University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1910-12-15
Last of Catawbas.
ACADEAI.

Fenimore Cooper's Last of the Mo-
hicans' is the passing of the last
remnant of the once powerful tribe
|oi Catawba Indians. The surviving
sixty members of this nation live on
a little reservation in York county,
South Carolina. Numbering proba-
bly, more than $4,000 persons at one
time, the Catawba people have all but
disappeared, and the present century
will likely witness it's total extinction.
These Indians are of alniable dis
position, and they have always been
the white mans friends. During the
Revolutionary War they fought with
the colonies. proving especially valua-
bile as bearers of dispatches and as
scouts. Likewise, not only as SYM
ipathizers, but as actual slave owners,
they took sides with the Confederates
in the war between the states.
When the Indians were being moved
out of this section of the country in
the first half of the last century, it
was decided not to modest the Cataw-
bas, except to give them the little
Preservation along the Catawba river,
which they still hold With the ex-
ception OF reservation of Cherokees
in North Carolina, and one of Semi
noles in Florida, tho Catawba tribe
is the only one in the South Atlantic
states that has not moved away or
passed out of existence. Living to.
gether on few hundred acres, this
little band will struggle on for a lit
tie while, only to give way at last to
the white man.
The United States has given these
Indians land, built them homes, pro-
vided them with school and has done
other things for them but the pale
faces" have gathered too closely about
them. Gradually their numbers have
fallen off, and in proportion to the
development and progress OF the
country in which they live. AS that
tsection of the state becomes more
densely populated by the whites, just
as rapidly are these aborigines pass
ling into the happy hunting ground"
Though only few are left. these
are living in comparative comfort. All
! of the able bodied men and women
work Each family has little plot
OF ground as its own, on which is
grown corn, potatoes and other easily
cultivated grains and vegetables.
Rarely is anything ever planted that
cannot be used as food.
The homes of these Indians are all
built on the same general plan, close
together in village style. One man
serves as leader, acting at the same
time to some extent as a government
agent. 1t is his duty to see that the
people conduct themselves as they
should, also to report to the govern
mcnt the conditions and needs of the
tribe. They rarely ever have troubles
among themselves, and they do not
disturb the neighboring whites. On
the whole, they are thoroughly peace
able, honest and reliable. They are
respected and piticd, but they must
stand aloof, for they will not associate
with the negroes. and social privileges
are not granted to them by the whites
The instinct to be Ion the chase"
| is still a dominating characteristic.
and they search the fields and forests
about them for game. The waters. too,
of the river that flows through their
land are frequently splashed by oars
| in the hands of Catawbas. The vii
| lage is dark and silent at nighttime,
and the ever-present. the inevitable
Indian dog barks at the passing
shadows.
| But the pale faces are masters Of
the earth" Once proud and mighty
nation, the Catawbas are now little
more than relics of another and hap
| pier day. They look back upon his
tory that is not without honor; they
behold their tribe shorn of its men,
bers and wealth. OF its power and in
fuence; and they view a future that
will destroy the last yestige of it's
ipeople. Stoically. they stand, wit
Messing their own destruction, know
| ing only that a greater power is push
ing them into an unknown beyond
The Catawbas will go from land that
IF rho Iopacoma dorc