The Opelousas courier., 1893-05-27

II. ably nobody outside of the State,
are aware of the fact that there
6 still exists within its borders the
remnant of a once powerful tribe Of In
dams, even in the darkest days of the
infant Republic the stanch friends of the
white race. While the Comanches.
Kiowas, Lipans and other wild tribes.
who In years past left a trail Of blood on
the unprotected frontiers, have long
since been gathered on Government res
ervations and compelled to pretermit
their depredations, the remnant of Ala
bama and Coshatta tribes, numbering
now about $50 souls, still pursue a peace
full existence or the banks of the Trinity
River in Polk, San Jacinto and Liberty
Counties.
These Indians are a branch of the
Creek Nation, who early in the present
century withdrew from the contest with
the white race as hopeless, aud sought a
home on the Trinity River, in Texas,
then under Spanish rule.H When immi-
grafton again brought Americans around
them they persisted in their peaceful
policy, receiving their former foes with
kindness and hospitality, sharing provi-
sions with them, and doing all in their
power to alleviate the sufferings of set
tiers in a new country. In the war with
Mexico they adhered to the cause Of
Texas, remaining quietly in their villages,
ready to take up arms with the rest of
the population in case the Mexican Army
should succeed in reach the Trinity.
several years ago the State bought a
tract of land for the Alaoamas and set
tied them upon 1t. They have made
clearings in the forests, and constructed
comfortable log cabins, having good
stocks of horses, hogs and cattle, and
raising sufficient crops for their support.
The crops are cultivated rather for their
own use than for sale. Indian corn is
the principal one, though many of them
plant sweet potatoes, and all of them
vegetables, and they usually fill their
villages with fruit trees. During the
season of cultivation they remain closely
at home, working industriously and
hunting only at such leisure times as
their crops allow them. The interval
between the working and the gathering
of the crops is usually spent in rest and
bsocial intercourse and occasional hunting
parties.
But when everything is gathered and
housed, and the last creVice in their
granaries closed to exclude light and air,
asa guard against the depredations of
that South Texan corn pest known as the
weevil, then comes the return to Indian
life and Indian employment. They
break up into hunting parties, after the
Arab fashion, taking with them their
wives and children, their horses and
tents and household utensils. They seek
: the forests which settlements have not
yet reached, and work their way to the
dense cane brakes On the rivers which
/ the white man has not yet penetrated.
They soon fill their camps with game,
and alone with themselves and nature,
, and safe from the intrusion of superior
and c~onquering race, enjoy the rsaliza-
D ton of Indian life as it was before the
white man discovered their country.
= Devoted to the wild and exciting sports
of the chase, and reyeling in that alb
solute freedom which is their ruling
passion, they find in these hunting ex'
c~ursions their times of greatest enjoy
mept. When weary of the chase OF
i, satisfied with its result, they return to
their villages. their horses loaded with
dried meat and deer skins, to be dressed
for market, and bears oil and hides fol
their own use and for sale.
Like all other Indians, they have that
fatal passion for drink which seems des'
tined to result in their determination
But it is generally kept within reason
able bounds, and they do not drinl
! habitually. A constitutional depression
of spirits to which they are peculiarl.
subject. or an overflow of social feeling
on the reunion Of friends returning from
their hunting expeditions, usually leads
to a beginning. One after another !
drawn in, and the revel sometimes OK
tends over three days and nights. Whe
it is over they carefully eface all trace
of debauehery, dress themselves hand
somely, return to their usual occupations
and for q long time drink nothing in
D, toxicating. They listen with patlenc
4 and goOd numof "
I the SUBJECT, and a friend can often dis
70 euade them from drinking, or Undue
l them to close a revel sooner than the
r otherwise would have done.
They are fond Of dress and show cor
siderable taste in the selection and adaE
tation of the colors which best becom
them. They are fond Of ornament
especially those made Of pure silver, bu
will not wear jewelry Of the basermetall
They have a wild, irregular code of due
ing of their own, and are always read
to throw life away on q point OF mono
or They do it with a GOODNESS and lndlffel
ence which would excite the envy OF
= white follower of the code. In fact the
y do not seem to feel that instructive drea
: Of death which characterized the Wnl
man. They speak Of it with a. mue
indifference as any other future ever
and meet it apparently without fear
reluctance.
The Indians all speak English, and
addition in three dlffere'
languages, all evidently dialects OF u
Q rraek. and most of them understand Il
seryiIe Choctaw, which was once :
general language among the dlnerel
tribes and their usual means OF COZ
. ~munication with the whites. Ihsy q
z fond of festivals, ball play. dances a.
: social asssmblages of every klnd, an
l19 I%oI xr1th the hest