PANAMA AND ITS PEOPLE—BELL. 631 
maintaining more than one wife, as a rule. There seems to be little 
evidence of religion among these Indians, though they appear to 
believe in a God and in a devil. They also possess some idols, which 
they will part with readily in exchange for articles that they desire, 
holding them in scant reverence. How much longer these people will 
be allowed to remain in their seclusion it is difficult to conjecture, 
and, owing to the almost impassable jungle back of their country it 
would require an invading army of considerable size to subdue them. 
As a political move, an enterprising spirit at the time of the inaugu- 
ration of the late president fitted out some of the leading men of 
the San Blas tribe in old, but exceedingly gaudy uniforms and took 
them to Panama to attend the ceremonies. They were much pleased, 
especially after liberal libations had been consumed, and felt keenly 
their importance. 
THE SASARDI TRIBE. 
In the winter of 19034 an American naval officer visited the 
district surrounding the beautiful Caledonia Bay, where the natives 
only occasionally meet with a stray trader in his small sloop, and 
who they have nothing more to do with than necessary for pur- 
poses of barter. The Sasardis were found to number about 200 or 
300, living in three small villages* on the shores of the bay, pre- 
sided over by a chief of great authority it seemed. This cacique 
ordered the American vessel to leave immediately, and, finding his 
order was not obeyed, he held an interview with the American 
officer a few days later, in which he said (through an interpreter) 
that the Indians wished to have nothing to do with the white people, 
that this county was their own, not belonging to the Colombians 
or the Panamanians, adding that under no circumstances could the 
erew remain ashore anywhere in the vicinity at night. Later the 
chief sent a letter to the ship which was addressed to Queen Vic- 
toria, whom he regarded as supreme over all white people, asking 
that she put a stop to strangers coming in vessels to his coasts. The 
Sasardis were dressed much in the fashion of the San Blas men, 
though they undoubtedly come much less into contact with civilized 
people. The women were only seen at a distance, but glimpses 
revealed the fact, often stated of Cuna women generally, that they 
are remarkably hideous. (In 1870 Admiral Selfridge’s party did not 
meet with a single woman of this tribe when in Caledonia Bay.) 
These Indians had burying grounds in the vicinity of their towns, 
and the graves were surrounded with bits of broken glass bottles of 
@The houses of these Indians differ from those of the San Blas people in 
that they are usually two stories high, the upper floor having no side walls 
except in perhaps one corner, and in the remaining open spaces are hung mats 
or curtains. 
45745°—sm 190941 : 
