The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-27
BIG TOM TIGERS TRIBE.
THE SEMINOLE INDIANS IN THEIR
RETREAT IN THE EVERGLADES.

regular limo. for. with q wisdom beyond that Of
civilized monarohicnl institutions, these semi.
savagcs choose for their ruler the bost man Of
tho tribe, whether OF tho royal line or not.
When tho aged chief Tallahassee retired. his
son, Billy Buster, naturally cast his eyes on the
tecpee Of tho Bachem, but the strength and
stature, the intelligence and prowess OF Big
Tom Tiger, descendant of Tiger Tail, were fatal
10 tho aspirations Of Buster, who was as vain
and lazy as any white prince in tho world.
The personality Of Tiger 10 both striking and
pleasing, and no would be a marked man what
ever the color Of his skin. Add to the wild and
stately grace of the savage n beauty Of form and
feature seldom seen outside Of sculpture, and
ono Is reminded Of Saul. towering In majesty
above his fellows. Old Tiger Tail. his father,
was also a splendid specimen OF manhood, as
will be recalled by many OF our older citizens.
whose fathers often entertained the chieftain.
Thci: re, objections bring up a vivid picture OF q
bronze combination of Hercules and Apollo, clad
only in n long black hroadcloth coat, buttonch
from tor to bottom, which was his usual visit
ing costume. His manners matched his appear.
once-slow, stately. cercmonious. md marvel.
lousy correct. Indeed, tho Seminole is in.
stinctivcly well.brod, and. being quick OF OBJ
scrvation, seldom annoys n white host by any
marked solecism. Nothing surprises him; not
the wonders of the telephone nor the my stery Of
the electric car, nor the whirl Of machinery. He
IL very susceptible OF gifts, carrying all on his
person, trophy.like; piling garments over one
another, and hanging smaller articles, such rs
handkerchief and bottles Of perfumery. on his
coat. Johnny Jumper. for instance, is the proud
possessor OF two watches, which he wears at tho
same time. one in each waistcoat pocket. pri.
vately. he regards us as savages; In no other
way can he account for our hideous calendar of
CrimpSa and Dnr huhif If ADMITTING, 49, ro,,,n o..
our tables and sports. Back at home, he Is again
the aboriginal. resuming all his primitive ways
of life. His dress at homo is merely a cotton
shirt and the inevitable turbap. though at Okcc-
chooee last winter we had no trouble In per-
suading the Indians we hunted with to
wear trousers in compliment to tho women
of our party. Among their own women they
cat in solitude, leaving the scraps OF tho meal
to the family. Their feats of gastronomy are
truly wonderful, and, comparing these feats
with their superb health, one Is tempted to won.
der whether there Is anything in hygiene after
all. To spend the whole night over the carcass
of Il deer. cutting strips of meat and devouring
them half cooked in the blaze of n lightwood-
knot fire; to sit down with a dollars worth OF
sugar or a pail OF butter and eat 1t up before
leaving the trading station, are ordinary mat
tiers. The little ones are fod in the same man.
ncr, which accounts for the very slow increase
OF the tribe. However, II a child can be raised
to its fifth year he is safe. and can digest any.
thing forever after.
Big Tom Tiger has two squaws. an honor con-
ferred upon him for ONE great decd prio- to his
chiettainship. II the Seininoles knew anything
of political economy these two wivss might
constitute n public grievance. for marriageable
women are scarce with them. Marriages OF con-
sanguinity are forbidden to the reInotest degree,
G II 10 NOT a I yua ya rNAuuih1a - Il. -
match. The spectacle OF young bucks with
wrinkled squaws and pretty girls mated with
elderly braves is not an uncommon one. Some
times n girl is forced into old-maidbood until a
little boy grows 10 n marriaaGa5!U asu. For .hc
Scmino,es seldom break their own laws: never
in regard to the other sex. A marriage
is arranged by the maiden's mother. who
receives the exclusive attentions OF the
sui'or. When these prove agree tblc md the
gifts satisfactory. she dresses her daughter to
receive the bridegroom. no other ceremon
being necessary. The Seminole wife is inordi.
nately fond and proud OF her husband. and, to
retain her attractiveness, wears all her beads,
frequently to the weight OF fifteen and twenty
pounds. all the time. To do the braves Justice,
they are considerate husbands. and do not, as is
popularity supposed. place the whole OF the camp
and field drudgery on their wives shoulders.
Tho Government Is an absolute despOtism. hut
power Is never abused. They need no Jail, no
fore the chiet. Who tries him IiiiRcc ssoioImom ana nd
~ is.s him like Minos. The punishment usu.
~evading it,, One Of their few fixed penalties Is
the whipping post for thieves. Wife beating
stands with murder at the head OF their unwrit-
ten criminal code-the penalty, ostracism. the
heaviest known, The life OF an Indian ariah is
ter serving ont his sentence he can never regain
his status In the tribe.
They are truthful by nature. Liars are held
In such contempt that deceptions nrc rRrc. and
word. Old Tallahassee and. old Tustenugeeo
qunintcd with lying before the advent of the
paletace. When intoxicated. which Is as often
raise a disturbance. but 20 into tn" woods 10 q
sleep it of. Years ago. long before he dreamed
OF his present elevation, Big Tom Tiger imbibed
undar its influence had a real white mans row
with his wife. When sober he fed TO Moccasin
had explated his crime. AS 10 their sense Of
honor, It IL we'll known that they kept the treaty
OF 1912 inviolate, though both North and South
offered them inducements to take sides during
The seminoles are a curious mixture Of much
barbarism nd a little civilization. the latter
being 30 slight an influence that IL amounts to
little more han u state of being tanned. They
their b own own h help sssress 0 Swhiie i msn too fSS1 %nmy;
lnjun no fight" is the way they express It..
They preserve an invctcrate, dislike and %disirust
ul the pnlcfaccS, regarding them rs iucarnations
of lies. wickehncss, and nncleanness. They do
not want white men at their camps; they are
shy OF our advn,nces;, they hide their women
from our gaze; the older braves refuse 10 talk
Of their history, the younger to show us their
hunting grounds, A few whites have won their
confidence. which, when once given. is like
the unSuestioning faith OF childhood. For
these they cannot do enough; for these
only are the hlndYlasps OF friendship.
Good Bishop Gray Is beloved rs a father. They
never visit the cities without the escort and
protection of one Of these trusted white friends.
Buy BowleRs. descendant Of tho Old chief OF
that name, Is to visit some white people in the
fall under the wing Of Capt. w. ]. Tucker. But
to the trnding stations nearest their own homes.
notably Miami. jupiter, Naples. ana Fort Pierce,
they pass back and forth Ireot. IN small parties
journey by water generally bring two or three
sguaws along to cook md look after the canoes.
They have their chickens and most of their
household goods.
The Semino!es have been moved on to such
good effect that they have but three regular
camps lot them-at Okrechohoe. Big Cypress,
and q small one about thirty miles west OF
Jupiter. The most important Is al Okeechobee,
at the head OF. the Everglades. which are we'll.
nigh impassable TO the white explorer, though
the Indian knows every foot of the r gion.
Imagine. II you can, an uneven sea thIckiy
dotted with luxuriapt praircs. rich hummocks.
deadly swamps shell mounds, and green planta-