The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-08

no be capitalist. 10 relieve him OF some
OF his surplus currency. zone oath,
! twenty-five cents; two oaths, seventy-nY'
cents; three oaths, one dollar" Such !;
! the amendment.
! Land is taxed 81 per year for each land
| lord. while any land unoccupied for a
period OF eighteen months is made the
property Of enc town ar the ovni~a ton OF
5tedmem hse"set1IY Shar9Tf66fi s is sf Strict
| ~ enforced, as are most Of the other laws
As natural sequence such occurrences
as strifes and personal alterations, 80
fequent where civilization has reached
nigh stage are almost I'M
| known among the Pamunkeys
A number OF other laws Of more or less
interesting character are framed I'm n
rather unique style Of phraseology, yet
brief and altogether Ineligible Besides
these, many unwritten regulations are
carefully observed, and play an important
part In suppressing annoying offences
such as are regarded beneath the dignity
OF place In the code. The laws are
noticeably void Of drawn-out verbal re-
petitions so common In our codes While
more or less general, they are none the
less teFse from the Indians point Of view
and every offence known 10 have been
committed by members Of the tribe has
found application in the code. The gram
matical structure OF some Of the sentences,
however, might afford a convenient loop
hole for lawyers wont 10 argue technical
htes. Such an example as this In n con-
tempOrary's treatise would furnish n
critical grammsrian food for feast: "Be
II Known that we shall have a fence-Iaw
and IL shall be feet high on a ditch-bank.
and feet high on a level" Those who
framed the law, however, interpret II so
as 10 cover the case OF a citizen who
strains HIS conscience to save timber, and
a limited knowledge OF English grammar
gives the offender no means Of escape.
In accordance with an ancient plan Is
the land on the reservation disposed OF.
about eight acres OF clear land is assign
ed TO each family by the chief and his
council. The occupant holds the proper
" FOR life, and at his death IL goes 10
the tribe, except in cases where the owner
ieaVes a helpless dependant, when the
land Is rented out FOR the latter's benefit
Most or the houses on the reservation are
one and half stories high, with from,
Two 10 -FOUR rooms and made OF board
ihey are plain, yet more or less comforta-
bic. Being individual property, they are
D0ught and sold at pleasure.
The Pamunkey Indians are a cheerful
people Tney seem satisfied with their
SUI roundings, and cherish a strong fond
ness Tor their isolated home. To vlsl-
ors they are hospitable and accommodaf-
ng Numbers Of sportsmen from Rich
moad and vicinity engaged the rervices OF
he Indians as guides on hunting tours. ana
he redskins are well known for their
towards the Visitors
AS this is tie last remnant If a once
powerful tribe I'm Virginia, some specula-
ION has been INDUCED in as to the final |
Ntlnctlon or the tribe. Many think thev |
vii eventually die out and leave scareelv |
. trace Of their former existence vbiIe (
thers advance an opposite theory AS 1
matter OF fact the population has de-
Ieaseu about ten per cent. during the past
lBhty years. The genuine Indian blood
as been more or less intermingled with
nat or the whites. and It is generally
that their average term nr
ne Is somewhat shorter than that Of
he caucasian, which latter IL explained
y the fact OF the Indians intermarriage
mn close blood relations They are
lightly less robust than the average
ma their proneness TO disease probably
omewhat greater than that Of the white
ian In view OF thesefacts. IL would
ppear reasonable at least 20 suppose that
be Pamunkey Indian will eventually be-
ome extinct. and leave as little trace, as
ifu' nee. Of his settlement In the ga ,
'oninion- ,