28 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ETHNOLOGICAL 



Avith spears in that section of the country. They are the only tribe which I found 

 still usinc tlie arrow, while the usual weapon in other parts of Central America 

 is the blowiiii? tube, by means of which with balls of clay, sometimes hardened, 

 birds and small animals are taken. Their dress is very primitive. Those who do 

 not belong to the aristocracy, wear only a kind of apron round the loins made 

 from the inner bark of trees. The aristocratic people replace the bark by a piece 

 of cotton, and the males by short trowsers. 



The construction of their dwellings is somewhat peculiar. While in other parts 

 of Central America the houses and huts are of a quadrangular form, the dwellings 

 in Kukri are constructed from a kind of reed about two inches thick, and are 

 oval in shape and divided into two apattments of an unequal size. The larger 

 one is the sitting and sleeping-room, along the sides of which are erected, from 

 smaller reeds, the frames to sleep on; the smaller apartment is the kitchen, dining- 

 room, and store-room. The dwellings look neat without and within. 



Like all Indians of Central America, the inhabitants of Kukri are hospitable ; 

 they offer food to one soon after entering their dwelling. 



Their language, which they call Sakachi, differs from others by the frequent use 

 of r and Ic, and some guttural sounds. To take notes of this language was the 

 principal object of my visit to the village. Unluckily I could not study it as much 

 as I liked, as the cura would not remain longer than a day, and for fear that my 

 horse, which was turned out in the woods with his, might get lost in his absence, 

 I had to depart likewise. I went to the village of Orosi, there to extend my in- 

 vestigations in tlie language ; passing through the village Paraiso, in the vicinity 

 of which, and further on in Ojaraz, were architectural remains of the ancient 

 inhabitants. 



Orosi was, under the Spanish government, a flourishing town, capital and head 

 of the Dominican missions in the province of Salamanca. About two-thirds of the 

 old convent was still existing in a dilapidated condition, not being used for any 

 purpose, as the priest officiating in Orosi resides in Paraiso. The population of 

 the village is diminishing on account of the aborigines having sold their land 

 property to the mixed Ladinos, who are setting out coff'ee plantations, and thus 

 driving away the oftspring of the former race. They are losing the pride of 

 ancestry and even denying their knowledge of their language, thinking the Indians 

 to be of an inferior race, and that it is a disgrace to be known as one of them. 

 The swampy condition of the soil on which the village is built might also have 



^g^ iO ^«liU ""O' 



aided in the diminution of the population. 



On account of the limited means at my disposal I was obliged to give up the 

 visit to the tribes of Terrava and Borruca. I resolved to penetrate at least in that 

 direction to the nearest settlement. In passing the Indian village Tobosi my 

 hopes fo¥ extending my linguistic researches were not realized, none of the in- 

 habitants knowing the idiom of their ancestors. Advancing further I found in 

 the small village Corallio some remains of ancient edifices, and visited likewise an 

 ancient grave that was opened but recently, and its contents still visible ; but be- 

 sides three molar teeth I did not find anything; there I was told that it was 

 opened a year ago and contained bones and pottery. 



