The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-22
PRAISE o TnE SEMINoLEs.
The Soundest and tIeRnest People on
Earth. Morally. Mentally. and Physically.

From HE I7ortdd Times linton.
DR.. j. :. Brecht, superintendent of the
Florida Indians. with headquarters at Fort
Myers, arrived in the city yesterday from Tai
lahassse, his mission there being to purchase
lands with the appropriation OF 81, 900 now an
nually set apart by the general Government for
the Scminoles. Heretofore the Seminoles have
been homeless, so far AS ownership of land Is
concerned. The Doctor has located and sur
veyed all of their habitations. and his endeavor
now is to pursue the work Of securing deeds to
IN the names or the individual owners.
There are now three settlements of Indians
one o,tor at :, Miami liam r under ,n IH,r' M Ii + .o n", ]; 2Td
Tony. and the third in the Big Cypress, under
nr. Tommy. Pr. Tommy is eader-in.chief OF
of the three is n chief. I'm recent years" said
the Doctor, '.or since what were once a war.
like people have taken to peaceful vocations,
The Indians said pr. Brccht. are not
illogical and social reasons. still, there has
been an increase. In 1859 the:e were but ~:
Now there are something over 800. The chief
social reason for their slow propagation Is
the custom of countenancing no marriage Of
persons who have a drop of the same blood in
girls. One leader know has two beautiful
daughters, who cannot get married because
to them. Very often the custom causes strange
alliances. and ] know OF a number OF instances
The reason for a lack Of increase is the dearth
OF knowledge on the part of men and women
of %o, p nsEs| oi3EHng sanii hishsai Il and Fond hS 81 e tScir T ptIe
with food and trash in the shape of sand,
ing the first three years. If a child lives to be
five; you can't kill him with a lightwo9d knot.
would rapidly increase, for a stronger, sounder
people are not to be found on the earth. Their
T M%men ea %ns t"e change Rnnsc' them HP sAf from pnrf the p path MH" Of
virtue. Lewdness is an unknown sin:
They seldom commit crime and their only
and must stay away for a period Of years They
once succeed in getting into the green corn
dance" their social position becomes retstab.
Of sSe cr M%eaer VIE S3a T 'bsst Gsa'i Is n @Io t ths wSss.
Tom Tiger drank, too m"ch Wyomi' once, beat
his wife =, and an NED; returned a IT many m 10 rIs:
to get her back to him. She loved him and
was willing, but the mother-in-law, tho SUI
suffer heartaches when he sees his old mate
pass by. He relieves the gain by a lavish af-
lection for their children.
When an Indian goes accounting in the
Everglades he pays attention to tho prospec,.
Calico eiGG oFi snd ! R trinEets. mf Finaily H0f he pt tosses the os
loved one some present, later on another.
but between them, as there is between all the
Seminole lads and lasses. there Is shyness and
little or no social intercourse, Finally the
old folks. with keen eyes, note that two hearts
are beating. for eoch other. and they fix mat
tiers; n day is set, and with no .pomp or GER
mony the groom packs up and goes to the
present he gives her a calico and she makes
THE wife is proud of the husband. and the
the Held and hunts. and fishes. while She at
tends to the household duties and tqns the
The braves are splendid hunters. They know
the habits OF every fowl and animal, and can
They are not long shots. preferring to make
sure of their game by creeping upon II. They
can advance to within a few feet ho OF deer so. phe
nothing moving. it viii, not be alarmed. This
the Indian knows. and stops still Just before
the animal raises its head. How can he tell
when he deer will look; Ths5s the odd part
viii be preceded Immediately by a wiSgling of
the tall; hence he watches the tail.
The Indians are becoming more prosper
Gus every year, Some Of them have Il few
thousand dollars saved up. and a few haye
houses of two stories. These houses are pic
The house is of boards. usually supplied by the
government saw mill, OF which ! mn In charge.
trial school. The school Is not largely attend
ed. because Of the prejudice among them
are Winning our WAY TO their conhdonce.
white mans God is the same AS their God, The
SON 'Chockatomnssee.' They believe that
there is a future state, but call death the big
place in Georgia, and that IL great nssemblagc
came 10 u mountain 10 hear Him. The noun
tain split in twain, and one people sided north,
pray. but, as they express 1t. think with God
The, Indians are II truthful people, They
claim that before the white men came they did
not know how To lie. hut since they taught them
how he once in u great while resorts, 70 decep'
tion, though liars among them are held IN utter
DR., ,Brccht believes that they are the sound;
physi ally, on the face Of the earth to-day.