The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 64

4-D TAMPA SUNDAY TRIBUNE. Sunday. July 19. 1953 Third Governor Of The State I 1 il JV IF It 49 Old News Clippings Tell About Death Of Brave Chief Chipco MANY OLD-TIMERS in Tampa and other towns in Southwest- Florida will remember old Chief Chipco. Even when near 90 years of age he was an imposing figure over 6 feet tall, straight as a young pine, always alert, and very dignified.

Mounted on a spirited horse, wearing the bright-colored dress to which the Florida tribes were addicted, he made a picture not easily forgotten. Thinking. Location Of Indian War Forts Described In Military His to ry A. F. Knotts.

founder of Yankeetown and Mayor of the village from its birth until his death, had an Interesting hobby the collection of rare historical books, records and manuscripts. I am told that the collection is most comprehensive, and is particularly complete in its coverage of early Florida history. Marion Neeld of Dunnellon had intimate friendship with the pioneer Mayor Knotts and has maintained this relation with his nephew and successor as Mayor, Eugene Knotts, so that he has had the privilege of to the I V. 1 I 'r mated to be about 20 miles in length and from five to seven in breadth. "During the occupation of Fort Mellon on Lake Monroe by a part of the forces commanded by General Jesup an exploring party under Lieutenant Peyton discovered, 11 miles above Lake Monroe, a large lake not before known, nearly 13 miles in length, to which he gave the name of Lake Jesup Lieutenant Peyton continued up the river about 14 miles above the lake, and found the stream bending to the northeast as he ascended.

A branch is supposed to communicate with Indian river, but nothing is known certainly of the source of the St. Johns. "OF THE INTERIOR of the country south of a line from Tampa Bay to Cape Canaveral we have no knowledge, except what has been gathered from the accounts of Indians and Negroes. According to them the trail from Tampa to the Kissimmee (the stream which flows from the south end of Tohopekaliga Lake), after crossing the Alafia river 15 miles from Tampa Bay, passes over a barren desert country crosses Pease Creek near its head at the ford thence passing near the pond at the head of the east branch of Pease Creek, it crosses a range of ponds extending from northeast to southwest at Buffalo Ford Yanasah Intoigittah, thence over a rolling sandy country, to a stream flowing south called Weeokufka, or Muddy Water. About a mile east of Buffalo Ford commences the sand hills, probably a continua-, tion of the range which commences at Ahapopka lake.

At the beginning of those hills the trait forks, one branch going to the Big Cypress, the other from Weeokupka to Kissimmee. Much of the country is low and in the rainy season covered with water -on either hand is seen a great se of them in the happy hunting grounds. "The remnant of Chipco's band -now numbers but three warriors. -with their women, children and Negroes, and the chieftain's mantle has descended on the shoulders of Chipco's oldest son, who will be known in diplomatic circles as Tustennuggee Tahusky.f "There are other Indian bands residing below Okeechobee, they are steadily decreasing in numbers, and persistently resist every effort of our government to ameliorate their condition." HE FOUGHT A BEAR ANOTHER CHIPCO story tells of his fight with an enraged mother bear whose cub he was attempting to take from her den. It was written by a correspondent of the Jasper Times and pub--lished a few days after the old -Indian's death.

"Chipco is dead. He was not. as has been stated by some writ- James E. Boome was the third Governor of Florida elected after the state was admitted to the Union, serving 1853-57. He was born in Hamburg, Aiken County, South Carolina, December 15, 1808, the son of John and Jeannette (Witherspoon) Broome.

He located in Tallahassee in 1S37, engaging in mercantile business until 1841. He was appointed probate judge in 1843 by Governor Call, a member of the opposing political party, and served until his retirement in 1848. He was elected Governor in 1852 as the Democratic nominee, although nominees of the Whig party were elected to all other state offices. He was a public speaker of great ability, which had much to do with his success in politics. He was an early champion of the principles of states-rights, and was known as the "veto governor," vetoing more acts of the legislature than any of his predecessors.

After his term as governor he was elected senator from Leon County. He had one of the largest plantations in the state. He was married five times. After the Civil War he moved to New Y'ork City. He died while on a visit in DeLand, November 23, 1883.

Freed Slaves By Pseudo-Congressman back about 75 years I distinctly recall Chipco and his group of Indians and Negroes on the streets and in the stores, trading hides, skins, furs, bird plumes, jerked venison, bead work, for the bright-colored cloths from which they made their clothing and turbans, ammunition, guns and knives, needles and threads, salt, fancy gewgaws and liquor. Though but a child I attended a dinner at the Orange Grove hotel then the principal hotel in the town at which Chipco was a guest, invited by the manager to gratify the curiosity of a large number of tourists from the North. He amazed everyone present by the vast quantity of food he consumed. Miss Lillian Carpenter, lovely, daughter of a prominent pioneer Polk County family, was visiting in Tampa this week. She is the assistant to Hon.

Milton Wilson, Polk County historian, and her interest in the early history of Florida is keen and discriminat ing. For several years past she has furnished me interesting ma- terial at intervals, and on this visit brought a particularly intriguing collection of ancient newspaper clippings, legends and accounts of historic incidents. There were several stories relating to old Chief Chipco, and these awakened memories. First, there was the account of Chipco's death and burial, copied from the Bartow Courier-Informant of November 12, 1881: CHIPCO'S DEATH "THE NEWS has just reached us of the death of Chief Emathla Chipco, the chief of the remnant of a band of Tallahassee Indians, on the 16th of October last. "This noted Seminole warrior, as near as can be learned, 100 years of age, had, up to a few months back, been able to engage in the hunts and annual festivities of his tribe, but has at last had to succumb to old age.

He fully participated in the long Seminole war, and at the time Billy Bowlegs and his companions were deported to the Indian territory, in 1856, Chipco and his band managed to elude their pursuers, and have since lived here and there in the Kissimmee country, though of late years their main camp, has been about 25 miles east of here, near the Catfish lakes. "Though not actually engaged in the memorable Dade massacre, in. 1835, Chipco was pres-. enf at many massacres and battles of minor importance. In talking over his past career, he expressed regret fpr but one deed, which was the killing of a white infant by tossing it up and catching it as it came down on the point of his hunting knife.

"The usual formalities peculiar to Indian tribes were gone through with at his death 6 fine horses and many fat hogs having been shot and killed at his grave, and his rifle and hunting accoutrements, together with cooking utensils, were buried with him, so that he might have the Land O' Lakes John F. Lane, writing from Lutz, vigorously protests against the continuous use of the names of the communities of Drexei, Denham, etc. He says these communities have been abolished and the whole area is now known as Land Lakes, that they are not shown on any modern road maps. Although he writes his address as on a rural route out of Lutz, the postmark on his envelope is stamped Land O' Lakes. By James J.

Metcalfe OUR PAGES OF LIFE Our pages all are numbered and We have to fill them in With every action in our life Of charity or sin We do not know how large the book According to our age Or what will be the number of The last and final page But it will be an accurate Account of what we do Including all the sufferings We actually go through So let us strive to write each page According to God's way As we pursue our life on earth And live from day to day Let us endeavor to correct Our errors of the past And write and live each coming page As though it were, our last. WTV' its source is 30 or 40 yards wide, the water is of the color of copperas and its temperature much higher than that of the river water. A trail crosses by a ford two miles below its source, from the vicinity of Camp Izard to near Fort Clinch. "This fort is on the right bank of the river 12 miles above the mouth. The position cannot be held in Summer, owing to its extreme unhealthfulness at that season.

The country to the north and east of the fort is very low, and even in the dry season is partially covered with water. In the summer it must be almost impassable. The banks of the river below Fort- Clinph are low and marshy and at times covered with water. At high water the bar at the mouth has about ZYx feet. During the summer of 1831, an expedition was fitted out by the naval commander in Tampa Bay to examine the coast between Anclote Key and the Wee-thloe-cochee, with a view to ascertaining if any streams entered the Gulf between those points.

None were then discovered. "The operations of General Jesup have, however, led to the discovery of several considerable streams, which, rising in the Vast swamp of Annutteeliga, flow Into the Gulf north of Anclote Key. The Annutteeliga swamp is adjacent to the Gulf and Its northern extremity is near the Wee-thloe-cochee. It extends south of Chocochattee, near which is Its coastline limit. A good road was opened by the troops commanded by General Scott from Camp Izard through the towns of Chocochattee to Tampa Bay.

a distance of 80 miles. "Between this route and the Gulf the country is but little known. North of the mouth of the Wee-thloe-cochee is a very formidable swamp called the Wacasassa. (Ed. note This is the Gulf Hammock area, the river is the Wacasassa.) A river bearing the same name flows through the swamp.

"The principal base of operations has been on a line from Tampa Bay to Garey's Ferry on Black Creek, a distance of about 180 miles. This base was strongly fortified by stockade works until the excessive unhealthiness rendered the abandonment of several of the most important unavoidable. Twenty-one miles northeast from Tampa this line crosses the Hillsborough river. At this point is situated Fort Foster, commanding a bridge over the river, which in the rainy season is not fordable. Twenty-two miles beyond at the Wee-thloe-cochee is Fort Dade, of equal strength with Fort Foster.

A bridge is commanded by the fort at this point. "FOURTEEN MILES to the north, commanding the Wahoo and Paneesufekee swamps as well as the principal Indian trails, is Fort Armstrong, near the battle grounds of Major Dade. "These three posts are so unhealthy in the summer that it is impossible to maintain them. At Fort Dade, for instance, when it was abandoned in July of the current year, of seven companies of the 6th Infantry comprising its garrison there were but 8 men fit for duty. Fort King, near the Big Swamp and Long Swamp, the residence of the Miccasukies before the war, is situated near the Ocklawaha and about 100 miles from Tampa Bay.

The fort is on high ground, is supplied with excellent water, and is healthy at all seasons. The road to this point from Tampa passes over a country which, except at very few points, is low and barren pine land, presenting few difficulties in the way of transporting supplies at any season. Twenty-five miles northwest from Fort King is Mic-conopo, a very healthy position with excellent water. The road between these two points is generally good, over a rolling, stony country, much of which is hammock land of excellent quality. The posts of Fort Drane at Clinch's Plantation, and Oakland at Mcintosh's or Orange Lake, proved so unhealthy as to compel abandonment.

"Fort Crane, a stockade garrisoned by a detachment of local militia and occupied by the lies of the settlers, is 6 miles north of Micconopa. Fort Harllee is 27 miles north from Micconopa at the point where the road crosses the St. Fe river. This post has proved quite healthy. The country between it and Micconopa is low and wet and the road difficult in many -'places after rains.

Fort Heiliman on Black Creek is 26 miles to the northeast of Fort Harllee, and is the principal depot for the supply of the posts north of the Wee-thloe-cochee and or operations on the St. Johns river. It is, however, proposed to supply Fort King through the Ocklawaha, and Micconopa and the posts to the west are already drawing their supplies through the Suwannee and Santa Fe. The frontier settlements are protected by a line of posts extending from Fort Peyton, on Moultrie Creek, 7 miles south of St. Augustine, to Clay Landing.

8 miles below Old Town on the Suwannee. "West of St Augustine 11 miles is Wheelman's, a plantation occupied by a detachment of Flor ers, a Seminole chief of the Tallahassee Indians. He was an ex-chief of the remnant of the. once-powerful Creek Indians and. was deposed many years ago.

when Tullahusdee (or DahuskeelT was raised to the chief tancy by-treaty with the whites. "Chipco's history would be very interesting if only avail able. Several 'pale-faces' of country fell under his rifle, knife or hatchet, never to rise again, and yet he was old when he canie to this country. I don't suppose he knew what fear was," being brought up amid dangers' of all kinds. "On one occasion, he crawled after some bear cubs.

The mother appeared on the scene, in the rear, just as he was emerging backward with a cub. which was making loud complaint. The old. bear caught his left shoulder in her mouth, and snatched him out quicker than he entered. She continued her hold on him after she got him out, and was giving him anything but a pleasant embrace.

But, sudden as the onslaught was, Chipco neither got scared or excited, but proceeded In a cool manner to strike over his shoulder with his hunting knife, till Mrs. Bruin had enough and turned him loose, when he snatched op his gun, which was not far off, and dispatched the bear. "Chipco, in this fracas, had his shoulder dislocated, and thc. blade bone partly torn out. "Persons who have seen the I scars assure-me.

that they were perfectly sickening to behold. "Another Indian witnessed the fight from a tree-top. The two Indians' statements, with the I scars to verify them, make this a true tale. "Gen. Putnam will now take back seat, inasmuch- as we had rather pull a cart-load of dead wolves out -of their dens than" one live cub, under the above difficulties.

"Chipco has a son in the Indian territory, who spells his name Chupco, and who is educated as a minister." The Brandons Mrs. Chas. B. Kruger, of Miami, daughter of Frank Bran- don, and historian of the family, has traced the line back to King Henry VII of England. She says the pioneer of the family, John Brandon, came to Tampa in 1857 from Mississippi and settled in the East Hillsborough community which he later named Brandon not after Bran- don, but after the Brandon family.

The late Isaac Brandon was only two years old when his father came to Florida. He was born in Tishemungo County, 1 Miss. Gerard Brandon was governor of Mississippi in 1826. Robert Marion Brandon was killed in the battle of Gettys- burg "of course, on the Confederate side," Mrs. Kruger asserts pride.

Twelve sons and two daughters were born to the John Brandon family. Some of them moved to the West, and usually wherever they located a community named Brandon developed. Mrs. Kruger's letter was inspired by errors in a note from James N. Reynolds of Lake Wales recently appearing on this page; Her genealogical record of the Brandon family has been filed with the Hillsborough County Historical Commission.

THIS VERY ludicrous incident in the political record of the state was related in the History of Florida published in 1922 by-the Lewis Publishing of New York and Chicago. It refers to the period immediately following the Civil War, when the bewildered ex-slaves were being exploited by the hordes of corrupt scalawags who had invaded the state, and incited to foolish actions and attitudes. I have not found the story in any other publication: "Congressman" Oats "In the meantime the freed-men themselves had become much excited over their prospective right of suffrage, an expectation much encouraged by the political adventurers. It was but natural that they should desire close connection the Federal Government through representation in Congress. So that, early in 1866, the freed-men held a meeting in the African Methodist church in Tallahassee, and Joseph Oats, formerly a slave of Governor Walker, was unanimously elected.

"The next step was to raise money to send the newly-elected, congressman to Washington. The money was forthcoming, as plenty of old men and women gave their last dollar to send one of their race to the national congress. Several hundred dollars was thus raised and given to Oats, who shortly afterward was 'off to "He remained away from Tallahassee until his money was gone, when he wrote back designating the time when he would return. The freedmen prepared to picnic at Houstoun's Spring, about a mile from Tallahassee. Oats notified them that if they desired to know what he had done for them while in congress they must prepare to protect him, as the whites would kill him when they should learn what he had accomplished against them.

"The 20th of May, the day on library at his pleasure "On a recent visit Mr. Neeld discovered a report dated at Fort Brooke Sept. 2, 1837, covering "that portion of Florida which has been the theater of military -operations during the years 1836 and 1837." Accompanying the report was a map of South and Middle Florida, clearly showing the topography of the territory, the military roads, the posts and stockades then in existence the most interesting and informative of the many military maps of the territory that I have been privileged to inspect. Mr. Neeld copied the report and sent me the copy and the map.

The report was signed by T. B. Leiman, adjutant on the staff of Maj. Gen. T.

S. Jesup. I am presenting the report, but the map "blown up" sufficiently to make It readable would require more than a page of The Tribune, so it cannot be used. Adjutant Leiman's Report THEATER of military operations in Florida has been chiefly confined to the district of country included between the 28th and 30th parallels of North latitude. Occasional expeditions have been directed to numerous points of the coast from Charlotte Harbor on the Gulf of Mexico nearly to Cape Canaveral on the Atlantic.

"Of all parts of this tract, the greatest interest attaches to the Wee-thloe-cochee river and its vicinity, on account of the obstinate defense which the Indians made of the strongholds on its banks and the reluctance which they evinced to abandon them. Here have been fought the hardest battles that have distinguished the war, and if the sue- cess on the part of the whites has been but partial it must be in a great measure attributed to our ignorance of the country and of the passes from one position to another, forcing us to confine our attacks to a single point and depriving us of the advantages of intercepting the enemy's retreat the knowledge that we have acquired of this river has been gained at the point of the bayonet. "It takes its rise in several cypress swamps in about the latitude 28.30, and crossing the military road from Tampa Bay 43 miles from Fort Brooke, pursues a north and west course to the Gulf of Mexico, where it discharges itself in latitude 29 degrees 9. Its course is remarkably tortuous, its breadth seldom ex- ceeds 23 yards, and its depth varies from 3 feet on the rapids to 12 or 14 in its more sluggish parts. By direction of General Jesup an examination of the stream was made by Lieutenant Hunter of the Navy.

In a small steamer this officer effected the ascent of the river to within a few miles of Camp Izard, where he left the steamboat and continued his examination in a smaller boat about 25 miles farther to a lake fed by a multi- tude of small streams, none of which were sufficiently large to admit his boat. Later examinations have led to the belief that Lieutenant Hunter might have mistaken one of the tributaries for the main river after passing Camp Izard. "The distance in the river as estimated by Lieutenant Hunter, from the mouth to the highest point reached by him. is 90 miles, and the same points are probably not more than 25 or 30 miles distant in a direct line. Twenty-one rapids were passed: some of them were passed by steam alone, others rendered warping and Spanish windlass necessary.

"The river after crossing the military road takes a course nearly north for about 40 miles, and then bends to the west on the east side of the north stretch are situated the Wahoo and Pance Sufkee swamps. The latter is very extensive and contains a lake of some magnitude, the source of Muddy Branch, the principal tributary of the Wee-thloe-cochee. "Below, and on the opposite side of the river, is the Cove formed by a chain of lakes or ponds communicating with each other by boggy sluices and extending from a point five miles above Camp Izard almost to Choco-Chattee. The Cove is the tract between the lakes and river which communicate at both extremities and consist of pine islands, cypress swamps, hammocks, scrubs and These three localities on both sides of the river from their size and intricacy afforded admirable positions for defense and concealment in case of defeat to the Indians, who in a short time if pressed were able to throw themselves across the river and place themselves in security on the opposite bank among the large trees in its swamps. In each of these positions were large fields, their soils being of excellent quality.

"BELOW CAMP IZARD there are no positions that compare in point of strength with those above; the river is at times without swamp, the pine woods extending to its banks. Ten miles below Camp Izard is a remarkable spring called the Blue Spring Ed. note This is now known as Rainbow Springs) that bursts from the base of a hill with the magnitude of a small river. The basin immediately at ida volunteers. Picolata on the St.

Johns, a stockade garrisoned by regular troops, is 18 miles from St. Augustine. Fort Hanson, on Moccasin Branch. 18 miles southwest from St. Augustine, commands the trail from that town to the Indian crossing at Pilatka.

West of Fort Harllee, which with Fort Heiliman is embraced in the line of frontier defense, is Fort Gilleland at Newnansville, the county town of Alachua, garrisoned by Florida volunteers. "Twenty miles west of at the head of steamboat navigation on the Santa Fe, is Fort White. This depot will supply the posts at Newnansville and Micconopa, and that ordered to be established near the Alachua savanna. It is important as commanding the route of the Indians from the Wee-thloe-cochee to the Okeefinokee swamp. It is garrisoned Florida volunteers.

"At the western extremity of the line near the principal crossing places of the Indians on the Suwannee (Clay Landing), is Fort Fanning, garrisoned by a de-' tachment of Florida volunteers. This post also commands the Wacasassa swamp. "SEVERAL POSTS have been established in rear of the line just indicated, which were found necessary for the protection and subsistence of the inhabitants near the frontier. Of these three are on the Suwannee, viz: one at Livingston's, one at Charles Ferry, and one at the shoals, the head of navigation in the dry season all garrisoned by Florida volunteers. "The post at Lowthers is near the trail from the Ocklawaha to Trader's Hill and commands it.

The posts of Jacksonville and Mandarin on the St. Johns are garrisoned by Florida militia for local defense. The line of fron-. tier defense has also been strengthened by a small post seven miles southwest from Fort Heileman and another 14 miles, both on the road to Fort Harllee the first known as the post at Siecocks, the other as the post at Monroe's. "Two important positions were occupied on the upper St.

Johns, Fort Call at Volusia and Fort Mellon on Lake Monroe. These posts both proved so unhealthy in the summer that it was found impossible to hold them without a great sacrifice of life. From Fort Call a road was opened dur- ing the campaigns conducted by General Scott intersecting the Tampa Bay road west of Pilak-likaha. Between the St. Johns and Ocklawaha the country is quite barren, passing for part of the distance through a dense scrub said to extend pearly to the meeting of the two rivers.

"The Ocklawaha where crossed by the road is about 15 yards wide, with low banks and too deep to be fordable. A tolerable ford may, however, be found by crossing the part of the lake which discharges into the river at this point. Six miles west of the river is the swamp of Okee-humkee, through a part of which the road passes. From this point to Fort Armstrong the road is good, passing over a pine country generally flat. The road passes through the Indian town of Pilaklekaho, residence of the principal chief of the Seminole.

Micconopa. It is about eight miles from Fort Armstrong. At this point the route of General Jesup to Tohopekaliga diverges from the Volusia road. "The country on this route is undulating, principally pine land interspersed with numerous ponds and lakes. A considerable stream crosses it at the head of the Okeehumkee swamp, supposed to be the Ocklawaha.

At the western extremity of Aha-popka lake commences a range of high sand hills called by the Indians Theanhatkus (White Mountain) whose southern extent is not ascertained. Their height is so considerable and the acclivity so great that drag ropes heavily manned were found necessary to assist the horses of the wagon trains to pass them. To the east and south the route is over a rolling country, thickly interspersed with deep ponds and lakes until it reaches a point west of the north extremity of Lake Tohopekaliga, where the country becomes more level, and continues over a low pine country and the prairie bordering the lake, to the extreme point reached by Gen eral Jesup near the south part of the lake. "To the west of the lake and road is situated Big Cypress Swamp, a stronghold of the Indians-capable of being defended by a few men against a vastly superior number. The coontie root abounds in the neighborhood, and this, with the cabbage tree, furnish an ample supply of vegetable food to the Indians.

"A deep stream called Hatchee Lustee (Black Creek) flows through the swamp and is crossed at only one point by a log. Immense cypress trees on either side afford protection to those who dispute the passage. An intricate pass of the same description and equal strength is found on the Ocklawaha east of Fort King, said to be a favorite haunt of Assee-n-Yahola or Powell Osceola. "Tohopekaliga Lake is esti pvtpnt of IpvpI nrairie enuntrv withou trees, called by the Indians Hiokpa. "The Kissimmee is about seven miles beyond Weeokufka where the trail crosses it, the stream is deep and about 100 or 120 yards wide, the bottom is hard sand.

In the vicinity of Kissimmee the Seminole people chiefly live, since the destruction of their towns in the northern and western part of their country. About a mile to the east of Pease creek the trail branches the southern route wading a creek, the Caloo-sahatchee to Punta Rassa, the south point of Charlotte Harbour. "Various opinions are entertained as to the point where the water of Lake Tohopekaliga is discharged, whether into the Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico. It is believed by some to be the head of the Caloosahatchee. which empties into Charlotte Harbour.

"It has been stated by a very -intelligent Indian quite familiar with the interior, whose account has been corroborated by other Indians, that the Kissimmee flows into a large lake called Oke-chobee, or Big Water; from this a river called Lochahatchee or Turtle Creek flows south into a vast lake called Pa-hai-okee, In speaking of this lake the Indians describe it as the Open Sea. It gradually approaches the eastern coast of the peninsula towards the south and extends nearly to Cape Sable. The Indian informant stated that no communication existed between Tohopekaliga and the Caloosahatchee; this is, however, contradicted by the account of a captured Negro, who seems to have a good knowledge of the country in general. The Indian stated that the waters of these lakes were chiefly discharged into the Atlantic, and that the only stream flowing from them into the Gulf, by which a boat could ascend to them, was quite near Cape Sable. This is supposed to be the river called on the map Shark river, about eight miles from the Cape.

Many of the streams emptying into the Atlantic from the St. Lucie to Cay Cargo are known to have their sources in large bodies of water of unknown extent, usually termed the Everglades. The distance from the head of the St. Lucie river at the lake to its mouth is estimated to be about 50 miles towards the south the distance to the lake up the river diminishes at New River it is about 18 miles at Rio Raton 8. "A party of sailors and marines commanded by Lieutenant Powell of the U.

S. Navy ascended New River into the lake at its head. It was found to be of uneoual depth but generally shallow. The want of provisions prevented the party from exploring sufficiently to form an estimate of its dimensions. islands were found one of them has been represented by an individual who attempted to explore the lakes as 12 miles long and abounding in game.

The position to which the Indians have been driven, south of Lake Monroe and east of Tohopekaliga, is most accessible by the St. Johns river steamboats of light draft can ascend to Lake Jesup, and perhaps much farther. "It is apprehended that Indian river cannot be made available in the operation on the eastern side of the peninsula on account of the oyster bars which obstruct it for a distance of 10 miles at the narrows, 15 or 20 miles north of the inlet, making the passage difficult even for small boats. The streams on the Atlantic side south of St. Lucie river generally have falls of six or seven feet near their heads; those emptying into the Gulf south 'of Tampa Bay, as far as ascertained, are without falls, though they are not free from rapids.

"Shark river is said to be navigable for boats into the Everglades. The Caloosahatchee or Sanybel has been examined 40 or 50 miles above its mouth to a small lake; above this point it is unknown. -As far as explored it is deep and free from obstruction and navigable for small steamboats. Pease Creek is rapid, narrow and much obstructed. None of the rivers emptying into Tampa Bay are navigable to any great distance from their mouth.

The Man-nettee near the entrance to the Bay is the largest. Vessels drawing nine feet can enter it." Hoodwinked which General McCook marched his troops into Tallahassee and declared all the inhabitants to be free, was the day set apart for Oats to tell the freedmen of the great work he had accomplished in Congress. At 9 o'clock on that memorable 20th of May the drums commenced beating and the freedmen to the number of two or three thousand formed in line, marched to the Oats dwelling, and sent a committee armed with old cavalry sabres and pistols to escort their congressman to the place of destination. He was escorted to Houstoun's Spring, when the committee at his reqeust arranged that he should be surrounded by the freedmen and the whites kept from hearing him or hearing what he said. The whites, however, did not know what was.

going on, other than a celebration or a picnic, and were not present. "Oats' speech was to the effect that he had seen the president, that they had true friends in Washington, etc. It was believed, however, that Oats did not go further than Savannah, where he, had a good time, spent the freedmen's money and returned home. After Oats had finished his story about the president and his great labors in congress the crowd sent up their huzzas for an hour and then sat down to a big dinner. Whisky was plentiful on the ground, and was freely imbibed by the freedmen.

A dispute arose among them as to where Oats had been, and the affair ended in a general knockdown and drag-out. "Oats was a carpenter by trade, and before being set free had hired himself from his master, could read and write and was therefor capable of hoodwinking the average freedman. He was a fine looking mulatto. It is needless to say that Oats, smart and goodlooking though he might have been, was never admitted to a seat in Congress." far into the night their drums were beating. Finally the citizens both near and far rose up in protest and the Dahomians were shipped away, presumably back to Africa.

Who did the shipping? I don't know, as I was very young. Probably the immigration authorities. "A very noticeable thing was that our own home-grown Negroes would have nothing to do with the Dahomians and were afraid of them, as they spoke a strange tongue and wore strange and few garments. They kept from them as far as possible. And so ended a strange incident in the early history of Tampa." Valorous Vance Mrs.

J. C. Huizenga, 110 West Lambright street, has a well-preserved copy of the New York Tribune dated Feb. 28, 1865 one of many old papers and books saved by her mother. Of course the principal news stories in the old paper were about the Civil War then raging the entire first page was covered by reports by correspondents at the front.

But. strange to say, there was no reference to the great conflict on the editorial page. The story of greatest interest to me was a proclamation issued by Governor Vance of North Carolina, in which he frankly admitted the reverses recently suffered by the Southern armies, but exhorted the people of the state that they should never surrender that death was preferred. He called for elections in every county to determine the will of the people. Negroes No Novelty Francis Jones, official of the Gulf Oil Co.

and resident of Tampa since childhood, reminds me of an incident about 60 years ago. He questions, "Do you remember when the Dahomians came to Tampa?" Then Mr. Jones writes of an incident in Tampa's early history which will be remembered by many old citizens: "I don't remember the year, but I was just a youngster when an enterprising Britisher who had spent considerable time in Africa had the very bright idea of bringing an African village to this country for exhibition purposes. What ever induced him to start in Florida, where Negroes were no novelty, is beyond me; but he did, and arrived with his retinue composed of Dahomians, both male and female. As I remember, the men were for the most part very tall and very black, and in the parade hich was supposed to represent a typical safari, made a dignified and impressive appearance.

The Britisher himself was carried by four big Negroes in a swinging hammock suspended from a long pole. The show ground was on Fortune street and took up about a block, and was fenced in with canvas walls. "Well, no Southerner was going to pay out good money to see Negroes, and our population in those days was mostly Southern, so the project was a failure from the start and soon went broke. But the village was there, with no place to go. They were evidently making big medicine and calling on their familiar spirits for aid, because every night and 2 8 5 374628534 2 A SDTRODOAH "i i 2 5" 8" 3 I 4.

1 2 8 3 A IT A "5 i 3 4 T. 7 5 3 8 4 2 7 A -N A 2 4 7 3 5 6 2 8 4 1 3 5 5 A "6 5" 7 3 I 4 7 5" 2 6 "3 4 I A 2 A 3 2 il 4" 1 5 6 2 I 3 7 i 5 A A LE 4 6 2 5 3 7 2 6 4 8 3 2 6 HERE is a pleasant little game that will give you a message every day. It is a numerical puzzle designed to spell out your fortune. Count the letters in your first name. If the number of letters is 6 of more, subtract 4.

If the number is less than 6, add 3. The result is Jr UUl ACTJ' I1UI11UTT1. At, LAIC Uyyk JCll-JlCUIU UUl JL liie ICt" tangle and check every one of your key numbers, left to right. Then read the message the letters under the checked figures give you..