Evening journal., 1893-07-20
A STORY OF TIE EVERGLADES.
Recalled by the Transfer OF BILLY Bowlegs'
Refuge to Private Owners.

Refuge to Private owners.
Up to a few years ago all that was known
Of that vast inland sea on the southern bor-
der of Georgia called the Okehnokee swamp
was that 70 once had been the stronghold OF
"Billy Bowlegsn Even those who had
heard the euphonious name often enough
60 form some idea of the topography of the
swamp received an entirely erroneous inn
preston Of its character. They regarded il
as a mere waste OF malarial waters, like the
Everglades of Florida orthe Dismal swamp
OF Virginia. Within the past two years,
however, the invasion of capital into the re-
cesses Of its cypress and magnolia groves
has revealed wealth Of resources unsur-
passed and shown that instead of being an
impenetrable swamp the Okefnokee is n
great inland sea Of very much the same
type in the quality Of its waters as Lake
SUPERIOR
Away back in She early days Of the CEN
tury, just prior to the Seminole war, Gen
eral Clinch of Georgia marched into Flori-
da and penetrated the Everglades with a
regiment OF soldiers, his purpose being 20
induce the Seminole chiefs TO sign a treaty
relinquishing their possessions to the gov
ernment. He pitched his tent in the heart
Of the swamp and invited the Indian chief
tains to a conference at which they were to
sign the papers ceding the Eind to the Unit
ed States. The chief of the Seminoles at
that time was a half breed named Smith, a
man Of strikingly handsome appearance,
over feet in height and as straight as an
! arrow. This leader, together with two of
his stbchitfs, was standing in General
! Clinch's tent listehing to the reading Of
| the deed which took away their lands. At
! the conclusion of the reading the two sub
chiefs, who could neither read nor write,
made their marks. Turning to Smith,
who stood in contemplative mood, gazing
with fixed eyes upon the papers before
them, General Clinch asked:
sYou can write your name, Smithw
Yes" he replied quickly, "but this is
one time when intend to make my mark. "
Quick rs thought she powerful half breed
whipped out a long, keen knife, and light
ninglike BURIED it to the hilt id the heart u
one Of the suhchiefs, then in that of the
other and finally in the breast Of the gov
ernment agent, killing the three almost in
stantly.
The soldiers about General Chnch flew to
arms and were in the act Of making Smith
/ prisoner when he calmly called to them
to look outside the tent. Doing so, they
found the camp completely surrounded by
q band Of as least 1900 Indian braves ready
TO obey their chiefs command. Smith did
not order the massacre Of the company, but
without as much as harming q hair Of the
head Of General Clinch or any OF his sol
diers marched them TO the edge of tho
swamp, aud in parting said;
Now, General Clineh you and your sol
diers may 60 but warn you THAT If ever a
white mum places his foot upon our lands
again he had better beware OF the Semi
noles."
As General Clinoh marched his men away
the Indian braves enthusiastically crowded
about their great chief, and raising him
high upon heir shoulders cried out in
mighty chorus, "Osceolal Oseeola" which
means "the rising SUM-" This was the be
ginning Of the Seminole war, and It was in
this way that the half breed chieftain re-
ceived the name by which he is known to
history.
The end Of his career Is familiar to all
The manner in which he was enticed tC
Washington, where he attracted much at
tention and was the "obsefved Of all OBJ
servers, under cover OF fagof truce and
his confinement until his death i'm Fort
Moultrie at Charleston are well remem
bcred
Smiths successor in command of thu
Selninoles was Billy Bowlers, "a chief o
diminutive stature, but undaunted courage
During the war which followed Billy
found refuge IN Okefinok6 swamp, aui
, one OF the principal islands Of this inlanC
soa now bears his name.
! Okennokee swamp was until 1890 tn,
property Of the state Of Georgia. An act o
? the legislature, approved in October, 1889
s provided for the sale OF the swamp TO tn
highest bidder, the minimum price beinl
q fixed at 1875 cents an acre. When the bid
< were opened 10y Governor Gordon on Marcl
{ Is, 1890, that offering 26lS cents per acr
e was accopted.-At Journal.