Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-19
Open forbidden Coast Foreigners After 400
Calder and ShameH.

was all very we'll for the man and
woman to live together, but it would
remain with the tribe. The little stranger
was buried alive and the father driven
from the country. The mother was not
molested.
Unlike the other Indians Of the Isthnlus
of Panama, the San Bias Indian displays
a degree Of intelligence seldom met with
in aborigine populations. 1t is true that
he still lives on practically the same plane
of civilization as did his forefathers from
time immemoriaL The modern San Bias,
however, is a Shrewd trader and very
wide traveller. Many Of the natives have
made long voyages in sailing vessels, even
Also many of them have shipped on the
steamers calling at Colon. He has fire.
quently appeared in the various seaboard
cities Of the United States.
For years the San Bias Indians have
sailed their little luggers as far north as
the New England coast, where they sold
their crop Of cocoanuts, vegetable ivory
and other native products At these
American ports many of them acquired
their smattering Of English
It is said that q number Of San Bias
boys have been educated in the United
States, but these have seldom returned
to their native villages Some of the
natives, because Of their ranging far
afleld. have become very good linsuists.
Chief Coleman, one of the head men Of
the entire coast, speaks Spanish, English.
French and his native dialect very
fiuently.
Prof. Henry Pettier of the United
been frequent visitor to the San Bias
coast. He has passed through their
country a number of times on his ex-
ploring trips into the interior of the
L. to
even less welcome than on the coast.
He has many friends among the San
Bias chieftains, and is said to have
been the first white man who was per-
main as long as he desired without
being in the least molested. So well
known has he become that the Indians
are always glad to see him. He tells
Playon Grande. that when he stepped
ashore from the native lugger the first
thing he heard was an American phono-
graph playing a well known piece OF
Prof. Pettfer declares that the San
Bias Indian is far more Intelligent
than any of the other tribes he met
while making his studies of the flora of
younger ones accompanied him in the
capacity OF guides, porters and in
terpreters
Prof. Pettier, however. says that during
the many VlsitS ne mas naae 10 inc couh-
try he has seen very little Of the San
Bias women, this being especially true OF
the more isolated villages, where the tribal
customs are still most rigidly observed.
Like all the Indians Of the Isthmus OF
Panama, the San Bias people are short OF
stature. but Of a very stocky build. They
are very active. strong and excellent
sailors. Their heads are large. with faces
almost as broad as they are long, and
having prominent cheek bones.
Their hair Is universally black, coarse
and straight, and is worn short by the
men and cut in a very haphazard fash
ion The features are regular and show
a decided trace Of their Aaiatic origin.
It has been stated that in common with
other aboriginal tribes in Central and
South America the San Bias Indian fs q
descendant Of early Tartar or Monaghan
no9nads. who made their way into the :
Americas by way Of BerinG straight
long before the dawn Of history.