The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-01
CAPTIVEs on AN ISLAND.
Seven Americans Said TO he Held as Prison.
ers by the Seri Indians.

A despatch from Los Angeles. Cal. the
other day said that James McCuen OF Mex
leo was recently informed by a SER In
dian Of the mainland that seven white men
are held as prisoners by the Serbs Of Tibu-
ron Island on the coast OF the State OF So
nora. Mex, in the Gulf of California.
Whether or not this story Is correct, 1t Is
certain that the Serbs are responsible for
the disappearance OF a considerable num-
Der of white men. Within the past few
wears a man named Logan of Cleveland
Capt. Porter OF San Diego and several other
persons who announced their intention OF
visiting Tiburon Island have left their
friends and never returned
Very little az yet is known Of this island
on account Of the hostility of the natives.
Last year party OF six men left San Diego
to visit Tiburon and they all escaped with
their lives,
They sailed around the island for thirteen
days and made two trips inland. one OF
eight miles on the Sonora side and the
other four and half miles on the Gulf side
Whenever they saw any Indians they made
landing.
At first all the natives kept out ofreach
but one OF them finally plucked up enough
courage 10 come within talking distance,
when he shouted in Spanish: Who sent
your" The white men managed, after that
TO do little trading with the natives, who
however. we're very suspicious. and little
was learned of them.
The party reported that the Indians live
on fish and turtles entirely, caring them
raw. The island Is about thrty-two miles
l,ng and eighteen wide. II is covered
with desert vegetation, for il il very dry.
but in the valleys among the mountains Is
considerable grass. RattIesrakes are very
numerous and the party found seversi
deer.
A fair idea Of ths topography Of the island
was gained in lsa5 by an expedition sent
out by the Bureau Of American Ethnology
The expedition relied upon the Coast Survey
chart FOR it's delineation Of the outlines ana
filed in such detail as IL was able to collect
The .ris were summed up by DR.. W j.
McGee Of that ext iition, who wrote;
The fierce holders Of desert bound
Seriland have protected their inheritance
from time immemoria and since the time
of Coronado have written their history in
blood. Three Of their many interesting
characteristics are especially notable:
They are isolated in language, belief, GUS
tom and sympathy as la habitat; they are
dominated by moral law under which
intermarriage with other peoples is capital
crime and under which they attain right
eousncss by Staying human beings Of alien
blood with greater avidity than beasts are
slain, always save when deferred by fear;
and they are Of stature, strength and
endurance befitting their hard and event.
full lives
They have none Of the sense Of hospi-
talty and honor which marks many In
dams OF higher type. They have some
notion Of loyalty TO each other, but the rest
Of the world is always fair game.
Visitors have found that the night. which
would naturally be considered the most
dangerous time for a stranger, is really
his safest time. BY doing careful watch
duty by turns party OF visitors can avert
attack.
In the daylight there In apt to be peril
GUS sense of security, and then il behooves
every stranger to be on his guard II the
visitor is well equipped with means Of pro-
lection. 80 that il is plainly inexpedient
TO attack him boldly. he will escape trouble
as long as his vigilance remains acute.
A wound from the arrow OF Seri Indian
usually causes death, because the arrows
are always poisoned. 1t is said that the
natives prepare their poison by allowing
a rattlesnake to bite a piece Of deer meat
and then dipping their arrows into the
meat after it has become thoroughly in
oculattd.
II Tiburon Island were one Of our pos
sessions the Indians would long ago have
been compelled TO behave themselves. But
the Mexicans have done nothing TO punish
them for their murderous treatment Of
white men. and as the island is isolated in
the Gulf Of California very few Of our own
people have ever visited it.