The Southern herald., 1912-11-08

naked N ountaIn
rock, with permanent fresh water in one or two
places only. Separated from the rest Of Sonora
by an almost impossible desert, and containing
nothing to excite the interest or cupidity Of the
prospector or Mexican. It has remained unex-
plored and unvisitsd until quite recent times.
Though in the surrounding country there are
many traces Of an ancient civilization, In Seriland
itself there are no remains nor any evidence to
show that any other race markedly distinct
either in habits Or customs from It's present In
habitants, had ever made their home there
Hence 1t may be assumed that the Seri did not
migrate to this part Of the world but are indi-
genous to the land The Seri Indians are physi-
eally fine race, rather above the medium height.
though somewhat slightly made. They are very
fark, with long, coarse hair, but when young are
by no means ugly. They have low quiet voices,
and their language is much more melodious than
that of the Yuma or Papago Indians. Their cloth
Ing is somewhat unusual for they wear kind
Of robe Of pelican skins over short kilt or skirt
These pelican rugs are beautifully made OF be-
tween four and eight skins sewn together with
sinews or deerskin and are used as bedding at
night Their belts are Of woven human hair or
vegetable fber though snake and lizard skins
are also used for the same purpose The arms.
bust, legs and feet are usually bare. When It is
remembered that these people own no domestic
animals Of any kind, except dogs that are really
coyotes and do not cultivate or till the land at
all, II will be seen that they have to depend en-
tirely on hunting to supply them with dress and
food PeIicans are found literally by the thou
sand especially round the little Isla TaSsne, and
provide the Indians with amply sufficient mate
rial to make all the clothing and blankets they
are likely to need in that hot and almost rainless
climate. As regards food, they subsist chiefly
on turtles, fish, molluscs and waterfowl which
are eaten raw and during the proper seasons they
feed on the fruits Of the various cacti and mes
quite beans which grow fairly pentifully in the
| seri mountains. Scattered over the greater por.
tion Of the island charred oyster shells, which
show that they are very partial to this form Of
food and that they use nre to open shell-nsh Of
! all kinds, as they do not possess any knives.
They catch the turtles by harpooning them with
a very primitive kind Of spear; the latter is made
in two parts connected by a 1ber rope. to the
front one Of which rough point Of hardened
wood stone, or, II possible, iron, is attached
AS soon as they see turtle they approach noise
iesslJ from behind and thrust the spear through
the she'll The front portion Of the spear remains
IN the animal but the turtle cannot escape be-
cause Of the rope, and It is soon towed to the
shore and there broken open. when It is roasted
or eaten raw. Fish, which abound in these wa
ters are caught by means Of fiber line and
primitive hook, the latter being very often made
the larger kinds Of fish are killed with bow
and arrow, a weapon much in use among the Seri.
Their huts are Of the most primitive description,
being made merely Of dried brushwood and rooted
with turtle shells and Sponges. They afford some
slight shelter from the sun, which 10 their main
N purpose for the heat s always intense the year
round and suppose that there are few hotter
places on earth
The foregoing facts are suficient to mark the
seri as very distinct from other North American
Indians: but there are many other curious and
peculiar customs which they do not share with
/, any other tribes. Their religion is exceedingly
. interesting. though somewhat obscure, and the
local character Of their gods Is convincing proof
Of their Tong residence in that locality Their
chief deity for instance. is the ancient OF Peli
cans" mythical bird Of marvellous wisdom and
meIodious song, and their lesser gods are super
natural beings in similar familiar forms Every
/ year. before starting out on their annual expedi
6ions to gather fruit Of the cact they hold theiI
one important religious festival, at which they
make many ceremonial offerings in order that the
supply may be plentiful Their dead are buried
n in their most elaborate garments with theiI
: weapons beside them under a mound Of stones
These graves are to be seen all over the SER
4 country anc bear eloquent, II silent, testimony
4 to the valiant defense they have made against
O. their enemies; for OF the several thousand Ser
q Indians that were known to exist some thirty
D years ago, there are but three hundred and sew
enty-hke left now. Of which not more than seven
tytwO are adult males.
III The country Il no less unusual than It's In
habitahtn, for It contains many remarkable treel
!, md bAnts. \ would bs natural to Fnppohs that