New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-17

Mtchelrs mill and dozen or more other places
on the Illinois River in the Cherokee Nation.
! only short distance from Sloan Springs ana
will continue perhaps until late in the fail. The
destruction Of fish by the Indian secret process
or poisoning is enormous and will result in the
almost complete humiliation OF the last years
growth.
The great tribal fish meet has occurred an
nualy from time imme!1oral: hut this year II
has been made an occasion Of more than usual
! importance. and the festivities attending it have
been OF the gayest order. Thousands of Chero-
KEGS have been in attendance and 1t has
been the meeting place Of all the chiefs
and the captains of the two regularly organized
| political parties who according to tribal Gus
| tom. gathered tot ether To talk over matters
| pertaining to the continued r"rpctuatOn ~
their present political rights and the continued
| peace. prosperity and happiness Of the CherO-
kce people In general.
| Before their removal West a little more than
| two-thrds of centuiy ago. and for a hundred
| years previous thereto. the Cherokees and other
| tribes held undisputod possession of a vast
| of country extending over portions Of what is
! now Georgia. the Caroiinas. Tennessee and Ala
| bama a glance at map Of those States will
discover many names OF rivers Of purely Chero-
kec origin. Upon all those streams the Chero-
| KEGS. In the long long ago. held annual high
carnival, and not few or the old timers pres
ent on the Illinois River were present
| then. for some Of them are more than 100 years
| old. and cannot unto this day. speak word Of
! English.
| Extensive preparations are made in advance.
| All the members OF the tribe within region ex-
| tending sometimes for many miles are notified
| by the clan captains Of the date when the fes-
| tival Will begin. The cherokccs divided up
! into clans rs the Bird elan. the Ts"r clan. and
| half a dozen other clans and certain ones are
chosen 10 lead in These ANIMAL gatherings. Sew
eral days before the different clans come to-
gcther the poison is placed in the river. The
| dispensers are captains. selected from the var
Gus clans. who look upon their official positions
~ places IF great honor.
The process OF making the poison is kept
secret only the tribal medicine men being ac-
Guaintcd with the details Of manufacture No
white man has even been able to discover the
exact ingredients Of the mixture. buckeyes, that
grow on the low bottoms Of the Illinois River.
/ form part Of the poison. and great numbers u
! them are gathered and put through n process Of
drying and puverizing. They are then mixed
with unknown herbs. The poison Is placed in
IN" river about two days in advance OF the
J meeting time. ia order that the fish may become
/ thoroughly inOcuiatrd. So they can be easily
taken when the people are called together
Tho effect II the poison is not Instantaneous,
nor Is II fat Al. The FISH readily swallow it, and
when the fleets begin to be- felt they dart abou.
/ in a s'Wi-cr1zed manner. shooting up and out
+ II the water very often or seeking the surface
/ around old drift"ood. whore they often lie as II
/ paueinS FOR breath /; is hot uncommon to
7 large. r,d-'N'd trout big catfish or a fifteen
/ pound huIal) or r,!- h.rs- lying 50 helpless that
7 % s 10 trick at all To- step up and Zip him out
/ OF .Ae water upon the bank. The poison some
Times para, Ics the fish SEQ that they turn over
p on their backs and float ~ Il dead The poison
soon l"at"s th'm. however. and # they do not
taf" another dose II IT hey regain their senses
and activity
tIsu.t Cd iar, ~ th" programme to allow any
fish % recover . it IAN hc pr,Nrut.d. When Ia,
poison takes mold sufficiently craze or honuupb
90. fish. TO- r. Sian is ready to commence the
till N"ih "lil Dos .icAr or Do". BOWS ana
.ri'~a are ais, u- j. especially by The women.
AMI ih'I" }. H.l. .i' 4 child who cannot Use
+ those NIth d-aa't raro'
. %,m"iim.. ah'l" i,ltl'lds ar sp"arci dur
lnE an ou'irr q t.A hours When enough
a.b flr "a f.lrt iay" been slaurhirrcd. huge lo;
h'aHa afe prepared hnd So "n nf" "h"n r"-