The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-01
THE FLORIDA SEMINOLE INDIANS

Editor Messenger:
While at Titusville, Florida, recantly.
/ had a very interesting as we'll as an
instructive story told me by Mr.. J. O..
Fries in regard to the few Seminole IN
dams now living in Florida Mr.. Fries
is deputy United States surveyor for
the state of Florida, and county SUI
veyor for Brevard county. On account
of his standing and record in the gen.
eral land office in Washington, h. was
selected -four years ago to survey the
proposed Indian reservation in the
Everglades, and two years ago was
asked to undertake the very difficult
task of taking the censu of the Semi
mole Indians-a thing which had never
been tried before. He was Informed
tina if he refused, or was unable to do
would be AIKEN.
He said that during the fifty days
in which he n his faithful and trusty
assistant were engaged in the trying
and difficult work, they travelled by
boat nearly eight hundred miles
through sawgrass, marshes ~
swamps, under a burning sun in July
and August, crossing the Everglades in
several directions, camping sometimes
in boats. sometimes in beds Of saw
grass, piled up high enough to keep
them above the water-level, but never
slept in a real bed during the whole
time.
Mr.. Fries said he found in all three
hundred and thirty-nine (339) Indians
all included, and that so far as he had
been able to find out there could not
possibly lave been more than one fam
lily he missed, and that, all told. there
could not have been of the whole Sem
mole tribe exceeding $50 in the state at
that time.
Concerning his conversation. Mr..
Fries said: "One great difficulty was to
get the names of children and married
women, and many of them had to be
set down as having no name Still
greater was the difficulty in getting
their ages, as even the Indians them
selves do not know their own ages,
much less their birthdays.
There are only two full-blooded ne
groes among the Indians, and Ill talk
about their having negroes as slaves is
all nonsense. Very few of them have
any mixture of blood. One very young,
beautiful girl is one-half white, one
fourth negro and One-fOurth indian,
but in manners and living, completely
Indian.
THE Times-Union has several times
referred to Billy Bowlegs' as & chief.
ETC., while the fac is this ndian is only
as ~half-breed. his grandmother being a
full-blooded negro, and among the In
dams he is considered very insignifi-
| cant.
The Indians are all the time de-
~creasing in numbes. cause1 I'M
doubtedly lard living, free use Of
whiskey and sickness among the chill
dren. Measles was among them while
[ was taking the census.
"The Indians live chiefly by hunting
alligators and offers, but in the winter
season they pick up considerable money
from the visitors to the hotels ut Palm
| Beach, Miami and other places along
the Florida east coast. A few of the
men, like Billy Stewart and Billy
FewelI can read and write, and most Of
them can express themselves in the
English language. Both sexes are very
skllful in the use of their sewing ma
chimes, and the men sew their own gar
ments in a very creditable n III
seem to be fOnder of their sewing ma"
chimes than they are of their guns"
While making several trips up and
dow the Florida East Coast railway I
saw many Of these poor, lonely, and, I
might say, homeless people, for they
have no homes which amount to much
except in name. Fort LauderdAle is
the chief trading post, it seems, Tor
these Indians who come in from Lake
OkeechObee, and other Indian camps in
the Everglades. to rae alligator hides,
snake skins and bird plumes for cali
Goes, groceries, and, much too frequent
ly, fire water. 1t is said that these IN
dams are a peaceful, laW-abidinS and
reliable tribe. and give absolutely no
trouble to the many white settlers who
now live along the borders of their
happy hunting ground, the Everglades.
Groups of Seminole Indians can a.
most always be seen at Miami and other
stations along the lower East CoaS
They are usually clad in a heavy tlr-
ban, made of a large blanket folded
and wrapped around their heads. The
bucks wear as many as three shirts. If
they can afford that number, half 9
dozen bright colOred handkerchiefs tied
around their necks, and sometimes a
vest. Some wear a belt, but very few
wear anything on their brown n
Sinewy legs. The SquaW are not both
cred with the heavy headgear of the
buck, although some wear a handker-
chief tied under their chin. They wear
short calico dresses and no shoes.
Sometimes a group VIII board u train
at Fort Pierce and ride down the road,
much to the amusement and interest Of
tourists, to whom the sight is a strange
and novel one"
J. A. CREWS.