152* THE SERI INDIANS [etu.anx.H 



Examples of Seri fleetness and endurance might be multiplied in- 

 definitely, and many of still more striking ebaracter might be addufed; 

 but these instances, all attested by several witnesses, all corroborated 

 by independent facts, and all consistent with the observations of the 

 1894: expedition, seem fairly to represent oue aspect of the pedestrian 

 habit of the tribe. 



A trait of the Seri hardly less conspicuous than their pedestrian 

 habit is habitual use of hands and teetli in lieu of the implements 

 characteristic of even the lowly culture found among most primitive 

 tribes. Perhaps the most nearly universal implement is the knife — at 

 first of shell, tooth, bone, or wood, later of stone, and last of metal — 

 and hardly a primitive tribe known from direct observation or from 

 relics has been found independent of this most serviceable implement; 

 yet the Seri may be described with reasonable accuracy as a knifeless 

 folk. Awls and marliuspikes of bone and wood, shell cups, and pro- 

 tolithic mailers or hammers are found in numbers in their bauds, on 

 their rancheria sites, and in their ancient shell accumulations, while 

 rudely chipped stone arrowpoints are sparsely scattered over their 

 range; yet not a single knife of stone or otlier wrought substance has 

 been found in their territory or in their jjossessiouj save for an occa- 

 sional metal knife obtained by theft or barter. And the habit of dis- 

 pensing with this primary implement is attested both by everyday 

 customs and by the traditions and chronicles concerning the tribe. Thus, 

 various observers (notably Hardy) have recorded the features and 

 uses of balsas, harpoons, ollas, etc, yet no records of cutting imi)le- 

 ments have been found; simihii-ly the chronicles contain records of 

 barter between the Seri and the Sonorenses through which the savages 

 acquired aguardiente, manta, garments, sugar, grain, etc, yet no record 

 is known of the leading articles of excliauge to jiractically all other 

 tribes of the continent, viz, cutlei-y ; and in like manner the local tradi- 

 tions recount the constant desire of the Seri for liquor and tobacco, sac- 

 charine and other food substances, clothing or material for making it, 

 tin cups, lard-cans, and other metallic utensils, as well as nails for 

 harpoons and hoop-iron for arrowpoints, in addition to firearms and 

 ammunition ; yet the recounters are significantly silent on the subject 

 of knives. 



Conformably, the 00 Seri gathered near Costa Eica in 1894 made it 

 their business to pick up or beg all sorts of industrial products and 

 materials, yet apparently did not possess so many as a dozen knives 

 in the entire band; and while protolithic implements, ollas, shell 

 cujjs, paint-stones, etc., were seen in constant use, none of the men, 

 women, or children were observed to use knives for cutting meat or for 

 any other customary purpose. Among the supplies laid on top of the 

 jacal shown in plate x, to keep them out of the way of the dogs, was a 

 hind leg of a horse, from femur to hoof (some three days dead and still 



