Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-03-24
AN ALMOST EXTINCT TRIBE
THE REMNANT OF THE ALABAMA
INDIANS IN TEXAS.
Always the stanch Friends of the
Whites-Their Wild, Irregular
Code of Dazzling.

Infant Republic the stsnch friends OF the
white race. While the Comsnches,
Kiowas, Lipans and other wild tribes,
who in years past left 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 Coshstta tribes, numbering
now about $50 souls, still pursue peace,
full existence on the banks Of the Trinity
River in Polk, san Jacinto aud Liberty
Counties.
These Indians are a branch OF the
Crock 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. 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 sufferiugs Of set
tiers in a new country. In the war with
Mexico they adhered to tho 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
tract Of land for the Alaoamas aud 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, aud they usually fill their
villages with fruit trees. During the
season OF cultivation they remain closely
at home, working industriously aud
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
social intercourse aud occasional hunting
parties.
But when everything is gathered and
housed, and the last cresice in their
granaries closed to exclude light and air,
as guard agairst tho 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 aud nature,
aud safe from the intrusion of a superior
aud conquerlng race, enjoy the rsalizi-
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 reveling in that ab.
solute freedom which is their ruling
passion, they find iu these hunting ex.
cursious their times Of greatest enjoy
ment. When weary of the chase or
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 aud hides for
their own use and for sale.
Like all other Indians, they have that
fatal passion for drink which seem, DIES.
tined to result in their determination.
But it is generally kept within reason.
able bounds, AMI they do not drink
habitually. A constitutional depression
of spirits to which they are peculiarly
subject, or an overflow of social feeling
on the reunion OF friends returning from
their hunting expeditions, usually leads
to beginning. One after another is
drawn In, and the revel sometimes ex-
tends over three days aud nights. When
it is over they carefully efface all traces
of debauchery, dress themselves hand.
somely, return to their usual occupations,
and for long time drink nothing in
toxicating. They listen with patience
and good humor to circumstances on
the subject, and friend can often dis.
suade them from drinking, or induce
them to close revel sooner than they
otherwise would have done.
They are fond of dress aud show con.
siderable taste in the selection aud sdap.
tation OF the colors which best become
them. They are fond of ornaments,
especially those made Of pure silver, but
will not wear jewelry Of the baser metals.
They have wild, irregular code Of duel.
ing Of their own, and are always ready
to throw life away on point of honor.
They do it with GOODNESS and indiffer-
ence which would excite the envy of a
white follower OF the code. In fact they
do not seem to feel that instructive dread
of death which chsracterizes the white
man. They speak of it with as much
indifference as any other future event,
and meet it apparently without fear or
reluctance.
The Indians all speak English, aud In
addition converse in three different
languages, all evidently dialects Of the
Creek, and most of them understand the
servile Choctaw, which was once the
general language among the different
tribes and their usual means of com.
munication with the whites. They are
fond Of festivals, ball play, dances and
social assemblages of every kind, all Of
which are conducted with the best OF
good feeling and seem to be sources Of
unalloyed enjoyment.
When their own crops are worked to
a point Of safety they are always willing
to help their white neighbors. At
plantations where they are we'll treated,
and where they find it agreeable to stay,
they work for low wages. During the
cotton picking season they really render
important aid, This Is their fayorite