The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-18
RAMONAS or LONG ISLAND.
n STUDY OF rHE INDIAN NAIDENs
ar sBINyEC0CK.

E9ece e the CronnfnG 90 TIE nee B1oea WIFE
the B1neh-asne Tbings mat Fetnt - the
Ahssvpttsa 90 the Indian ~ the Arrtran-
characteristics OF the Ni1ed Race.
s~HNNHcocK RESERVATION, July l7.-Lazily
l~ounging In q hammock swung between two oak
trees and leisurely turning the concluding
pages of Helen Hunt Jackson's Ramona" 1
could not be otherwise than Impressed with the
romantic surroundings in which tho element of
tragedy was present, but unseen. In the centre
Of the reservation, with q strong and soothing
breeze blowing from the ocean, Il was easy to
take In all the land that remained to the SHINE
cocks Of tho thousands OF acres that were once
comprchended in their domain. Beyond the
reservation. and hemming It In on all
sides, were handsome cottages, in the
construction and adornment Of which summer
residents have expended millions OF dollars,
and that in the face OF the fact that mono OF
| them has q clean title to his holding. according
to the claim OF the Shinnecocks. But the pretty
houses, set on the hilltops or on the shore ofsome
OF the many bays or the ocean. are GOOD to look
upon.
But. as I closed the book. inspired by heroic
devotion to a vanishing race. and while I was
still lamenting the untimely widowhood and
sorrows of Ramona Ortcgna, my mind, teeming
with the strange fortunes of the red man. the
barking Of the Shinneoock dog, q beautiful ami
NAL, full Of rollioking fun, attracted my atten-
ton. Tho cause Of his excitement was the up
pearance OF half a dozen young girls, who were
following the trail passing near where Ireclined.
and leading down to the ocean beach. All the
roads and by-paths on the reservation are used
in common. The girls would have attracted at
tention anywhere. Each one Of them may have
been a Ramona In race IL not in character.
There was not q pure-blooded Shinnecock in the
bevy, although some OF them were as red as the
reddest Indian. and all OF them had pronounced
Indian features and physical characteristics.
with broad faces and long black hair and stocky
build. But there was that about them which
showed Enthusiastically that they were not en-
tirely Indian. Some OF them were too fair and
trim and Others too black. Indeed. all Of them
were half breeds. n cross between the red Indian
and the black African. 1t was u new race type,
as any one could see. and one that accounted in
tribes of the shinnesocks, the Montauks, the
MoheEans, and the NarEasansetts. They had
were in process OF absorption.
Perhaps the most startling result OF the cross
the African is to b. observed in the hair of these
girls. which Is raven black and very long and
Il fh IS Father Ieris %s, ans f0sSF to eus nse ,rT a very BLACK Io S'I Siri
with long, straight hair; but there are plenty OF
t x1esemr n on long i staaain ana sbs some sns o. t Il IL ss sfe
to conclude that red blood is not so strong as
white blood. as a cross between white and black
as in STRENGTHENING the hair. 1t very rarely hap
pens in such II case that the progeny remains
hair. The white blood runs out the black blood.
1t is equally noticeable in physical character
piaes to the the w stiifs ' Whise SIoSd has s'1 the same
influence on red blood: it absorbs it to itself. and
eration. WY IS il them thass BLACK BLOOD in
v~ariably runs out red blood. or neutralizes it'll
The Shinnecocks and Montauks of Long Island
who interInarried with Africans have become
or are becoming African in everything except
| CDnnAtfiCur and the ragnns ptfs of Rhode
Island who intermarried with the whites have
lost or are losing al their Indian Characters.
related, and some OF the Indian girls who passed
my hammock have blood relationship in all OF
three generations more they will be entirely
African in everything except, their hair. which
VIII be of Indian coarseness, length. and black
Indian girls of all tribes are shy and still
hurry, and when cornered are as reficcnt as
CLAIMS. Not so with Shinnecoek maidens. They
and they are not disposed to run away from;
strangers. They are playful in DISPOSITION. with
pears upon slight acquaintance. This is un.
S SfnnS dS,c dIs :. to the IP=s ssdo N 5sInnass o. a African
bic. while the Indian blood is satisfied with its
own association.
co III IS q .nct; however, shat me Diaskess SHINE I'M.
man under all conditions. and this even when
employed by the whites, as most OF the Indians
are from time TO time
But the Shinnecock maiden who attracted my
attention most is perhaps one OF the most inter
ssting on the reservation. She does not look
like an Indian st ali at hrst glance. but like 4
cross between the fat features OF the Guinea
and the sharp features OF the kroman tribes OF
Africa; though even this is shown on close
study to DE entirely superficial. This girl, al.
though 10 years OF age. Is almost a midget in
physique- Her head is as large as that of a girl
Of 10 years OF age, and her mouth is large
features lack the high cheek bones OF the Afri-
can and Indian races, but are seen to be de-
cidedly regular on close study. and not unat.
| IFncfiva- ITnlka n mllnritY of black Shinna-
s S%t so6 this .G sdFt h,i h1tr !! I'm not long and 't ,S =
and sitter than either African or Indian hair.
and are rebelliously crImpy. The abundance o:
hair, with the unusual size Of the head Gaping
50 small a body, gives her a very bizarre appear.
But Just why this girl should be entirely black
greatest puzzle about her. There is nothing in
her E 81 e a goo 70 warrant " ErraSn11ti i s sffesspss, t The Eea1'
Her ancestry on the Indian side is OF the Shin.
neeock. Montauk, and SarraR.nsett tribes: and
should he a red Indian OF the red Indians. But
the smell strain OF black blood changed all the
tinGt type OF negro, and would he so clsssed any.
where in africa. Her ehaEHetsristiss are also
facts in her genealogical tree are considered, an
prised in the, ,Shinneccck reservation, with
1000 acres OF hills in dispute. and ninety acres
and rs souls on the reservation; which e esti.
mated 70 have marketable value Of 81
people are supposed TO have an eqnity in the
reservation and in claims held by the SHINE
cock tribe. but these people are scattered all
course, the Shinnscock girls and women are
more interesting than the men. The women
and girls are hard workers, especially in the
summer season, and do most OF the domestic
service from Pltchogue TO Montauk Point,
There are several Shinnecock Queens engaged
In this service, but they do no: take the trouble
to direct unnecessary attention TO themselves.
There are plenty of Shinnecock maidens In the
Greater New York. but few recognize them as
such when they are seen in public places. They
are usually classed az Afro Americans by the
uninitiated. and such they are to ali intents and
purposes, except as 10 their long, straight hair,
which is pronOuncedly Indian. But whether
seen here or elsewhere they are interesting peo-
pie to look at or study. T.. THOMAS FORTUNE.
senator AIdrich and the Cha pIain.
From h> Chicago Record.
Senator Aldrch OF Rhode Island IL an M.