Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-21

rnEr CLING TIGHTLY TO THEIR
ANCIENT TRADITIONS.
THE COUEYRY'S QUEERISY WARDS.
nnc nravc. Are Suspicious OF "h'''
Men. and Wish Only to DC
49,. IN rhc,r Aboriginal Lives
= .u,pnsors Their Means of support
,co,resnonaonee Of the DIspa'eh)

,,,,o,,or ioolying 10 the bgtterment oi "''
s,,,,oc ~ the Seminole Indians OF
t,~ns,,o have directed attention to TINS
.s.,o,.s,inq race. and many prominent
.,.n including the late Secretary ol '"'
s,1o,e,,or Department. Hon. c. y. p'''S'
aod Governor Bloxham, or floilod' nav
'<.tod themselves In an effort 10 seOu'
.or,e action on the part OF Inc S'u'o az
e oio Covernment. This interest III
- welfare OF the Seminoies was ~.
5,, The gradual encroachmehN vi
crhftes upon the grounds MhlVn wy . -
ssians had been occupying. In soi'e 80 80
a. iotfer have been driven Dy 10. ~,
rom islands which they have oecuP'eu
for many years, and In but &c" -.
.,nore they will be homeless anu 49,
visible means OF support 1heH -
aion has been entertained anu W" -
i.,htect of providing homes toi 'heh' 'u'
,os'orr,nort lateIv sent cut a commls-
=, FOR the puroose OF selecting ANUS
ns,,ch d,ficulty was found on account y,
s5ho gradual disposal OF governments S"V
.s,a.s uroperiy. but the commissioner ma
'4succeeded IN obtaining the ac'igo W Wy
ration OF the officials OF the S,"'e 90
t7eana,+ mont of the interior, ana IL Is p."'
-,oscd 10 set aside certain Janus III NV
.I.vereiaces and on It's borders
The Everglades OF Florida are lnsepa,
xahly connected with the history pas ~
.,resent. OF the Seminole lnalaIls "a W.. ~.
sa Tho surroundings ana htVilui 90 90
s,,ni,xe any region on this Continent az
s.,,,aonea body Of shallow water, aVeras-
sng 195 miles ia length and sixty mlies
IA breadth. and covered with waving
.snass of saw or sedgegrass, OFTEN rom
'eipht 10 ten feet in height inaccesslpie'
except at certain points
IN our recent trip into the seminole
country We toiled for many weary houIs
isn our Indian canoes through tho Nar
,ocy raths of this tall sedgesrass, streleh-
A,ny "a far as the eye could Ieach'
K striving 10 reach a resting place ioF inc
might. Our guides through the day hau
poluted out I'm the distance Few zone
( towering pines standing IKE sehllIlelS
An the distance-our goal, when we reaCh-
ed it-Arpeika Island, at one uihe thS
homo OF the bravest ana most uIoau0u
of the Seminole Indians, ana WheIe d
f.,ay,nant of that tribe still remains.
Az we approached the island, men, wo-
= ,nan and children, in their picturesque
native dress. were seen moving qmeliy
about unconscious or apparently, indii-
farent. 10 our approach. A rude boat idnu-
ting afforded us the only access 10 the
5sIand: q narrow path from the iahulns
"a Co n village enshrouded with giant.
harbario oaks covered with tassellated
-s,oss. II was evening and the women
.vera prenaring their early meal, some
grinding corn in rude pestle formed
from the bark Of cypress-ree' othvI
attending to the "sofka Kettle, prepar'
ing y. peculiar dish of that name ana sup
,,osod 20 be composed of vegetables ana
vie nplGn-
hors from house to house, and rev o.
che brave representatives OF OsceoIa
stood. spinx-like. or loungcd on the ruu'
benches. Occasionally a returning hunt
or bearing his trophy OF deer, am
gator. or plume birds, chanting ms mo
notonous Indian song, created shsh
demonstration. One young brave VINO MAJ
lust taken a bride was bringing NJ
material for a house from another pom
of the island TO join the community o
his mother-in-law, for such IS the law
OF the Seminolcs.
Among all the wards of the govern
ment none possess more interest," 'ndl
lthe rev remaining Seminoles of tlorida
On our history there is no more deplora
bic tragedy than the wars waged agalns
them. From the landing of DE beoi
until the year 1921, for 800 years. 1t wa
a war for plumber and riches.
To the Seminole Indian there is ~
land ike sunny Florida" and 10 HIN
there Is no home like the green islands
for hunmocks within the Everglades. II
him Il possesses a history and romance
eof his, past; at present 1t affords MN III
ideal home. The greater part OF the ever
spiades is mysterious and uneXpl0re'
land. n deep silence pervades everywhere
Once lost within its labyrinths the al
fsyenturer Is doomed unless rescued Onl.
The Indian who comes and glides quleli.
sn his canoe is familiar with its paths
and but few, even adventures, or ma
tiyes living on it's borders, have pene
srated it's depths. Numerous government
expeditions have traversed the border
from one point TO another. Three nun
drcd and eighty-six years have passe
since Ponce de Leon. in search OF Tn
.Fountain of Youth" reported that "th
miami river ran through fifteen league
of country and rises out of another lax
fOkeechobee) OF fresh water, which ]
sreuuented by Indians
n ia not without its romance. The cac
uue OF the naughty CARDS hel
his court on this island, until force
south by the more powerful foe-the pres
ont race. Here the buccaneer was woi
60 seclude himself with his plumber FRI
from pursuit. Here the early missioni
ries. bearing the Cross Of Christ, plante
or erected a rude house of worship al
hallowed the ground with their life bloc
still later IL became the retreat or II
Seminoles in the war commencing III 10
and ending in 1913, when, for eight year
they defled the whole force of the y;
tional Government. Here they rest
y present. a remnant which the govern
ment found impossible to remove att'
extending over fifty millions OF dollar
The Seminoles were shorn OF the
strength, but never surrendered. FRO
that time until the last few years the
have been practically abandoned by Il
government. and no efforts have bee
made 20 interfere with them I'm any ma
ner. fOf the government, they haR as
ca or desired nothing. few yea
ago some effort was made by the "lndi'
Rights Association" 10 benefit their co
dition by erecting a church. school, al
dwellings, but they refused to accept u
proffered gifts. The efforts OF the IA
three hundred years 20 civilize or Chri
tianize them have all met with strol
opposition.
part OF the creed of the young Sen
mole is the instiliing into his mind of
hatred OF the white mans ways.
Physically. these Indians have retain
ALI the characteristics OF the early abort
fnes. with but little chance sin
they greeted Ponce de Leon and Nar>ac
They retain the same popularity OF dre'
the men still wearing the short tun
reaching 90 the knees. and the brigh
colored turban with plumes, az dcscrib
By Mclendez three hundred years ae
Physically, the Seminole rs the fine
specimen OF the aborigine found on q
Continent--tali, erect. free from exec