The Detroit times., 1911-09-19
man WHO RAN WILD
FOR FIFTY YEARS
IS CAPTURED
Last Of Dead Tribe Whose Language
No One Speaks Is Scientific
Prisoner Of University Of Cali
fornia Professors.
Has Eaten Soup With His Fingers,
But Now Uses Knife and Fork
After Five Days Training.

San FRANCISCO, Cal, Sept. ~
Ishi. the last OF the Yahi Indians VINO
spread terror among the early settlers
Of northern California. Is scientinc
prisoner Of the University OF Califor-
!, MIA: -, :. ,nv..,,..,.a
as the learned scientists invesusa.e
bugs and flowers and things OF wnicn
we know little. Ishi IL probably tne
last Of his tribe. He speaks IAN
guage OF which there 10 no record
For 80 years he has lived In the sierra
Nevada mountains. never lettins
white man get glimpse OF him ana
knowing nothing OF the progress OF
!. the world. One day fires broke out
In the mountains and forced Ishi to
70 near Oroville, Cal. where he tried
10 steal a calf to keep from starving.
He was caught and put In the town
jail. The hrst civilized thing he
learned was cigarette smoking. Then
came the professors and took ISM
away, that they might learn his lam
guaee and something of the tribe
which was practically wiped out In
$ battle with early settlers.
sIde-show Agents Appear.
Already the scientists have had too
shoe away a horde or vaudeViiie ann
side-show agents. They looked upon
this simple, primitive man as tneir
legitimate prey.
Ishi Is no fairy story-no dream OF
the dime museum press agent. ne IL
q man ''unspotted by the world.
He looks like many other Indians
but he Is unlike any other. HIS chin
s'is a little sharper and his proile IS
delicate. His hair Is short. for ne Is
In morning for his "hahala,' or wire,
When she died and the coyotes fought
over her body he singed his long hair
with a redhot coal and pulled the
wh.skers from his chin one by one.
That Is the way this Indian mourns'
He propitiates the gods OF storm
and lightning and sings incantations
TO the fish OF the rivers. He wears
piece OF thong In his nose and ears to
take him to the Indian heaven when
he dies.
He was naked save for a sack when
they found him. They clothed him In
n blue shirt and a pair OF overalls and
gave him a straw hat, which Is con-
stantly falling of or tipping over on
one ear. Shoes he could not wear.
They had to dress him as they would
dress n child and ne wore his clothes
J with all the grace of layfigure In a
! secondhand shop. They just hung
there and he felt OF them wondering
~, especially the brown silk tie that
was fastened TO the shirt.
They gave him a little whistle and
fhe chung to II with all the Joy OF a
i5-year-old, blowing 1t at intervals and
laughing
Difficult to Persuade.
II was with the greatest difhculty
that he was persuaded TO undress and
get into a bed. He made II understood
mat as everyone else wore clothes he
also would wear them and that he
would never take them on again.
Ishi does not sit down. He squats
on his ankles by the hour, his little
brown eyes under the shock OF black
hair going in wonder from one thing
TO another.
Ishi IL a child with all child's
4 wonder over new things-not MUIR
derous savage. He Is afraid but tries
hard not to show II. He was fright
enet; badly at locomotive.
The professors have not been able
to get much out of Ishi. They have
not been able TO tell whether he has
left any other members Of his tribe
IN the wilderness Of the Deer Creek
canyon, where the northern branch OF
thu Yanas, to which he belongs, were
! mAssacred by white settlers 40 years
' ago. Since that time the Ishi has
lodged all. signs OF the terrible whites.
Prof. Waterman, of the University OF
California, the only man who has sue
ceeded IN making isn't understand