Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-20
SAVAGE sERI INDIANS
ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF
THE TIBURoN ISLAND.
Their Clothes and Habitation-How
They Poison Arrows-strange
Ceremonial Dance.

Something has been known about the
6eri tribe of Indians since the time OF
Coronado. but no movement toward study
ing their characteristics was even under
taken by the United States department Of
ethnology until recently when Prof. w J
MCGEE was intrusted with the important
and difficult mission. Prof. MCGEE selected
the members of his expedition with much
care. and set out from Tucson, Ariz.. in the
month of October.
The Seri Indians were found to be a dis
tinctive tribe in habits. customs and lam
guage. They inhabit Tiburon Island. in the
gulf of California, and limited adjacent
area on the mainland OF Sonora, Mexico.
They call themselves Kun-kak, or Kmike,
which may be translated ''spry." Their
habitat Is arid and rugged, consisting chief
ly of desert sands and naked mountain
rocks, with permanent fresh water only
| In two or three places. 1t Is barred from
settled Sonora by nearly impossible des-
ert. Two centuries ago the population OF
the tribe was estimated at several thou
sands. but 1t has been gradually reduced
Physique Of Natives.
The Seri men and women are of splendid
physique. They have fine chests with slen-
der but sinewy limbs, though the hands, and
especially the feet. are large Their heads,
while small In relation to stature, approach
the average in size; the hair Is luxuriant
and coarse, ranging from typical black to
tswny In color, and is worn long. They
are notably vigorous in movement, erect
In carriage and remarkable for feetness
and endurance.
mollusks, water fowl and the other foods of
the sea; they also take land game and con-
sumo cactus fruits, mesquite beans and
few other vegetal products of their sterile
MI I'm, nf fhofr &c
They neither plant nor cultivate, and are
without domestic animals dogs. which
arc largely of coyote blood. They have
absolutely no conception of the idea of u.s.
ing horses for domestic purposes, and SO
far as could be ascertained no Seri Indian
was ever seen to mount horse. They
know nothing about leading an animal, and
have never been known to depart from
tho custom of Immediately staying an ami
NAL as soon as they became possessed of
1t. Cattle and swine are altogether UNI
known; even cooking is essentially without
practice among them
The habitations are fiimsy bowers Of
cactus and shrubbery, sometimes shinglad
rudely with turtle shells and sponges; In
to matronymic family groups; in other
cases they are isolated, and are then Of
ten abandoned and reoccupied repeatedly
and are apparently common property of
the tribe
The Seri clothing consists essentially Of a
kilt or skirt extending from waist to knees.
Sometimes pelican skin robe Is worn as a
waist mantle, and used also as bedding.
The head and feet well as the bust and
arms are habitually bare. Cords of human
hair and skins of serpents are used for
necklaces.
Sports and Games.
The sports and games of the Serl Indians
include racing and dancing, and there are
ceremonial dances at indicated seasons to
celebrate the epochs In the lives Of their
maidens. The dance is set to the music
OF rude improvised drums. Decoration is
ordinarily limited to symbolic face paint
ing, which is seen especially among the fe-
males, and to crude Ornamentation of the
scanty apparel. A peculiar pottery is made,
and the pieces are sometimes decorated
with simple designs in plain colors. This
pottery Is distinctive, and Is remarkably
light and fragile. Shells are used for cups
and to some extent for implements. Their
basketry Is not extensive nor distinctive.
Their weapons are the bow and arrow
and harpoons. The tips of the arrows are
coated with remarkable poison unlike any
ever met with before. 1t is peculiarly
fatal, and even a scratch from one of them
poison is gathered by placing the lobe Of
liver on the ground and thenNtorturing rat
tlesnakes until the maddened reptiles strike
their fangs again and again into the mass
until 1t becomes thoroughly saturated with
the poison. Then an unknown poison of
vegetable origin compounded by the priest
doctors Of the tribe is added to the mass.
Afterward the liver is inclosed In wrap
pings tied about the fibers of the poisonous
cactus and hung In retreat until putres-
cence causes other poisons to form within
the substance when 1t Is considered fit.
The tips of the weapons are dipped into
this horrible compound, which is believed
to be one of the most deadly and quick
acting poisons ever discovered.
The Seri vocabulary is meager and es-
sentially local. The terms designating food
materials and other tribal essentials are
fairly full, but abstract terms are lacking.
In spite of their fine physical development
their mental requirements are but little
above those of the beasts they run to death
for food.