The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-09-24
A STORY OF THE EVERGLADES.
Recalled by the Transfer of Billy Bowiegs'
Refuge 60 Private Owners.


Recalled by the Transfer of Billy BowlegS
Refuge TO Private Owners.
Up 10 few years ago all that was known
of that vast inland sea on the southern Dor
der Of Georgia called the Okefnokee swamp
was that it once had been the stronghold OF
'Billy Bowlegs." Even those who had
heard the enphonious name often enough
TO form some idea Of the topography of the
swamp received an entirely erroneous inn
preston of its character. They regarded 1t
as mere waste Of malarial waters, like the
Everglades Of Florida or the 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 Oke6nokee is q
great inland sea Of very much tho same
type in the quality of its waters as Lake
Superior.
Away back IN the early days Of the CEN
fury, 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 to
induce the Seminole chiefs to sign treaty
relinquishing their possessions 10 the gov
eminent. He pitched his tent in the heart
of the swamp and invited the Indian chief
tans TO a conference at which they were to
sign the papers ceding the land 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
bis subchiefs, was standing in General
Clinch's tent listening 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
"You can write your name. Smith"
"Yes," he replied quickly, but this is
one time when intend to make my mark. ."
Quick as thought the powerful half breed
whipped out a long, keen knife, and light
ningllke buried it to the hilt in the heart OF
one of the subchiefs. 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 Clinch flew TO
arms and were in the act OF making Smith
a prisoner when he calmly called 20 them
to look outside the tent. Doing so, they
found the camp completely surrounded by
a band Of ut least 1000 Indian braves ready
to obey their chiefs command. Smith did
not order the massacre of the company, but
without as much as harming hair of the
head of General Clinch or any Of his sol
diers marched them 10 the edge OF tho
swamp, aud In parting said:
Now, General Clinch, you and your sol
diers may 90, but / warn you that If ever
white man places his foot upon our lands
again be had better beware Of the Semi
noles"
As General Clinch marched his men away
the Indian braves enthusiastically crowded
about their great chief, and raising him
high upon their shoulders cried out in
mighty chorus, "Osceolal OsceolaP which
means the rising sun" 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 10
history.
The end of his career Is familiar 70 all
The manner in which be was enticed to
Washington, where he attracted much at
tention and was the observed OF all Oh
servers" under cover of a flag Of truce, and
his confinement until his death In Fort
Moultrie at Charleston are well remem-
bered.
Smiths successor in command Of the
Seminoies was Billy Bowlegs, chief of
diminutive stature, but undaunted courage.
During the war which followed Billy
found refuge in Okefinckee swamp, and
one OF the principal islands of this inland
sea now bears his name.
Okefnokee swamp was until 1880 the
property of the state of Georgia. An act OF
the legislature, approved in October, 1889.
provided for the sale OF the swamp to the
highest bidder, the minimum price beng
fixed at l21S cents an acre. When the bids
were opened by Governor Gordon on March
IS. 1880, that Offering 35l1 cents per acre
was accepted. Journal