1875] ^^^ [Gabb. 



included, to whicli these people have been subjected by the rubber hunters, 

 who enter their country from Nicaragua, and their not possessing fire-arms 

 to repel the aggressors, they have become so timid that they fly on the 

 first approach of strangers. The few who have been captured are either 

 young children, or persons taken by sur^irise. I have been unable to 

 learn of any in Costa Rica, although a boy, now dead, lived for a while in 

 Alajuela. A few are said to have been taken to Saa Juan del Norte, 

 (Greytown,) and to Grenada, Nicaragua. The Alajuela boy, although he 

 learned the meaning of some Spanish words, so as to know what was 

 meant, when spoken to, was represented as sullen. When asked the 

 names in his language of things that he was familiar with, like plantain, 

 banana, &c., he always remained silent, and neither coaxing nor threats 

 could extort a word. 



The people are invariably represented as of short stature, broad, and of 

 enormous strength. They live in neighborhoods ; they cannot be called 

 villages, the houses being scattered over an extensive area and at dis- 

 tances of from one to several hundred yards apart. The houses are low, 

 consisting of a roof, pitching both ways from a ridgre pole, and resting on 

 very short but very thick posts. This is thatched with palm leaf and is 

 entirely open at the ends and sides, under the eaves. Their tools are 

 stone axes set in wooden handles, good steel machetes (all agree that 

 they have seen these, but where do tliey get them?) and planting sticks 

 similar to those used by the Bri-bris. With these tools they cultivate 

 great quantities of plantains, bananas, yuca, coco, [Oolocaaia esculentum,) 

 besides possessing large plantations of the pe/w' bulla palm and of cacao. 

 Of the furniture in their houses, I was told of cord hammocks and net 

 bags, similar to those of Bri-bri, and of blocks of light wood for seats. 

 They seem to sleep on the ground floor of their houses, simply spreading 

 down a layer of plantain leaves. Their bows and arrows are described as 

 similar to what I have seen elsewhere, except that the arrows are not sup- 

 plied with any harder points than those furnished by the pehi balla wood. 

 The dress is described as identical with the old styles in Talamanca ; 

 mastate breech cloths for the men, and the same material, in the shape of 

 short petticoats for the women. 



The country of the Rio Frio is said to consist of broad fertile plains, 

 unsurpassed in beauty and fertility by any lands in the Republic. The 

 Rio Frio itself is large and is navigated by the large canoes of the huleros, 

 or rubber huntei'S, to a point within three days' walk of Las Cruces on the 

 Pacific side. But the poor inoftensive people who inhabit this region are 

 now so intimidated by the "Christians" who have visited them, that 

 they can only be approached by a foreigner by stealth. If they can 

 escape they do so, but if driven to bay, or think they can overpower the 

 strangers, they greet them with a flight of arrows. They are especially 

 afraid of firearms, and a pistol shot is sufficient to depopulate a set- 

 tlement. 



I believe the above short statement contains the most reliable informa- 



