New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-14


Of the State and bordering on the Everglades Is
the Big Cypress Swamp, which Is the present nome
Of the Indians. and on the borders OF which the
recent action between the savages and L. hlr'-
suf took place. The country is sandy and low,
being scarcely 81 any part more than SIX OF seven
feet above the level Of the sea; and III the RAIN!
.eason-which corresponds TO our Slmmer-is
covered 70 the depth of one or feet with water
II bears singular evidence Of having at some former
period been entirely overfowed, for sea-sheIls are
found in great numbers all through the Interior oil
the State. forty or fifty miles from the ocean
South of the Caloosahatchee there are no eleVa-
tons Of land-except the artificial mounds formed
BY the Indians for burial purposes, which are
very remarkable One near Fort Myers Is
about thirty feet high and three or four hun
dred feet in circumference, and bears evidence
of great age. Immense pines, which look as II they
had Withs:oOd the storms Of centuries, are growing
directly out of ts summit. This mound was opened
year or two ago By some Of the military authorities
| OF Fort Myers, and was found TO contain human
bones. which crumbled to dust as soon as they
were handled
ne pTdlTlts ftIF ihiNH III oANti iANH' '~''
hundred yards to several miles in length, and are
covered with tall coarse grass Like those OF
the West thew are constantly set on fire by the
Indians. and will burn with great fercenes for days
and Yeeks-the fire sweeping on and devourlng
every thing in its course until arrested by some
river. These fires are never productive OF any
damage or danger, unless indeed some hunter be
50 unfortunate as 10 be caught out OIL prairie
and sees one approaching him. His only safety
then consists in setting fire TO the grass Immediately
around him. and to this resort he is often indebted
for bis life.
BY the last treaty between the Government and
the Indians, the latter were confined to that por-
ton of country lying south of the Caloosahafchee
They ore now very few in number. Capt. Casey,
U.S.A., Indian Agent at Tampa, says that the
number Of warriors is not over %, nor under %,
and that the women and children number about
200 Add 10 this 80 or 80 aged men and few
balfgrown boys, and we may set down the whole
number now remaining at about 40. Their Gov
eminent, like that of most Indian tribes, is linn
tied monarchy, being vested in principal Chief, or
king. who is controlled by council OF the chiefs
and principal men of the nation. The nominal
ruler now is Hu.lat.to Mike, or the Blue King
familiarity known as Billy Bowlegs; but his au-
thority ia very much restricted, the actual head OF
the nation being Ar-pu-i-ka, or Sam Jones, who,
though l03 years old, and blind, still exercises
mighty voice in the councl-and one that, report
says, il invariably opposed TO Billy Bowlegs. The
latter is, and has for long time past been in favor
of emigration but Sam Jones is steadily resolved
on diving in Florida, and eternal hostility to
the whites; and there is no doubt that the recent
demonstrations against the troops have been at his
instgation.
Billy BOwegs, like many of his more civilized
brethren is entirely under the control OF petticoat
government He Las sister noted for her sagacity,
eloquence, and unfolding hostility to all attempts
at emigration, and who is IN many respects most
remarkable woman. The fast friend aud ally of
Sam jones, she rules the weak and yacillating king
of the tribe with an iron hand. We are assured
that had it not been for her the Indians would long
since have consented TO leave the country. OF
course she has no voice at the cOunci-fre, but she
has other means of influencing her followers, and,
ike some other women, she leaves no means un-
tried to accomplish her favOrite ends
As before stated the Indians mostly reside in
the Big Cypress Swamp, about 40 miles south OF
the Caloosahatchee. They live scattered through
il in small villages and have no large town a. has
been generally supposed; and this is one of the
great obstacles in the way of the troops who are in
search of them, it being impossible 10 find any con-
siderable number of them together Their villages
are generally named after the principal chiefs of
the nation, as Bowlegs Town, Prophets Town,
Smah tee s Town and Sam JOnes's Village. They
have their we-understood means of collecting the
tribe together; for should anything worthy of note
take place at Fort Myers or elsewhere, instantly
fire after fire is sprnging up in succession, at
intervals of four or five miles, all through the
country. On going 10 one of these fires, however,
the troops will no Indians as they have disap-
peared az if by magic, leaving trace behind but
few smoking pine logs.
The habits of the Seminoles are very simple.
Most of them cultivate little corn and few
sweet potatoes ard bananas, and they have hogs
among them in great numbers. They are expert
with the rifle and one will go out and shoot several
deer in few hours, when white man would be
unable to get single shot. They are all extraya-
CAVITY fond of tobacco, and will part with any
thing they possess for piece of it or little
whisky. They are nation of dr1Inkards, from
King Billy down; this being one of the many
vices acquired by their association with the whites
word in conclusion respecting the troops sta
toned in Florida. The regiment now on duty there
is the Second Artillery, with one or two companies
of the First The officer commanding is Col John
Munro. and his second in command, and the com.