The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-02-05
NUE' tHe psbVssCIts
FLOREDA-Centanuea.
,oHS puvAr, or FLORIDA.

] visited the grave OF this great and
brave man, in Tallahassee, not without
emotions. He. was O. native of our own
city--born in his fathers dwelling, which
stood ON the northeast corner of Grace and
Filth streets. After q wild and rambling
hoyhood and youth he settled in the Terri
tory Of. Florida, OF which he became the
first Governor. Washington irving has i'm
mortalized him, and described his youthful
adventures under the name of Ralph Ring
wood, He ran off in early youth from
Richmond, wandered west and south, and
finally settled in what is now Florida, near
Tallahassee. President jackson, who knew
his manly worth, made him first Governor
of that Territory. He had the hard task OF
keeping the turbulent Seminole Indians IN
order. As he knew the Indian character
we'll, and that not only determined front,
but the most exact justice in all deal
ings, was what was required in every trans
action with them, he succeeded very we'll,
and acquired great influence over them.
They'w uneasy, however, about the con-
tinually increasing number Of the whites,
and some Of the chiefs were anxious for
war. One evening an Indian interpreter
rode up to his house and told that the men
of the tribe, fifteen hundred strong, were
met in council, and that one influential
chief named Neamathla was urging them
to commence hostilities. Without q mo-
ment's hesitation he mounted his horse and
rode, accompanied by the interpreter, to-
ward the council, to which he had not been
invited. Next morning as he approached
within few miles of the place the In
dams courage failed him, and he refused
to 20 on, saying that it would be certain
death to both of them to enter the council
in the then excited state of the tribe. Du-
val tore leaf from his note book, wrote on
it the situation, gave it to the Indian with
orders to carry it to the military post on
the St. Johns, hundred miles off, and pro-
ceeded alone. Before he had gone mile the
Indian overlook him, shamed out of his cow
ardice, and said that he would stand by him.
They rode up behind the council-house,
stood concealed in the woods, and heard
Neahmathla, in n violent speech, denoun-
cling the whites and urging war of sur
prise and determination upon them. The
Interpreter translated, and Duval heard the
tribe approve. He ordered the Indian to fol-
low, and rode slowly round, suddenly ap-
peared in front Of the orator and in the
midst of the assembled tribe. AS he rode
slowly into their very midst Neahmathla
stopped in utter surprise, but every rifle
was levelled, and the sharp click OF the
guns brought to full cock was the only
sound heard. Slowly he rode up to the
platform, halted, deliberately dismounted,
and yet not gun was fired. Below the
platform, in circle of the old men, stood
Il distinguished chief. Suddenly Duval
handed him the bride, saying in Indian,
"Hold my horse" In surprise the
man took it, and then Duval knew that
he was safe. Mounting the platform,
he seized Neahmathla by the throat and
hurled him out into the crowd, took his
place, and addressed the assembly. The
Interpreter translated. He rated them
soundly for assembling for such purpose
without informing him, spoke of his just
conduct in all dealings with them, appealed
to them if he had ever defrauded them or
allowed any white man to do them harm,
told them that although they might be as
numerous as the trees the whites were
more than the leaves on those trees, and
would overwhelm them. He would not
call them to account for this days proceed
ings, however, but that they must them
selves punish the authors of trouble, and
destroy every one who tried to create war
between the white and the red man. His
boldness, his influence, and his eloquence,
succeeded. The council decided to remain
ut peace, and gave every promise OF good
behavior. Neabmathla retired baffled, and
was soon after slain by his own people, md
the peace of the territory preserved. This
Gecd speaks for itself. / have no COM
mcnts to make upon its heroism and self
devotion.
While Duval held the Government the
Indians were quiet, and everything went on
well. Van buren, came in, however, re-
moved him, put some fool favorite in his
place, treaties were broke, the Indians out
ragged, and the Seminole war began, and
cost us life and treasure. It threw back
the prosperity of the Territory twenty
wears. Indeed, the marks of this war are
still perceptible in Florida.
These Indians are hard to catch and hard
to kill. Their land is one for ambush, and
they used every artifce of savage war to
maintain their country. heard many tales
of their courage, and endurance, and skill
in escaping IN enemy. l am told that
young Indian babies, even, will not cry,
lest the enemy might hear them. Even
when camp was surprised the little crea-
lures, too young to walk, would crawl off in
the bushes and hide, like young cartridges
| wish white babies would learn the lesson
of silence.
l saw vault in the fort of St. Augustine
in which an Indian chief had been con.
fined the window, high up and strongly
barred, would not have passed child. The
chief deliberately starved himself for two
weeks, until he was Us thin as weasel
and then crept through and escaped. What
endurance that fellow must have had to
starve with food beside him drought in
daily until he was thin enough to squeeze
his bag of bones through that narrow slit.
The soldiers never caught him again.
LAKE JACKSON.
This shallow sheet Of water is FIVE miles
from Tallahassee. 1t is thirty miles around
it, and yet it will sometimes for several
years disappear, ali except hole in the
bottom some three hundred yards across,
through which the water has passed off to
some lake or river. The planters mutually
extend their fences, and cultivate the lake
bottom in corn until, after longer or shorter
interval, the waters rise again and cover
their original surface. This is the case with
many lakes in Florida; they are very un-
certain, and vary not only as the seasons
are wet or dry, but from these subterranean
connections which they have with one an
other. Of course, during the summer such
neighborhoods are unhealthy.
PRAEuLLA SPRING.
This is one of the wonders Of Florida
and of the continent of America. Indeed,
doubt if such another spring is to be
found anywhere in the world. It is about
eighteen miles south Of Tallahassee, and vet,