Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-12-03

| WW HM Tue Cruelty OL Inc OSTL IA
~ dams, a primitive people
~ inhabiting Tiburon island,
In the Gulf of California.
That they are not as bad as they have
been painted is asserted by Thomas
H. Streets, medical director, U.
s. NJ, retired, who visited the island
with government surveying expedi-
ton and whose story follows:
On March 20, 1874, we reached an
anchorage at Tiburon island, the In
dams OF which were then-as they are
yet-in evil repute. At one time, we
the island in small vessel to hunt for
pearl-oysters and were killed by the
Indians. The Mexican government, in
retaliation, sent force against them
which killed many, but they were not
subdued. Somehow they acquired a
bad name, and, like Ishmael, their
| hand has been against every man-so
we we're told-and every mans hand
has been against them; this, at least,
is true. They were feared so that not
even the greed of the pearl hunters
could induce the native to go near the
island to hunt the oyster which was
said to abound in its waters. T.
At Guaymas we were strongly adj
vised not to go there. But George
Dewey, who had command of the sur
veying vessel, was not the man to be
deferred by few bad Indians from do
| ing the work he was sent to do. Then,
there was probability that the condi-
tions were not as bad as they were
represented to be, there being a ten
dency in human nature to exaggerate.
When we got there the only restric-
lions imposed upon us by the COM
handing officer we're that we should
| not go on shore alone and unarmed.
There were a number of Indians on
the beach, but they made no hostile
movements when we landed. They
came forward readily enough and
shook hands all around, and we &C
companied them to one of their tenn
porary encampments on the beach, a
short distance from where we had
landed, for they made US understand
that they had come here to fish from
some other part of the island.
Lived In the Bushes.
Three families inhabited the beach
at this point, and the bushes were
their only shelter; for clothing they
wore a few rags. We gave them cloth
ing and bareback and canned corned
beef, which they accepted eagerly; but
their first and persistent want was for
something strong to drink. To satisfy
this craving, or at least to stop their
opportunities, they were given some
alcohol, in a bottle, we'll diluted We
became convinced that they would sell
the island for aguadiente. They
brought off to the ship and presented
to us two large fish which they had
just caught, which showed, we thought.
appreciation of favors received.
Shortly after our arrival the women
began to paint their faces and their
children's with a blue pigment. Broad
lines were drawn with the finger under
the eyes and down each side of the
nose. The men returned our call on
board the ship dressed in the old cloth
ing which had recently been given
them. One wore a uniform coat much
too small for his broad shoulders. 1t
bumped him IN the back so that he
looked deformed. Another had on
coat the tails of which had been
slashed with a knife to make it claw
hammered A third wore blue shirt
Of sailor with the rusty shoulder
straps of a lieutenant
A party of us visited in a boat a
large encampment about five miles
away on the coast. The men were all
away hunting turtle, but women and
children were in plenty. They repre-
scented ten families. These had for
shelter semi-circular heaps of brush
about four feet high. which were moth
ing better than wind-brakes.
Though we saw one or two old per-
cussion guns, their principal weapon
was the bow and arrow They sub
sisted largely on fish and turtles and
berries and roots. Their household
effects were few. OF those that we saw
all might be carried away on the Shout
ders of one person. The women made
a kind of platter of grass and reeds,
and they had earthenware vessels for
holding water and for cooking pur
poses.
On the second day of our stay we
were so well impressed with their
friendly intention toward us that two
of us went out with them on hunt
for deer. gotten up for our benefit.
They stationed us at certain vantage
points, and the Indians then took sta
tons themselves, sending the boys
armed with bow and arrow to beat the
copse to set the game afoot.
Display ingenuity.
A large doe came directly our way
and passed within ten or twelve PAGES
of my companion, and when she had
passed his well-aimed bullet bored its
way through the entire length of her
body.
They displayed considerable in
genuity fn building the canoes in
which they fish and hunt the turtle.
They wer5 constructed of bundles Of