Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-06-10
The Indian Tribes
OF the Eastern Shore
lCoNTINrED FROM PAGE Id

were established around the bay Of
that name and throughout the state
OF Pennsylvania. The Mohicans were
another branch who were also in that
region extending up toward the Hud-
son River, while those who came to
our region and to the Eastern Shore
We're the Nanticokes Each seemed
to have selected region best suited
to It's taste and disposition.
The Nanticokes seemed to have
been more peace loving and more de-
voted TO fishing and hunting gama.
Their name signifies trapperS and
here they found a region formed by
nature best suited TO their taste.
Densely wooded by nature. the SOM
bre forest. through which mingled the
pungent odor of the pine. tecmed with
abundance OF wild game. which must
have afforded an easy target to the
skillfu bowman, while the numerous
streams and bays that penetrate its
shores provided them with an uneX-
hauStibe supply of oysters, fish and
many other d4licaccs Of these waters.
The fertile alluyial soil along the mar
gin Of these creeks and rivers too,
yielded luNuriant field, of Indian corn
and tobacco with little effort. While
their kindred tribes. the Delawares
and the Mohicans. from whom they
had separated, were warning with
their deadly enemy, the Iroquois to
the north. tn Nanticoke> thus pro-
tected from attacks Of hostile Indians
from that source and barricaded by
the broad waters Of the Chesapeake
Bay from any interruption in other
directions lived out THAR quiet, I'M
eventful and happy life. When they
first came 10 the Eastern Shore or
how long they had been here b fore
the white settlers arrived cannot be
known, except that il was evidently at
a later , riod than other parts of the
country We're occupied Probably.
not more than a few hundred wears
before. certainly not more than a
thousand wears. brief period in the
cycl Of time. a. is shown by the fact
that the piles of shells left by them
do not extend more than foot or SO
below the surface of the ground.
While along the Atlantic Coast. both
North and South of the Eastern
Shors. these deposits are much thick
cr and deeper These Indians Of the
Eastern Shore were more expert in
the making OF weapons and impl
ments from stone than were the other
Indians. due probably to the fact that
the stone had to be brought from
quite distance as there was none
TO be found here.
1t is contended by some that the
Nanticokes comprised all the Indians
upon The Eastern Shore, Will others
hold that The Powhatan Confederacy
inhabited that part Of the peninsula
which IS now portion Of Virginia
and spoke that language. The Ian
guage Of the NanticokeS is now eX-
tinct and i not known to tn" Indians
now living. Their number n any
time while here probably did not eX-
coed foI,. ,hopsand
/, would he most interesting 10 mar.
rate -omethinC Of the traits and char
actor of n l. Unfortunate donar,ed
noonlo If ,imo pa,mitted OF tbeir
abiding .aprem,. taitb N tho Grea,
>piiit Inc .oprc. N An life from,
vhor, every good hing can,a OF
their fidelity 70 a friend though
yencefnl n IN enemy or how. ,bei,
trust was so ofnn botraved nv .ome
in.c,tin9lou. white which fnall,
embittered ,hem. and led 10 thei,, ev.
termination
Deing rolioinu. in thci, nature
thav Wen. likewise as miobt he .up.
nc.od II tbei, un,utoreJ sta,e IL.
tremelv spner.ti,ious Tho "Nanti.
coke" we're accused Of b ing skillec
in ;re net, of yitcbcraf, and were
nucb DREADED an tbat account The,
wero said ia have baon the inventor,
of n poisonous substance hv which
,hev could DESTROY = who'll .e.tlemen-
Of noopla. and Other tribes who pre.