The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-02-10

occasions q deerskin tunic, leggings
and moccasins of buckskin and 4
head dress decorated with feathers
from sea birds. Also he entwined
himself with belts which he invariably
kept filed with wampum. Not infre.
quently he carried as much as $4,000
with him In his kind of money. On
the Dutch scales 1t was worth about
30 cents
II On one Of these visits to New Am
sterdam the chief of the Montauks
met with Tamaraud, or Tammany, then
Sachem Of the Algonquins. Tammany
stuck around the Montauk chief all the
time he was in town. The story Of the
Montauks treasure chest appealed to
Tammany. Indeed, it may have been
something more than gossip that Tam
many wanted to marry into the Mon
tauk tribe.
When the Indians began to dispose
of their lands on Long Island they at
first got real Dutch money, or its
equal In disable barter. But It wasn't
always SO. Take the gallant old Chief
Smackatagh, for example. He held .
considerable stretch Of wave-washed
land on the ocean side of the island.
One Sally Higbee, a buxom young
maiden, was anxious to acquire tract
upon which she and her intended hus-
band might make their home Smack
atagh-suggestive name. In view Of the
incident offered to sell the required
acres.
How much?" asked Sally. leaning
against the door and rolling her hands
up In her apron.
The big chiefs solemn face broke
into grin as he replied that he would
sell it for kiss. Why, she sat down
with her father, who knew thing
or two about such laws OF contracts a.
obtained at the time, and drew up
contract which the chief signed. Then
she turned her plump cheek to tie In
dian, who kissed 1t and went away
satisfied. The contract, which is still
in existence, reads:
sally Higbee did receive notable
tracke Of land from Chief Smackatagh.
by reason of kiss which he did begge
Of her, and which she bestowed In con-
sideration Of having the said lande
given her by the salvage"
In 1859, when all the Montauks Of
fighting age were summoned to coun-
Gil, their number exceeded 600. War
fare and sickness made such great in
roads during the next three genera
lions, that, instead of increasing In
number, they had become less than 200
in 1859. In 1929 tribal roll call was
answered by. only 30, and 40 years
thereafter there were only 20.
The last real council of the tribe
was convened In the early seventies.
Chief David Pharaoh went to the coun-
ell arrayed in all the ancient plumery
of the Montauks, and called his follow.
ers to their places In a semi-circle
around him. He passed the pipe from
one to another In silence, and then adj
dressed them as the father OF the
tribe. Could 1t be, he asked, that the
tribe, which had lived for centuries in
happiness on Long Island. was DOOM
ed to extinction? What had the tribes
men to say? Nothing. It was late aft
ernoon. The chief bowed his head and
with the others sat in silence. BY and
by the sun went down. Then the chief
arose, folded his cloak rhout him.
made sign that the coun had done
It's work, and passed wit assured
stride into the shadows. -rs
followed.
For half century more or less the
Montauk Indian lands have been In
litigation. Deeds bearing date Of 1869
we're shown in court during the several
hearings. What the tribe might have
succeeded in accomplishing, had Il
been able, to count It's people on the
fingers OF two hands and prove that 4
they still lived together under tribal
need not lead to specula-
ton here. A living tribe held many
broad and valuable acres by ancient
deeds. The tribe had ceased to ex
ist, and the property was lost to them.