West-Jersey pioneer., 1867-06-07
L4- From the Mirror.
THE INDIANS OF EGG HARBOR.

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At the time the first European emf
grants came to Egg Harbor, they found
it bowling wilderness, along whose sea
board forests, the red men had reared
their skin lodges, in which they dwelt
and ''kept up appearances, in the mos
primitive style. There they held theil
sage war councils and mysterious pow
vows, and there, when wearied with the
chase, they reclined in the shadow of the
immense oaks, whose huge limbs had
been shaken by the breezes of many cen
turies. The forest teemed with deer
bears, wolves, panthers, wildcats, and
various other kinds of game, SO that the
Indian hunter need be at no loss for en-
ployment. There too, the huge spotted
rattlesnake frequently sprung his rattle
and it is said the Indian esteemed a
broiled rattlesnake as tile greatest deli
cacy that could be placed on his board
The thickets abounded with turkeys,
pheasants, grouse and quails; while in the
marshes were found the swan, wild goose,
canvass shack, brant and black duck, and
many other kinds of wild fowl; and the
bays and rivers were stocked with sheep
head, bass, shad, founders, perch, and
numerous other kinds of fish; and thele,
also, we're found immense quantities of
terrapin. On the salt marshes the abor-
igines gathered thousands of the eggs of
ducks, gulls, &c. @a
During the season of fruits, the Indi-
ans gathered whortleberries, cranberries,
teaberries, cherries, grapes, nuts, &C.,
and an abundant supply of roots, which
were added to their bill of fair; so that it
appears the aboriginal inhabitants were
almost as well supplied with luxuries, as
they fancied the spirits of the departed,
who follow the chase in the "happy hunt
ing ground to be.
The first white settlers, who were
Quakers, followed the example set them
by William Penn, by first obtaining the
confidence and friendship of the natives,
and then treating with them, and paying
them for their landed possessions, thus
avoiding the envy and hostility of the
rightful owners of the soil. There is not
a single instance on record of there ever
having been the least disturbance be-
tween the Whites and Indians.
In the year 1853, after the Indians re-
linquished their rights to the soil of New
Jersey, and purchased the "Brotherton"
lands, on Edgepeling creek, the Egg
Harbor Indians removed to that settle
ment, leaving their homes and the bones
IF their kindred to their friends, the
Quaker settlers; and ever since that time,
the "Great Spirit" has blessed the inbab-
itants Of Little Egg Harbor, with the
natural privileges which their progenitors
aTla the Government of New Jersey pur-
The Indians having, at the sale of their
lands, reserved the right of hunting and
fishing, and of cutting basket wood on
the unsettled portion thereof, for long
period after their removal, they came
every Spring to the sea-shoro, and en-
camped in position convenient to the
bay, in order to enjoy these privileges.
They caught shell-fsh, which they roast
ed, and then removed them from the shell
and strung them upon sticks to dry in
the Sun, when they were wanted for food
they were soaked or boiled, until they
became soft, and were much esteemed by
the Indians After they had procured a
sufficient supply, they would strike their
tents, and wend their way back to their
adopted home.
For loug succession of years, the In
dian Queen, Bathsheba Moolis, came
with her subjects, on their annual visit
to the shore. Tradition says that Queen
Bathsheba was treated with great respect
by her people, and was, indeed, no ordi-
nary character, being Of superior order
Of intellect from most others of her race,
and also differing from them in personal
appearance, being exceedingly corpulent
and rather short. When the Queen
came on her annual visit to Egg Harbor
she was not permitted to camp out with
her subjects, but was always invited by
some one Of the principal inhabitants Of
the place, to partake Of their hospitality,
where she was treated with the respect
due to one of her exalted station and
amiable character. She continued com.
ing to the seashore as long as she was
able to endure the fatigue OF the journey
1t is said that Queen Bathsheba was a
favorite with number of the principal
inhabitants Of Medford, which place she
frequently visited, and during the
whortleberry season, took great pleasure
in bringing them presents of delicious
swamp whortleberries, picked with her
own royal fingers.
+ Bathsheba, the amiable Indian Queen
: and her subjects are among the great
throng whose barks have foated down
the stream of the long past: Many de
cades of time have rolled away since the
Indians left off coming to Egg Harbor tc
visit the graves of their ancestors, ano
angle in the waters of the bays and rivers
Peace to their dust.
There is not an Indian left in Egs
Harbor, to lament the decline of the
race, or envy the Whites the possession
Of their ancient home and the bones Of
their kindred In the year 1902, when
the Edgepeling Indians removed to thu
settlement on Oneida lake, most of the
small remnant which was left of the Egs
Harbor tribe, went with their brethren
where they remained until the year 1924
when they removed to the Indian pur
chase on Green Bay, where it is probable
in accordance with what seems to be th'
inevitable destiny of the race, they ar
gradually becoming extinct.
! The Egg Habor Indians are said tt
J have been branch of the great Della
ware tribe, but at this late day, there
: but little known of the Indians who in
habited the sea. shore. At the time 0
the settlement Of the place by Europeans
6 the Indians we're not numerous. Accord
ing to their traditions, their numbers hat
t been greatly reduced by wars amon'
themselves, and among the neighborinl
: tribes. The beds and mounds of she'll
Y along the borders of the sea-shore, ar