Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1893-07-12
A STORY OF THE EVERGLADES.
Recalled by the Transfer of Billy Bow
legs Last Refuge to Private Owners.


southern border of Georgia called tn,
Okefenokee Swamp was that it had
once been the stronghold of BILLY
Bowlegs." Even those who had hearC
these euphonious name often enough
to form some idea as to the topography
OF the swamp received an entirely
erroneous impression of its character
They regarded it as mere waste o
malarial water, like the Everglades OF
Florida or the Dismal Swamp of Vir
ginia. Within the past two years
however, the invasion of capital into
the recesses of its cypress and magno
liza groves has revealed wealth OF
natural resources unsurpassed, anC
shown that, instead of being an impen
etrable swamp, the Okefenokee is @
great inland sea of very much the
same type in the quality of its water
as Lake Superior.
Away back in the early days of the
century, just pryor to the Seminole
war, Gen. Clinch, of Georgia, marched
into Florida and penetrated the ever
glades with a regiment of soldiers, his
purpose being to induce the Seminole
chiefs to sing a treaty relinquishing
their possessions to the Government.
He pitched his tent in the heart of tae
swamp, and invited the Indian chief
tains to conference at which they
were to sign the papers ceding the land
to the United States. The chief of the
SeminOles at that time was half breed
named Smith-a man of strikingly
handsome appearance, over six feet
in height, and as straight as an arrow.
This leader, together with two of his
sub chiefs, was standing in Gen.
Clinch S tent listening to the reading
of the deed which took away their
lands. At the conclusion of the read
ing 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.
Gen. Clinch asked:
"You can write your name, Smith,"
"Yes," he replied quickly, "but this
is one time when l intended to make
my mark" '.t.
Quick as thought the powerful half
bred whipped out a long, keen knife
and lightning like buried it to the
hilt in the heart of one of the sub
chiefs, then in that of the other, and
finally in the breast of the Government
agent, killing the three almost in
stantly.
The soldiers about Gen. Clinch flew
to arms and were in the act of making
Smith their prisoner when he calmly
called to them look outside the tent.
Doing so, they found the camp com.
pletely surrounded by band of at
least 5000 Indian braves ready to obey
their chiefs command. Smith did not
order the massacre of the company,
but without as much as harming a
hair of the head of Gen. Clinch or any
of his soldiers marched them to the
edge of the swamp and, in parting,
said:
NOW, Gen. Clinch, you and your
soldiers may go, but warn you that if
ever a white man places his foot on
our lands again he had better beware
of the Seminoles."
AS Gen Clinch marched his men
away the Indian braves enthusiastic
cally crowded about their great chief,
and raising him high above their
shoulders, cried out in mighty cho
rus, "Osceola! Osceola!" which means
"the rising SUM-" This was the begin.
ing of the Seminole war, and it was in
this way that the half breed chieftain
received 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 to Washington, where he at.
tracted much attention and was the
observed of all observers" under
cover of flag of truce, and his contine-
ment until his death in Fort Moultrie,
at Charlestown, are we'll remem bered.
Smiths successors in command of
the Seminoles was Bill y Bowlegs, a
chief of diminutive stature but un.
daunted courage. During the war
which followed Billy found refuge in
Okefenokee Swamp, and two of the
principal islands of this inland sea now
bears his name.
okefenokee Swamp was, until 1890,
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 being fixed at 12i cents
an acre. When the bids were opened
by Gov. Gordon on March 1S, 1890,
that offering 26l cents per acre wai
accepted.
Ants.
Their is many kinds of Ants NV an
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