in belts about their bodies, thus
giving the eggs the body heat. At the
end OF winter the eggs were hatched,
and the result was an army Of caterpil-
lars. These we're trained to crawl over
the naked bodies Of the natives. This
was their home. They knew no other
and seemed quite contented.
During eight weeks the savage is
covered with these yellow crawlers. 1t
would seem that thousands Of creeping
caterpillars over ones body from head
to foot would tickle one to death. Ger
tainly white man would find it un-
bearable, but it must be remembered
these natives of Brazil are scarcely hu-
man. To them it is intensely interest
ing to train these worms in the way
they should go. Small bits Of leaves
are stuck on the bodies of the natives
in regular rows, and round and round
the worms go, feeding on the way. The
natives help each other in the placing
of the bits OF leaves and in confning
the worms to certain localities on the
body.
These caterpillar covered niggers, as
DR.. F. A. Marsh. who was of our party,
called them, sleep on their backs at
night and are careful not to turn over
in their sleep. That would be sad
calamity. When We came to their vii
lage. there were ten Indians, men and
women, in the act Of raising silk cater
pillars by this unique process. They
were sight to chill the blood. ! know
the blood stopped flowing in my veins.
l stood still and shuddered. Yet there
was fascination about it, for l had
been told what the object Of it was.
and admired the savage ingenuity.
After the worms have become dizzy
with playing the merry go round" on
the bodies of the savages they quit eat
ing and commence spinning the outer
covering for the cocoons. When this
labor is DONE. the natural process of
silkmaking is interfered with. The
savages had found out that when the
cocoons were finished they would burst
or tie worms would eat their way out
IN either case the silk was destroyed.
So the worms are prevented from max
ing the cocoons. Instead the fiber for
the outer covering is destroyed. and
the poor caterpillars stop in perplex-
ity. But they doubtless conclude the
savages are right, and the worms are
in debt to them for eight weeks Of
feeding. so they start soon to the spin
ming Of the silk.
The natives are now in ecstasy. They
make the worms hustle around them as
they have been taught during all their
little lives and spinning as they go the
fine flaments Of shining silk. Round
and round crawl the worms. each one
spinning 1000 to 1000 yards of silk
thread around the swarthy, savage
neck. around each naked arm, around
the chest and abdomen and the lower
limbs. The work of the worm is over.
And the result is remarkable trans
formation. From nude savage figure,
loathsome and repulsive. with thou
sands of yellow worms crawling, twist
ing. writhing. squirming, to a conquer
ing. proud native of Brazil, clothed in
a perfectly fitting garment Of rich silk.
He has toiled not. neither has be spin
ned-he has only bossed the job--yet is
he clothed in raiment as beautiful as
the lilies of the field What a feeling
NO % .