The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-03-07
DWELL IN CAVES
A Steamer Boarded by Strange Tribe m
the Magellan Straits.
ARE KNOWN AS ALACUFS
Wears No Clothing and Live on Raw
Fish-Do Not Know How to Make
q Fire-A Hint to Civilized Moth
ers Whose Babies Are Given to-
CRYING

ers Whose Babies Are Given to-
Crying.
The British steamer Strathesk,
which Is discharging cargo OF Ter
tilizer at the foot Of Columbus street,
had a most interesting voyage be-
tween Iquique and Charleston, and
she encountered many strange peo-
ples, says The News and Courier.
But the ctrangest of these was the
tribe of Alaaufs, met by the vessel
in the Straits of Magellan. This
tribe came out to meet the ship from
the north shore of the straits, while
the vessel was lying at anchor. The
officers We're thus enabled to learn
many of their customs, and to e1-
change gifts with them.
1t was at late hour OF the night
that it was reported to the captain on
the vessel that a party OF strange
looking natives were approaching the
ship in "dug-outs," uttering loud
cries and gesticulating wildly. Their
actions were easily described by the
watch, because of the fullness OF the
moon. All hands were called on
deck, and they prepared for trouble.
However, the natives came alongside,
and showed signs of wishing to have
friendly intercourse with the men on
1.-The vessel, and they were accordingly
allowed to come aboard.
The men only came on board, leaV-
| ing the women in the boats. All that
any Of the natives wore was very
serene smile. The men on the Srat-
hesk began search for old clothes
to give to the natives, but when the
garm ents were finally distributed, the
natives were ignorant OF tneir proper
use, and many ludicrous situations
resulted. For instance, when tina
second officer presented one man with
pair of old sea boots, he immediate
| ly took them to the spouse and the
latter held them up for short In
spection and then placed her baby In
/ one of them. One tall, swarthE fei-
low drew a stiff hat from the pile OF
clothing, and went away with the hat
on his head and very satisfied look
on his face. The officers did not
state whether or not he had anything
on the rest of his body.
These natives were most primitive
in their mode of living, and appeared
to be little removed from monkeys.
They dwell IN caves, and, as has been
mentioned before, wore no clothing
whatever. The men Of the StrathesS
are not sure whether or not the ma
tives have yet acquired the art OF
making fire. At least, they did not
see any fires from the ship, and they
did see that the people never cooked
their food. They appeared to live
chiefly on raw fish, which they
caught by diving into the water, and
their principal beverage was a kind
of tea brewed from herbs, which they
called matt.
Their inventive or creative art ap'
peared to be at it's highest In the
carving Of rude matt cups from
grounds. These were the only things
besides raw fish, which they had to
offer the men of the Srathesk. The
latter noted many queer customs
among these primitive people, one
of the most singular of which was the
action taken by mother to stop the
CRYING of her baby. When the In
FAINT began to squall, the mother I'M
mersed it up to it's neck in the icy
water along the shore, and this treat
ment would hush the cries at once.