The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-13

.G1NIA.
to have correspondent somewhat with our New Years eyl
ties The exercises began with fasting the part Of all the
members of the tribe The old fires that had been carefully
cherished throughout the year exngus,ed and
fires kinded Every member OF the tribe required to take
emetc after which life begun again. All ermi-
having taken along with the rest cnetc, they
stored fully to their old places and standing in the tribe
They had very decided belief in another form OF exist
They seemed have believed in what Christian peo-
pie are used to calling heaven and hell Into the heaven went
all the good and faithful and brave into hell were driven the
future life they had sort OF faith in the ranamgra
ton of souls and have believed that after certain
stay in the evil place some were permitted 20 come back into
Life and begin the slow OF ansmigraton which should
issue into better and truer life.
fingers in Virginia small tribe OF Indians known "a the Pas
rnunkey Indians They claim be the nca descendants Of
the Powhatan tribe
We indebted Mr.. Join Garland Pollard for very
definite information concerning this tribe Of Indiana They
live in town the Richmond and West Point Railway
known Indian Town. about twcntyonc miles OF Ric
,nond They live upon tract Of land containing about eight
hundred acres Of which there arc two hundred and fifty
arabic This tract conceded by act OF the Colon
ial Assembly and it is never to be acnacd from their pos
session
In 1893 Mr. Pollard went to this Indian village and took
census of the Pamnkey tribe He reported that there were
present the reservation ninety Indians all told twenty
being employed the steamships plying the Virginia
streams during the So that, all told there in
1893 hundred and ten Pamunkey Indians.
These Indians not by any thoroughbred Their
blood has become much tainted especially with blood
The estimate of purity all the way from oncfh
fourfls In years, however they have string
rule that there must be ntermarrng with the
The penalty for violation of this rule expulsion from all
the rights and privileges of the tribe
They live under pure democracy, being governed by
chief chosen by the people, and by council of four
socated with him. Their Of election curious and
interesting Two nominated by the council for
presidential chief known Number One and the other
known Number Two. Whoever wishes to for Num-
Der One deposits in receptacle placed central point
grain CORN whoever votes Number Two deposits
bean They enforce their laws rgdly although penalties
for violations of law do be very great consisting
mainly in fines and expulsion denial of the rights and priv
eges of the tribe All capital oenses tried in the neigh
boring court OF King William county.
The lands held in common, but there is allotted to
each head of the family eight of ground This land
dinariy remains in family through generations and is
only transferred when there heirs laying claim to it.
Upon these eight they build their house, usually
and half high They live subsist in very primitive
fashion, depending upon the and woods for their sup
port Deer sometimes to be had their reservation They
deal considerably in urs Of small wild animals The streams
abound in all the fish known to the Virginia waters They
each large numbers of ducks and other BIRDS
especially the famous and tootfsome Their
killing the interesting and peculiar Nowadays they
have basket Of iron resembling much the ordinary
peach basket In It's put the pine kndng wood which is
The birds are the fire in numbers and
beaten down by fails in the hands of the Indians They
originally had receptacle for the fire what they called
1t made of clay and hardened much as
china is One Of these horses found by Mr. Pollard
put exhibition the Chicago Exposition, and
al the Smithsonian Institute at Washington.
at the Smithsonian Institution at Washington.