The Savannah morning news., 1901-07-21
ODD THINGS ABOUT INDIANS.
Making "Chips Talk''-Queer Belief
of the Chippewas.

Oh the OHIppcNdss
Raleigh, N. c., July 19.-North Caro-
lina's Croatans, who claim to descend
ants of Raleigh's lost colony, are not
the only peculiar people among the red
inhabitants of these United States. The
claim is not new. 1t has been more or
less exploited these thirty years, along
with that of the still more curious Me-
dungeons of East Tennessee. Their
name, said to come from the French
melange, a mixture, must be pre-emi-
nently fit, since they show racial char
acteristics of the Cherokees, the ne
groes, the Portuguese, and the plain,
ordinary poor whites. Their language
is as mixed as their blood, and their
civilization is in somewhat the same
condition.
Over against them set their neigh
bors, the Eastern Cherokees, who live
in Qualia Boundary in Western North
Carolina, and are so up-to-date they
have formed themselves into a regular
corporation, so as to share in the gov
eminent benefits which were in danger
of monopoly by the rich and out-reach-
ing Western Cherokee nation. Right
here it may be proper to say that after
the cutlery against Indian management,
cold figures show that the Indian pop
ulation of to-day is not so very much
less than that which Columbus found
here, and that the so-aclled Five Civil
lied Nations of Indian Territory have
quintupled in numbers since crossing
the Mississippi.
Roughly speaking, Columbus found
some half million red folk within the
limits of what are now the United
States. Their latest estimated number
&c lafx nd hJIndrad
thousand. And wherever tribe be-
comes self-sustaining as in case of the
Navajoes, 1t very quickly attains to
the normal rate of human increase.
Still it must be admitted that of the
fifty-three separate parent stocks, once
existent, but thirty-two now have liv-
ing representation. Admixture with
the whites has proved poison to some
tribes, yet to others has meant new life.
This is notably the case with the Cher
okees and Choctaws, many of whose
leaders are Indian in name only. Not
a few of their chiefs can trace to the
best blood of Scotland and England.
The way that happens is one of the
romances of history.
After the AS, the flower of the young
Jacobites who had been "out with the
Young Chevalier," fled for asylum to
Western North Carolina. Not so long
dlleT, when lHe TeNOluliOU came, Iney
thought they had had enough of rebel
lion, so espoused the side of the crown
against the colonies. When again they
found themselves losers, visions OF
hanging for high treason sent them
scattering away still deper in the will
derness. They brought up at the Cher
okee head village, in the southern APP
palachains, or the Creek town not so
far off. or in the Choctaw lodges. Tar
rying there they married Indian wives,
took Indian names. and became to all
intents and purposes Indians. But
many of their children have reverted
to the Scotch patronymics. The famous
Chief John Ross is a case in point
1t was in those same mountain viii
lagos that the Cherokee alphabet was
invented. Its inventor taught it first
to his daughter. He cut letters out of
bark and with them spelled words
Both he and his pupil came near being
burnt as sorcerers, because those
about them feared those who could in
their own phrase make chips talk"
The Pamunkey and the Chickahomini
now number a scant two hundred. The
woods were full of them in Captain
John Smiths time. They live still in
Virginia and keep very much to them
selves, neither voting, bearing arms,
nor working, If they can help il. But
every CHRISTMAS they send to his eX-
cellency, the governor of the state,
tribute of furs, game and fish. fruit OF
their bows and spears. They live upon
the rivers of their own name, which
were made familiar to all the people
by certain events OF the Civil War.
The Chippewas believe that every
human being was either a bird or beast
or FISH, just before II was born. They
put rude effigies of the supposed ante
cedent animal upon the stakes they
drive at the head of a grave. II the
death seems untimsly, or in any way
mysterious, they watch the grave for
nine nights, sure that whatever witch
has worked bad medicine against the
dead. will come 20 gloat over the grave
in shape Of that which was formerly
the dead. Thus n maiden who had been
an owl or n sparow-hawk. would have
sparow-hawk or owl shrek delight
over her grave; a brave who had been
a big wolf would End n brother wolf
bowling Joy M his destruction. Killing
the disguised witch does not. OF course,
bring the dead 10 life. but may be- in
a degree. soothing 10 the feelings OF the
mOurners.