Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1888-1899, 1889-03-14
THE SEMINOLES.
Description of This Once Trouble
some Indian Tribe.
Thsaf Mode - tsifs-lfew taantls ana ~af
kss AFs asa~-r@ktsm rata. tn sap-
sgstlae ,hs oid r~aris -tBstus,
taa IHnusae~s.

ace Ass asa~-r-Nism rurs. Ia sep
ssstiae Ihs oid r-arls -tts,ns,
tas IHnusase..
These lndians-a tail. hne-loakiue
raoe ~ bright ropp ratur arr Abe
dosesndants ~ n frw hands y ho cscarod
frum the soldicrs af ths close ~ the
Seminole var. iu l~ts while the tribe
vas bslug removed o. the lands vest
AZ the Mississippi, and ned 10 the far
southern swamis If florida wherr
they have hacu allow "a a. live nm
molestod ever since, and where They
have made hom.a for themseltes ou
the almost Inaccessible islands uf a..
Everglades, or in tho little open
sayannas amid the twilight gloom ~
big cypre-s swamIss
Both of these ioraiitsss are In the
extreme southern part of the great
fioridlan peninsula, and arr sur
rounded by yasl stretches - plns
forests palmetto groves and mangroys
swamps.
fow white men have ever visited
these IvcrRlade holmes. for d would
b. impossible b. find them wlthout q
guide, and nothing btt the greatest
friendship would or could prucure
such assistance oF admittaneu % them.
The womeu never expires curiosity
about any thing In the presence - a
stranger. and Il vas only after frequent
meetings With my particular s4uBv
friends that they began b. notice as
clothing and ask the price and use oI
different artiglcs
n IL custOln Tor two. three. o.
tour families 10 uaits. ulcct head.
and form a camp 1hAse settlements
are then knovn ID Thea pane ~ the
bead man. sad a. JlmaA nacsor.s
Y M. or romu Listoa R@EN
e.fagg ~ s~a .aloss. aars.
aasktasg mtunsiln. pAHs anA ehAcken..
mnA each uns's rights nFe striciiy OBJ
eesved ana reoognsked. whlle a pei iect
harmany exlsts. or Aeosms a. ard In
fact must. for the same faniles ar
known 10 eeenpy the sans camp yeaF
after year When m Indian man ~
woman hocosnes tao old - woFk ths.yl
arv taken care ~ ~ the dinervpf
eamps. each one fulflilag IT, share8 4
chs duty for q CERTAIN time. We saw
one old man In Jimmy noctur's Iamp
who had b~en there for three F1uuns.
he was then going Co h. taken 90 tg-
prus iIily's Camp fpr thrvs musns
and then u would b. rumms l.i-tan's
turn o. give him inuI ard shelter.
The duty l. always faithfully and
willingly noccptod a8d carried oat
The houses ~ thr-s camps ar yiI-
lagu. c"nsi-t ~ four pu-ts supporting
= stcrpIy pitched ruat ~ palmetto
that'h the nuor s made ~ pine San,
pllngs hewu to "a rough level vlth au
ass. nud covered with t.-ur and deer
skius. and quantities ~ blankets. and
even chrrso.cluth mosquito bars far
sleeping comfortably, Wili always D.
found in enc CORNER ~ them
Tied to one ur more ~ The posts Of
the housg there arr sur, 10 b. several
little blark pigs. % say nothing ~
numbers ~ long legged. lean. shabby
louking chickens
Whenever u ls.eutues necessary 20
move she uumvH Do most ~ the work.
simply because they are quicker and
more apt 81 it, for have taken par.
tieuiHr notice that the men alwa,s ns-
slst, bat iu such a slow. dignihed wat
that ihoy accomplish bat little. while
the women are quick and handy
Acuriuus custom l. that the women
have their own purse. ana the men
recognize their right 10 II. hut they
arr not allowed 10 spend their money
themselves, although they 70 With
their husbands ~ fathers on all shop.
ping expeditions. and are rarely ~
fused nny thing they take = fancy a..
even after their own money l. all
spent
A dollar ~ tao y sll they ever pos
ssss. for The Only means they have of
earning money is by selling fee
eggs. ~ making rsoA baskets. or moe
caslns for white people. A squaw's
social standing and her husbands
wealth ARE generally determined hy
her brad necklAec. 10 have Il perfect
In Sire and color l. her greatest Joy
Thcse noeklaoes consist ~ broad eol-
lar uf green and blue glass teads.
efien q huudred ruws, wound ruuua
and round the nock. the whole bor-
dorea with fringe ~ silver dimas and
haii-dollnrs. boaten thin and then cut
into ervaeents. stars. and ether de-
signs The nrst row l. pat ou when
baby. and ls added 10 ~ years and
worth incrvasa
The rect % The dress consists Of two
calico skirts and a ridiculous lrtle
waist Of the same material. though
elien of q different color. which l. not
fastened to ths SKIRTS and fails TO meet
them By IN lBoh &C more
The lsack sair = woven In neatly
colled kuoi tied wlth strips of bright
cloth. and the fsnnl Ia q strairhs ihlck
bang IL i coarse and black. bnt
hears etldsnoc ~ care. and !. aiwayx
done % ueatly. They make their owu
eiothinK and most nf their husbands
Cor u he tssys . shlri tley Arc sure a.
decorate IA tn some fmncliui fashion
with aifserent celor~a msterlnls
ltoth msn and womea are kind 10 81
ehliarun. although ons woman wlll