The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-06
TREASURES FROM THE AMAZON
Prof. speer's Collection of south
American Indian CuriOs.


American Indian CuriOs.
Prof. j. B. Speer. a Government lscient-
list. 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 basily
engaged in unpaclsing 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 number OF
Injuries bestjes. Prof. Speer calls them
the JammaGi tribe and says they are an
interesting LOT, of good physique and I'M
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 embeIlished 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 boness
The men wear a disk of plated cotton
fringe, about an inch and a half wide
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 embellish 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 a gull or toucan. and the
women robin. perched upon the end of
a stick.
A pair of bones, tipped off with scar
let feather, Prof Speer bought fresh from
the nostris of a noted chief, kitannea
for a 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 large monkey that had been shot
in the forelegs by a poisoned arrow, lay
stretched at his feet. awaiting the COM
pletion of the basket, when he would I'M
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
sumo him for food.
This same chief sold his ''tucana." a
crown OF tOucan feathers, for "A small
price, while the sacrifice of the red fringe
that comprised his suit of clothes. and
complete hunting outfit apparently left
him little the worse off. This tribe lives
upon the boiled root of the cassava. tur-
tles, fish, game. and corn. their nude
bodies being well rounded and nonrished.
They are inveterate snuff takers. and the
new collection contains shell filed with
snuff, and pair of hollow bones used for
inserting it in the nostrils, their method
of snuff1ng.
The hunting outfit is complete, and
comprises a bow with poisoned arrows
for shooting game that flies or lives low.
a bottle of poison. lance such as they
use In tiger hunting, and a blow-gun,
the latter being about twelve feet long.
made of two hollow pieces of wood the
inside ponshed, by constantly drawing a
stone back and forth through the bore.
while the outside is wrapped firmly with
bark smeared with resin. In using this
gun the native wraps a broad belt of
bark about his waist as stight as it can be
drawn, and then initiating the lungs, pro-
peis poisoned dart by blowing with all
his force. Within reasonable range their
craftsmanship is wonderfully accurate.
This collection, interesting as 1t is, and
comprising perfect glimpse of the life
of a strange tribe, Is not the most valu-
able part of Prof. Speer's collection. He
brought eighteen live turtles of rare
,iiN mt. tStHiS SUI diolS Win Il NUM-
Der of curious fish, never before seen In
this country, as well other reptiles. To
these he added a collection of curious
wasp nests. among them one about 215
feet long, II inches in circumference, and
so nearly resembling the limb of the tree
from which it hung. that even only one
or two of the malicious monkeys, the
wasps worst enemies. knew how TO at
tack 1t.
Another specimen so nearly resembles
a clump of bark en the tree from which
1t was cut that II would have passed. I'M
detected save for a quick-witted guide.
The third is still creating considerable
institution, who are unable to tell If they
have a perfectly and skillfully nodded
piece of pottery containing the comb OF a
wasp, or II the bees themselves nodded
the pot, and then built inside. If the lat
ter is the case the wasps of the Amazon
are surprising in their artistic taste and
skill as DOtterS