THE SAN BLAS PEOPLE 



San Bias woman remains isolated for five days 

 more. A year later she is considered ready 

 for marriage, and thenceforth her hair is kept 

 cropped. 



It was Billy Smith, a man who had sailed 

 the seas in big ships and returned to finish his 

 days with his own people, who explained to 

 me the reason for this and for other customs. 

 We were out in the chief's "thousand coconut " 

 cayuca, scudding ahead of half a gale of wind. 

 The chief's son was straining at the great ma- 

 hogany steering paddle, while Billy clung to a 

 rope from the top of the mast, swinging him- 

 self far overside when the canoe heeled. He 

 talked as we flew through the white water. 



"It is hard for the girl to be cold and wet," 

 he told me, in his halting English; "but it 

 must be, for we live in the sea, like savalo, and 

 every day, as long as she lives, that woman 

 will be in the water at some time or other." 



"What is your marriage ceremony?" I 

 inquired. 



"Well, when my daughter is ready to 

 marry, my wife and I will pick out a young 

 man who works hard. We will ask his papa 

 and mamma if they like us and our daughter. 

 If they say, 'Yes,' we will ask the boy." 



127 



