antagonistic to even such primary education
as reading, writing, and calculation. About ten years ago an attempt,
the only attempt in modern times, to establish schools among them was
made by Rev. Mr. Frost, now at Myers, Fla. He did not succeed.

Slavery.

By reference to the population table, it will be noticed that there are
three negroes and seven persons of mixed breed among the Seminole. It
has been said that these negroes were slaves and are still held as
slaves by the Indians. I saw nothing and could not hear of anything
to justify this statement. One Indian is, I know, married to a negress,
and the two negresses in the tribe live apparently on terms of perfect
equality with the other women. Me-le goes and comes as he sees fit.
No one attempts to control his movements. It may be that long ago the
Florida Indians held negroes as slaves, but my impression is to the
contrary. The Florida Indians, I think, rather offered a place of refuge
for fugitive bondmen and gradually made them members of their tribe.

Health.

In the introduction to this report I said that the health of the
Seminole is good. As confirming this statement, I found that the deaths
during the past year had been very few. I had trustworthy information
concerning the deaths of only four persons. One of these deaths was of
an old woman, O-pa-ka, at the Fish Eating Creek settlement; another was
of Tael-la-haes-ke's wife, at Cat Fish Lake settlement; another was of a
sister of Tael-la-haes-ke; and the last was of a child, at Cow Creek
settlement. At the Big Cypress Swamp settlement I was assured that no
deaths had occurred either there or at Miami during the year. On the
contrary, however, I was told by some white people at Miami that several
children had died at the Indian camp near there in the year past.
Tael-la-haes-ke said to me, "Twenty moons ago, heap pickaninnies die!" And
I was informed by others that about two years before there had been
considerable fatality among children, as the consequence of a sort of
epidemic at one of the northern camps. Admitting the correctness of
these reports, I have no reason to modify my general statement that the
health of the Seminole is good and that they are certainly increasing
their number. Their appearance indicates excellent health and their
environment is in their favor.

CHAPTER IV.

Environment Of The Seminole.

Nature.

Southern Florida, the region to which most of the Seminole have