M. .iKFl 15AKTLETTS RECOKI) IS.V2 !t7 



to be tlieir only aim, ami every arrow or lance thrown by tbo Ceris tU:it pierces tbe 

 skin causes death, as all are jioisoiied. Many expeditions, fitted out at a great 

 expense, have been sent against tbeui; but, though eommanded by competent officers, 

 all have failed. Tlie number being so small, they manage when pursued to conceal 

 themselves where they can not l)e found. The island of Tiburon, as well as the 

 mainland adjacent, is exceedingly barren and destitute of water; hence parties have 

 suft'ered greatly in the campaigns against them, without accomplishing anything. 

 I was told that the Government liad already expended more than $1,000 for every 

 male of the tribe. The last serious attack of these people was made upon a gentle- 

 man traveling to Guaymas in liis carriage with his family and attendants, embrac- 

 ing 16 persons. They were surprised in an unfrequented place and every soul put 

 to death.' 



Commissioner Bartlett quoted Hardy's description of tbe arrow poison. 

 and, speaking of the Seri tongue, added : 



I found it an extremely harsh language, very dilhcnlt to express witli our letters, 

 .and totally ditt'erent from any alioriginal tongue 1 had heard spoken; . . . lint it 

 was impossible for me, without a close philological comparison with other Indian 

 languages, to arrive at any correct conclusion as to whether this people are alliid or 

 not to other aboriginal tribes. 



He also referred to a prevalent notion that "tbe Ceris were of Asiatic, 

 origin, in proof of which some statements were made too imi)rol)ab]e to 

 repeat. This idea seems to have originated from the resembhince 

 between their name and that given by the ancients to the Chinese."' 



In order to obtain a Seri vocabulary. Commissioner Bartlett had a 

 messenger dispatclied "to a i)ueblo or village of these Indians near 

 Hermosillo. The person sent for made his appearance in a few hours"; 

 he was "a good-looking man, about 30 years of age. His complexion 

 was lair, and resembled that of an Asiatic rather than an Ameiic;in 

 Indian. His cheek bones were high, and his head round and well 

 formed, though the anterior portion was somewhat angular and promi- 

 nent. His hair was short, straight, and black. He was a fnllblooded 

 CiM'is, and came originally from the island of Tiburon. In about three 

 hours I completed the vocabulary (juite satisfactorily to myself."- The 

 vocabulary was not printed with the narrative; nor were references 

 made to the Seri jiopulation, either in the pueblo or in Seriland. 



While the vocabulary was not published by Commissioner Bartlett, 

 it was preserved and passed into the hands of George Gibbs, who made 

 a .systematic transcript;-' this came into possession of Dr Albert S. 

 (iatschet, and a copy is preserved in the archives of the Bureau of 

 American I'^thnology. The name of the native informant is not recorded, 

 but fortunately he was found still living, and was fully identified, dur- 

 ing the expeditions of 1894 and 1895 — especially toward the end of the 



' Personal Narrative of Explorations and Incidents iu Texas, New Mexico, California, Sonora, and 

 chihuahua, Connected with the tTnited States and Mexican Boundary Commission, during the years 

 18oU, '51,'52, and '53; New York, 1S54. vol. I, p. 463 etseq. 



Ubid., pp. 463-464. 



^This transcript is entered in a bianli schedule Voe^abulary of 180 Words, printed by tiie Sniith- 

 soniau Institution for Gibbs, with a .siipplenieutary sheet; it is dati'd January I, 1852; and wliile tlie 

 publhshcd " Narrative '■ irajtlies that it was recorded December 31. 1851, the manuscript date is con 

 lirnii^d by the Seri interpreter, Kolusio. 

 17 BTH 7 



