The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1889-04-04
THE SEMIN0LES.
Z Description OF This Once Trouble
some Indian Tribe.
Their Mode OF Life--How Coontie and sof-
kee Are Made-Taling Turns in Sup
porting the Old People-CivilIz-
Ing Influences.

These Indians--a tall. fine-looking
race Of bright copper color--are the
descendants Of a few bands who escaped
from the soldiers at the close OF the
Seminole war, in 1872. while the tribe
was being removed to the lands west
Of the Mississippi, and fed to the far
southern swamps OF Florida, where
they have been allowed to live I'M
molested ever since, and where they
have made homes for themselves on
the almost inaccessible islands of the
Everglades, or in the little open
savannas amid the twilight gloom OF
big cypress swamps.
Both OF these localities are in the
extreme southern part OF the great
Floridian peninsula. and are sur
rounded byevast stretches of pine
forests, palmetto groves and mangrove
swamps.
Few white men have ever visited
these Everglade. homes. for it would
-be- impossible te-find- them-withonta "a.
guide, and nothing but the: greatest
friendship would or could procure
such assistance or admfttance to them.
Thewomen never express curiosity
about any thing in the presence of a
stranger, and it was only after frequent
friends that they began to notice my
clothing and ask the price and use of
different articles.
It is custom for two, three, or
four families to unite. elect head,
and form a camp. These settlements
are then known by the name of the
head man, such as Jimmy Doctors
Camp, or Tommy Listens Camp and
SO on.
/. Each family has. its own palmetto
house or hut, its Gown canoes, dogs,
cooking utensils, pigs and chickens,
and each ones rights, are strictly OBJ
served and recognized. while d perfect
harmony exists, or seems to. and in
fact must, for the same families are
known to occupy the same camp year
after year. When an Indian man or
woman becomes too old to work they
: are taken core of by the different
camps, each one fulfilling it's share OF
the duty for a certain time. We saw
one old man in Jimmy Doctors Camp
who had been there for three moons;
he was then going to be staken to Cyl
.prus Biuy's Camp for three moons;
and then it would be- Tommy Listens
turn to give him food and shelter.
This duty is always faithfully and
willingly accepted and carried out.
The houses of these camps or viii
lagos consist of four posts. supporting
a steeply pitched roof of palmetto
thatch; the floor is made OF pine sap
:. plings hewn to rough level with an.
axe, and covered with bear and deer
skins; and quantities of blankets, and
even cheese-cloth mosquito bars for
sleeping comfortably. will always be
found in one corner ofthem.
Tied to one or more OF the posts of
the house there are sure to be several
little black pigs, to say nothing of
numbers of long-legged, lean, shabby
looking chickens.
Whenever it becomes necessary to
move the women do most OF the work,
simply because they are quicker and
more apt it,; for | have taken par
ticular notice that the men always as
sist.. but in such q slow, dignifed way
that they accomplish but little. while
the women are quick and handy.
A'curious custom is that the women
haye their own purse, and the men
recognize their right to it; but they
are not allowed to spend their money
themselves, although they go with
their husbands or fathers on all shop.
ping expeditions, and are rarely re-
fused any thing they take a fancy to,
even after their money is all
spent.
A dollar or two is all they ever pos
sess, for the only means they have of
earning money is BY selling few
eggs, or making reed baskets, or moe
casins for white people. A squaw's
social standing and her husbands
wealth are generally determined by
her bead necklace; to have it perfect
In size and color Is her greatest joy.
These necklaces consist of a broad coli
lar of green and blue glass beads,
often hundred rows wound round
and round the neck. the whole sbor7
dered with fringe Of silver dimes and
beaten thin and then cut
into crescents, stars, and other de-,
signs. The first row is put on when
baby, and is added to as years and
worth increase.
) The rest of the dress consists OF two
calico skirts and ridiculous little
waist of the same material, though
often OF different color, which is not
fastened to the skirts and fails to meet
them by an inch or more.
The back hair is woven in q neatly
coiled knot tied with strips OF, bright
cloth, and the front in a straight thick
bang. 1t is course and black but
bears evidence of care. and Is always
done up neatly. They make theirown
clothing and most OF their husbands;
for il he buys a shirt they are sure TO
decorate 1t in some fanciful fashion
with different colored materials.
Both men and women are kind to all
3 children, although one woman will