The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-13

and when Miss Lee was about 20 years Of age
he married her. They remained on the island
and their union has been blessed with a fam
ly Of thirteen sons and daughters. James Leo
and his wife were laid TO est about ten or mr.
Island. They died of old age and had never
been sick since they came 10 the island. a
until the first death occurred. and then a
small lot near the lake shore-Billy's Lake
was selected. This was the first human death
Daniel Lee then succeeded 20 the little of
King, OF the Okefenokee swamp. He built q
he and his family have lived there ever since.
a son and a daughter OF the Lees are married,
death OF the two small grandchildren OF Daniel
Lee recently caused the erection OF two small
m thpSe fa IN hss o ase the Ssm STAND: T MT, sn are 5 Iqw
Daniel Lee and family. young Lee and family.
ana Mrs. Lee, q grass widow. The house con-
slsts OF two rooms. the three families. consist
ng OF sixteen souls, sleep in one room. and the
1ther room Is the dining room and kitchen. The
house is in the centre OF the island and is sur
rounded with shade trees and cabbaE e palmetto
and flowers. There is no Otler human resi-
dence in the swamp, and the Lees, though pos
scsslng no Iced for titles to their farm, are kings
OF that region.
The American University geography, by Jed
ed .ah Morse. A. NJ. irinted in Boston in 1898,
q copy of which is possessed by Mr.. George w.
Hatne'. superintendent of the Plant system d-
kee swamp. saws: Tie swamp is a lake or
marsh, called Qua qua, phe-no-gaw trembling
ear:hD. 200 miles 4, II eiTrnmLerenee. In wet
!ey"ral large islands OF rich land, one Of which,
BEly's Island. the present Creek Indians rep
resent as the most blissful SPOT on earth. They
say 1t Is Inhabited by n peculiar race of Indians,
whose women, are incomparablv beautiful.
They tell you, also, that tins terrestrial iarndise
has been seen by some cnrerprising hunters
when in pursuit of their game. who. being lost
n ineHtricable swamp and boys, and were on
the point of perishtng. were unexpectedly re-
lievcd by a company of beautiful WOMEN, whom
they called daughters of the sun. who kindly
DnrA fhaIr SIInh n a ~ tlaE bad rfN
them. consistine Of fruit and corn cake. and
then %enioined them 10 fly for safety, for their
husbands were fierce men and were cruel to
strangers. They further say that these hunt
ers had a view OF their settlement, situated on
In a beautiful lake tBIlly's lake. bur in their
endeaNorS I approach II they were involved in
perpetual labyrinth and like enchanted land;
still as they Imagined they had Just rained 1t,
1t seemed 10 fly before them. They determined
e. length to quit the delusive pursuit, and with
difficulty effected n retreat.
when they reported their adventure to their
counlrynen III, Young warriors were infiamed
tempts. have hitherto proved fruitlcss. they
never being abe to find the spot. They tell
another story concerning this SeGuestered
country which seems not improbable. which. 10
That the lnhabitan!s are the postcrity OF a flEi-
tive remnant of Yamisecs tSoutn Carolina In
dians). who escaped massacre after the bloody
battle between them and the Creeks"
hi. W ,raVsis t h@G!rsm G II F!Yi"T sn %p f TiGpian G Ia
1909. confirms the stories that were related
by Norse regarding the inhabitants of the
Okefenokee swamp. John T. Sprague's his
tory of the Florida war. published In ls4S. r-
fers 10 the Okefenofee swamp in the follow
Ing Interesting manner: 'hs'sese-holar, or
Black-dTink, known us Osccoli or Powell,
was n governing spirit IN the war. His rank
and birth were both humble and obscure but
he dared TO resist til" demands Of the United
States Government. and had the temerity 10
strike the first blow. lie belonged To the Red
stick tribe Of indians. a branch - of Creeks, aud
was born on .he ChattahO"chee River In 1904.
His fathers name was William Powell, an
Englishran. who fOr forty years had been a
trader In the nation. and whose wife was On
Indian woman. In lSOS. when II fcud de-
mutual consent. she prefcrring To 20 to Flor
Ida, whom n division OF the family took place;
the father retained TWO daughters; the II other
and the boy. then four years old, settled in
the vicinity OF tie OkcfenOkeG swamp. Soon
after she was again married, when with Ter
child and husband she removed 10 n hummock
near Fort Games. William Powell emigrated
70 Arkansas In 1876. As se-se- hO-lar, or Pow
ell. at the breaking out of hostillties. was 80
years old. In stature he was five feet eight
incheo. with n manly. frank. and open Coun-
indepcndenCG and self POSSE sslon. ami always
treated the wIites with great dignity. almost
amounting 10 lnsOl"nce. In all dances. balls.
and games he was distin Iuished. In council
the old cuiefN looked In surpris" at his bold
opposition 10 the treaty of Payne's landing,
W hat he said and did was a result OF involun-
tAry feeling. " ithOut previous consultation,
which caused the experience OF old counsel
lOrs OF the nation 10 treat him with respect,
The life OF Osceola, as recorded In history, d
familiar 70 AL American students.