THE SEMINOLE INDIANS OF FLORIDA.
Reading edition
BY
CLAY MacCAULEY.
CONTENTS.
Page.
Letter of transmittal 475
Introduction 477
CHAPTER I.
Personal characteristics 481
Physical characteristics 481
Physique of the men 481
Physique of the women 482
Clothing 482
Costume of the men 483
Costume of the women 485
Personal adornment 486
Hairdressing 466
Ornamentation of clothing 487
Use of beads 487
Silver disks 488
Ear rings 488
Finger rings 489
Silver vs. gold 489
Crescents 489
Me-le 489
Psychical characteristics 490
Ko-nip-ha-tco 492
Intellectual ability 493
CHAPTER II.
Seminole society 495
The Seminole family 495
Courtship 496
Marriage 496
Divorce 498
Childbirth 497
Infancy 497
Childhood 498
Seminole dwellings—I-ful-lo-ha-tco’s house 499
Home life 503
Food 504
Camp fire 505
Manner of eating 505
Amusements 506
The Seminole gens 507
Fellowhood 508
The Seminole tribe 508
Tribal organization 508
Seat of government 508
Tribal officers 509
Name of tribe 509
CHAPTER III.
Seminole tribal life 510
Industries 510
Agriculture 510
Soil 510
Corn 510
Sugar cane 511
Hunting 512
Fishing 513
Stock raising 513
Koonti 513
Industrial statistics 516
Arts 516
Industrial arts 516
Utensils and implements 516
Weapons 516
Weaving and basket making 517
Uses of the palmetto 517
Mortar and pestle 517
Canoe making 517
Fire making 518
Preparation of skins 518
Ornamental arts 518
Music 519
Religion 519
Mortuary customs 520
Green Corn Dance 522
Use of Medicines 523
General observations 523
Standard of value 523
Divisions of time 524
Numeration 525
Sense of color 525
Education 526
Slavery 526
Health 526
CHAPTER IV.
Environment of the Seminole 527
Nature 527
Man 529
ILLUSTRATIONS
Plate XIX. Seminole dwelling 500
Fig. 60. Map of Florida 477
61. Seminole costume 483
62. Key West Billy 484
63. Seminole costume 485
64. Manner of wearing the hair 486
65. Manner of piercing the ear 488
66. Baby cradle or hammock 497
67. Temporary dwelling 502
68. Sugar cane crusher 511
69. Koonti log 514
70. Koonti pestles 514
71. Koonti mash vessel 514
72. Koonti strainer 515
73. Mortar and pestle 517
74. Hide stretcher 518
75. Seminole bier 510
76. Seminole grave 521
77. Green Corn Dance 523
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
Minneapolis, Minn., June 24,1884.
Sir: During the winter of 1880-’81 I visited Florida, commissioned by you to inquire into the condition and to ascertain the number of the Indians commonly known as the Seminole then in that State. I spent part of the months of January, February, and March in an endeavor to accomplish this purpose. I have the honor to embody the result of my work in the following report.
On account of causes beyond my control the paper does not treat of these Indians as fully as I had intended it should. Owing to the ignorance prevailing even in Florida of the locations of the homes of the Seminole and also to the absence of routes of travel in Southern Florida, much of my time at first was consumed in reaching the Indian country. On arriving there, I found myself obliged to go among the Indians ignorant of their language and without an interpreter able to secure me intelligible interviews with them except in respect to the commonest things. I was compelled, therefore, to rely upon observation and upon very simple, perhaps sometimes misunderstood, speech for what I have here placed on record. But while the report is only a sketch of a subject that would well reward thorough study, it may be found to possess value as a record of facts concerning this little-known remnant of a once powerful people.
I have secured, I think, a correct census of the Florida Seminole by name, sex, age, gens, and place of living. I have endeavored to present a faithful portraiture of their appearance and personal characteristics, and have enlarged upon their manners and customs, as individuals and as a society, as much as the material at my command will allow; but under the disadvantageous circumstances to which allusion has already been made, I have been able to gain little more than a superficial and partial knowledge of their social organization, of the elaboration among them of the system of gentes, of their forms and methods of government, of their tribal traditions and modes of thinking, of their religious beliefs and practices, and of many other things manifesting what is distinctive in the life of a people. For these reasons I submit this report more as a guide for future investigation than as a completed result.
In conclusion, I hope that, notwithstanding the unfortunate delays which have occurred in the publication of this report, it will still be found to add something to our knowledge of this Indian tribe not without value to those who make man their peculiar study.
Very respectfully,
CLAY MacCAULEY.
Maj. J. W. Powell,
Director Bureau of Ethnology.