The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-04-20

jungle in this simple way than to rul
the risk Of losing their friendship, AL
though 1t is not likely the bush niger.
could make a determined and long con
tinued attack on Paramaribo, they
could harass the up-river plantations tc
a considerable extent, and, retreatng tt
next to impossible to dislodge. Euro.
pean troops would stand but a poor
show against the ravages of the Surf
nam climate.
| The women among the bush niggers
are not comedy to look at, but they
avoid the hideous custom which obtains
lamong the Alaska Indians, of nose and
| lip ornamentation. In their dress, as
one sees them passing in the conoes,
they are somewhat more lavish than the
men and the single garment which par
TALLY covers them is generally of some
brilliantly colored cotton fabric.
The physique of the men is superb.
They are generally tall, height of six
feet being not at all uncommon. Their
legs, although shapely are not espec-
tally muscular, since they give them
comparatively little exercise. The
back, chest and arms Of these men are,
however, of almost heroic development
Constant padding of their heavy ca
noes with paddles which are also neces-
sarily heavy, gives these men arms and
shoulders unmatched except in the case
of professional strong men, whose de-
velopment is acquired by the constant
lifting Of heavy weights. They appear
to take no little pride in their physical
proportions and when boat with white
men or town negroes passes they will
often stand upright in the canoes
laughing, showing their flashing white
teeth, and talking necessarily all the
while. and even after the boat has
passed they will continue shouting and
laughing until turning Of the river
has taken them out Of sight.
The bush niggers are expert in hunt
ing, and for this purpose use to a great
extent bows and arrows. They use also
long pears In fishing, and their weap-
ons which are of their own manufac-
ture, are very we'll made. 1t is said
that they use poisoned arrowheads and
1t Is not improbable i, for they could
easily have learned the trick of poison
ing weapons from the Indians who live
In the back part of the Guianas, on the
border of Brazil. The "wurra-wurra'
poison Of the Indian sorcerers is known
and feared by all explorers who at
tempt to penetrate the inner parts of
these countries. The more advanced
bush niggers are armed with muzzle-
loading shotguns, and less often rifles.
They are not hostile by nature, and
as they do not seem to care greatly
about money white men are not afraid
TO trust themselves quite alone In a
of them, far removed from the
coast, or from one Of the Ditch police
stations of the interior. To some Of
he gold mines located far in the interi-
,r of Surinam or Cayenne the only
means Of transportation is by the ca
noes of the bush niggers. The river is
10 full Of rapids that it is only the bush
1iggers who are sufficiently expert pad
Hers to accomplish the Journey. Con-
each white man who goes
must trust himself for ten days or more
n a canoe with single bush niger,
Who has the passenger practically at
lis mercy. Yet there Is no record of
my case where foul play has occurred.
The language talked by these people
$ one, utterly foreign to any other
poken in the region, either by negroes,
indians or white men. Very few inhab-
tants of the colonies are familiar with |
outside Of their own race A means |
# communication Is afforded with |
hem, however from the fact that the |
more intelligent among them speak
urious jargon used by the negroes of |
he towns and plantations, known as |
This Is a mixture OF |
English, French, Dutch and Portuguese, !
With probably an admixture of African |
languages, and is easy to acquire a
Of Many Of the white
miners and traders speak it fluently.
The negroes cross the country from |
me river to another, with no apparent
even sleeping out at night on
he way. Cross-country travelling Is
cry rarely attempted by white men in
urinam, 1t being regarded by the most
experienced prospectors there -as al
lost certain death to sleep one night in
he jungle without hammock to lie in
nd net for q covering. In that cli-
1ate the bite of an insect brings on a
ever, which without proper care will
rove fatal. The bush lie, moreover in
,sted with many varieties Of poison
us serpents, Of which the smaller kinds
re the most to be feared. One OF these,
ne "cappasee," more dangerous than
1e ''fer de lance" of Martinique, 10
aid to be the most deadly snake of the
estern hemisphere. Innoculation
gainst snake bite is common among
egroes Of Surinam, and its efficiency in
,e case of the ordinary poisonous
1akes is said to be proven. No form of
reventive, before or after the attach,
owever, avails against the cappasee.
The Guianas have long been known as
lie seat Of important gold deposits, and
,me of the largest nuggets of rough |
Did with quartz ever discovered have
,me from the colony Of Surinam.
here are many placer mines scattered
trough the interior Of the colony, as
so in Cayenne and Demerara. Rich
nds of coarse gold are made yearly by
hite men in the jungle, but strangely |
,oueh. the bush niggers seem to take
, interest as rule in the gold seeking.
hey can rarely be induced to work at
" of the mines, even for the offer of |
,od pay, and it must be inferred that
,tural Incidence of disposition iS the
evailing characteristic of these wild
,ople of the forest. When paid for la
IT. for transporting goods or passen-
RS, or for other services, they will