The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-02-13
cur 0lip.
In the Keys of Florida.

The word 'key' is incorrect as applied
to an island. 1t is corruption Of the
Spanish word 'cayo,' meaning small
island. "Key West is wrong, too. Its
true name is s.Cayo Hueso, or Bone Key,
but we have Anglicized and got it as far
wrong as possible. 1t is not even the
western key of that chain. Such distinc-
ton belongs to the Dry Tortugas, many
miles farther west
The Dry Tortugas is fortified, and was
a naval post during the late war. 1t was
also the prison of military convicts. 1t is
small, low, sandy island, projecting but
a few feet at any point above high water
To the east several small keys intervene
before Key West is reached. The latter
is but few hundred acres in extent, but
on account of its possessing fairly good
harbor, a commercial city Of about 20, 900
population has been built on its rocky face.
From the channel leading up from Florida
straits it presents most picturesque ap-
pearance, with its low-lying shore, fringed
with the long armed and high-tufted CO.
coanut palms outlined against the sky and
the little squatty dwellings. Its aspect is
purely Oriental and tropical. and there is
not a port in America bearing the least
resemblance to it. Of late years the main
town has assumed American airs, and sew
eral large buildings have been erected, but
happily the shore still presents vision Of
fair Cathay Here is another stone front
now utterly useless, except as a tomb for
its garrison in case of an attack. Modern
ordnance would riddle it as though it were
pasteboard. Yet, in case of war with a
naval power, Key West would be an i'm
portant strategic point
Sponging, fishing and cigar making are
the principal industr.e of this tropical city
of ours. 1t is the headquarters Of the
sponge trade of the Western Hemisphere.
The fishing industry is an important one,
and well may it be, for the waters fairly
TEEN with fish of all descriptions.
Who has not read of Osceola and Billy
Bowlegs? Thereon depends a piece Of
diplomatic fiction. When the Florida war
was over it was believed that practically all
of the Seminoles, one of the most warlike
and capable of all our Indian tribes, had
been gathered up and escorted to the In
dian Territory. But this was mistake,
A number of those gallant warriors betoOk
themselves to the Everglades, where troops
could not follow them, and there among
those fertile everglades have been ever
since. | have seen many Indians, but
this remnant of the Seminoles are the, finest
specimens ever saw Ii is not difficult
to believe in Cooper after being among
them.
The men are 1.-the, sinewy fellows, with
bright, quick, intelligent faces. They
wear hat of vast proportions and curious
make. 1t is shaped liked big cheese,
with round hole in the middle for the
head, the hole going clear through the hat.
They wear woolen hunting skirt, and
their bare legs look like shafts of mahog-
anv. They are armed with repeating
rifles, and know how to shoot. The wo-
men are less snowy, but appear well.
They wear cotton dresses, bought in Key
West. They are said to be upright and
honest in their dealings, and was told
that they were superior to the whites In
the cardinal virtues The divorce court of
the Seminoles is very simple and efficient
piece of mechanism. When an action Is
laid on statutory grounds and the plaintiff
gets decree, the defendant and core
spondent are promptly shot.
These Indians are extremely jealous OF
the encroachments of white men. They
are in constant fear of another deportation,
as l learned to my sorrow. had resolved
to gain access to their haunts in the Ever
glades and had laid in trunk full of
trinkets to smooth my pathway. When
we got to the very last key we were close
to the Everglades. Here we met trad
ing party of Seminoles and 1 made my
plans for being taken in canoe on trip
through that famous wilderness. My guide
and oarsman was young Indian known as
tKey West Billy because he had once
been in Key West and had his picture
taken. But Billy must first get permis-
sion of his chief, "0ld Tigertail, who
ruled the nation with an iron discipline.
No stranger was permitted to invade the
haunts of the Indians unless he was
vouched for. One of the old settlers vouch
ed for my companion and myself, and we got
along famously with our preliminaries with
Billy. But, as bad luck would have it,
my companion had in the recesses of his
old trunk an old picture of myself in uni
form. In all evil moment his desire to
impress Billy got the better Of his judg-
ment, and he rushed off to the boat and
came back with my old military portrait in
his hands Our host saw the catastrophe
from afar and tried to stop him. But
Billy's eyes were too quick. The mis-
chief was done. He took one look at the
picture, then long look into his face and
his own visage fell. In vain did our host
explain that | was ''good' soldier man
once and was no soldier at all now. Billy
was in sulks He went off to see Tigertail
and never came back | was furious and
vowed that l would engage darkey and
90 up anyhow, but my host explained that
to penetrate the wilderness under such cir
cumstances meant certain death, and that
no fellow would row me over the route at
any price after what had happened.
A. m,.-o Dor,ro m Vrrxu Mrc