The sun., 1896-08-23
WANT BRIDES FOR A TRIBE.
TIE PAMUNKEF INDIANS SEEKING
OUTSIDE EALLIANCES.
lnternarringo Hs killing tho Desoend dnnts
. of the Ancient Powhatans OF Virginia
and They Arc Negotiating with tho

RICHMOND. Va, Aug. 21.- An entire nn-
tion in search of eligible wives and husbands
by the wholesale Is n spectacle OF rare occur
renco in these modern times, but that spec
taole Is Just now presented by the interest
inR tribe of Pamunkey Indians who live
only twenty-one miles east of Richmond,
over in King William county. II is truo that
the tribe Is not q very populous one, but
what IL lacks in numbers 1t makes up in
quality. For the pamuukeys arc indeed
literally the FIRST families" of the Old Donin-
ion real IF, II. V.'s'-being actual lineal de-
scendants of the aborigines of the American
continent They are tho undoubted Off
spring Of the old Powhatans of the days Of
Capt John Smith and of Pocahontas, still
dwelling upon q part OF their old hunting
grounds, and representing all that is left
OF the onco powerful native confederacy
that gave tho early Virginia colonists 30
much trouble. Their progenitors possessed
the land when Capt Newport, in 1907, found
ed Jamestown. the fret permanent English
settlement In North America. Consequently
tho present Pamunkeys are tho veritable
''blue bloods" among all the Indians surviv-
ing to-day. and they form tho largest rem
nant OF the old Algonquin stock now to DO
found on the Atlantic coast. Only few
trlfing offshoots and some rev uncertain
other Powhatan tribes. The Pamunkeys
alone have withstood intact the encroach-
ments OF civilization for nearly three hun
dred years; and their preservation is all
tho moro noteworthy from the fact that they
live by themselves in their peculiar way in
such close vicinity to the busy marts and
'effete civilization" Of the East Although
tthetr manners arc now modified. their blood
impoverished, their language lost, and their
prestige vanished, they sill illustrate in
themselves the law of the survival OF the fit
test. The bare fact of their existence is un-
known even In many parts Of Virginia, and
almost wholly unknown elsewhere.
Tho very antiquity of the Pamunkeys, the
exclusiveness OF their race. and the extreme
blueness OF their blood. unmixed through
centuries with any other infusion, Gravey
imperll their future. SO that the tribe is now
In danger OF dying out, and is urgently in
need of n matrimonial alliance with some
outside stock to preserve the root. The detrl-
mental effects Of continued interlnarriage
among themselves have become alarming,
but inasmuch as they scorn vulgar union
with their white, As we'll as their coorcd
nr'ghbors, they are in sore dilemma to
what steps they should take to restore their
blood and save themselves from extinction.
Under this stress of necessity the head men
OF the Pamunkeys for three years have been
considering plans for forming matrimonial al
liance with some more vigorous Indian tribe,
notably with the Eastern band of Cherokees
In the adjacent States OF North Carolina, Ten
nessee. Georgia, and Alabama. They opened
negotiations with the Cherokees year ago to
procure brides for their unmarried sons and
husbands fo- their unmarried daughters. The
male Pamunkeys have been made to undcrs tand
,hn -.
ally pretty, modest, and sensible, and the fe-
male Pamunkeys believe the Eastern Chero-
kee braves TO be handsome, loyal and industri-
Gus, and calculated to make safe husbands.
But for some reason the negotiations have
not progressed satisfactorily, and up to date
there has been no substantial outcome. Cor
respondence on tho subject has been conduct
ed with tho chiefs OF the Eastern Cherokees.
and repeated conferences have been held with
various Indian philanthrop!sts and with the
United States Commissioner OF Indian Affairs
at the Government bureau in Washington,
Will, many strong inducements have been
acid out to any eligible tribe 10 make the de-
sired arrangement and promptly send on a
select sample consignment OF likely" girls
and youths But so far no definite success
has been attained. What worthy tribe will
now step forward and come to the relief Of the
hardly be said that only frst-grade tribe will
answer the requirements, for. as explained
above, the Pamunkeys esteem Themselves a
particularly gilt t.edged race.
Naturally they are proud Of their lineage
and of the prominent place occupied by their
illustrous ancestors in history and literature
King OpcchancanouGh, the successor OF Pow
hntAn. and the leader OF the great massacre Of
the whites In 1922. is their tuteiar hero. Next
md his Ill starred daughter, Focahontas. who,
rs a little girl. saved Cant. John Smith from
death IN zoos. and, as q grown woman; married
maintain among themselves n curious kind Of
native aristocracy. and assume II high superior
ity over their surrounding Virgnian neighbors,
even as their old Pamunkey forbears doomed
themselves the leading factor among all the
allied Powhatan tribes. II pu, to the tes.
count the blacks as infinitely beneath them
The Pamunkey tribe live In queer settlo-
ment called Indian Town, situated about q
where George Washington welded the beaati-
full Widow Custis. Their reservation, com
prising 500 , acres; esdSd to the tribe by the
| odd shaped neck Of land aim ost entirely sur
rounded by one of the serpentino curves Of
River. and no. far from tie Junction Of the
| two. II is on the line of the York River Di'
vision Of the RiGhm9nd and RanyIlG M k9rpSd @
| single narrow sand spit and the isolation and
projection Afforded by thls peculiar situation
About one-third OF the reservation Is good
| farming lind, and the remainder Consists OF
| woods and low an pS, well stocked with
| deer, raCcoon, ottor, musktats. mink, reed
| birds, wild geese, ducks, and turkeys.
There are now only ninety Pamunkcys ac-
| tually present on the reservation prOper, and
thirty-itye more residing on another small
| reservation twelve miles nOrthward, on the
ployed during the summer as boatInen on
| steamers plying the Virginia rivers. making
| o total OF l45. In appearance they arc distin-
1gtNta had ~ a u In
straight coarse hair, and dark eyes. They are
not particularly strong or robust, and their
average longevity, is less than that OF their
white and colored neighbors There are fc W
| members OF the tribe who are not closely re-
lated by consanguinity to every other person
| on the reservation and this accounts for their
waning vitality, to remedy which they are no IS
| exerting themselves. Most OF the adult Ia
munkeys can read and write, and are reasonably
and peRceaDie. Ill-fecling between them and
| their neighhors Is alT:I)s unknown. Their
| houses are comfortable and well kept, and
most OF them are weather boarded. AS rule
| they are but n story and n half high. embracing
| from two to four rooms. Their church build
| ing. where Baptist services are held every sab
| bath. is a creditabe structure The church re-
| ceives the hearty support of the whole tribe.
The lamunhcys ordinary dress. hut