BILLY BOWLEGS (CHO-FEE-HAT-CHO).
Several months ago, Cho-fee-hat-cho (Billy Bowlegs), a warrior of more than usual intelligence, made his long-promised visit to Kissimmee.
Here, away from his natural surroundings, one could study his Indian characteristics from an unprejudicial standpoint.
As a specimen of manhood, he is far above theaverage. Although six feet, two inches tall, he is so symmetrically proportioned that one loses sight of his height. His features are good, his hands and feet remarkably small, his voice soft and low—a characteristic of every Seminole.
His dress was the holiday attire of the tribe, his tunic or shirt he had made himself, was highly decorated with bands of narrow red,—leggins and moccasins elaborately thonged, and around his neck about a dozen gaily colored handkerchiefs, not worn for warmth, but because it is a Seminole fashion.
His large turban was embraced by a silver band, made from four silver dollars beaten with the implements which can be found at an Indian village. He wore a gold watch and chain and regulated his timepiece by the railroad clock. Billy is a fantastic dresser, but he is a loyal Seminole and a progressive one, too. He keeps posted on the markets in his own particular line of business. His pockets bulge with letters received from New York and Jacksonville buyers of skins and otter pelts. He expects no favors, pays for what he receives and keeps a promise, although a year may elapse before he is able to do so. He is often a purchasing agent for members of the band, and in his small way has a mercantile mind, buying four shawls for $1.75 that would retail at fifty cents each, he will sell out, with the satisfactory remark, “25 cents me make ’em.”
Billy ventures beyond the confines of his Everglade home, much oftener than any other of the tribe. To the stranger he is all indifference, answering:“Yes,” “No,” “Me don’t know,” as it suits him.
A SECTION OF A SAW GRASS SWAMP WITH THE STAKES SET FOR A NEW DRAINAGE WAY“The onward march of the white brother into the last hunting ground of the Seminoles.”
A SECTION OF A SAW GRASS SWAMP WITH THE STAKES SET FOR A NEW DRAINAGE WAY“The onward march of the white brother into the last hunting ground of the Seminoles.”
“The onward march of the white brother into the last hunting ground of the Seminoles.”
Billy has visited St. Augustine, and has seen the Ponce De Leon Hotel, but explained that “no get inside.” The season was not “on,” otherwise the Seminole brave would have been one of the celebrities that enter its great portals. New York and Washington do honor to dukes and counts, and this Aboriginal American Knight is no less a Prince of the Everglades.
He has made several visits to Kissimmee, hence is well known to the white people. At the ringing of the church bells on Sunday morning it was explained to the Indian that they were to call the people to the church, so that the preacher might tell them of the white man’s God. With the inquiry, “You go?” to his host, and receiving an answer in the affirmative, Billy said, “Me go too.”
He was escorted to the chapel and through the long sermon was a model of propriety and conformed perfectly with the customs of the church. He expressed himself later as liking the music, but remarked that the “preacher talked too fast.”
From time to time colored pictures from Sunday School charts have been given or mailed to the Indians and Billy reports, “Indians got ’em,” keeping them with their treasures in boxes or trunks.
Blue backed spelling books had been sent to these Indians, for the spelling book is the Seminole’s ideal in literature, and Billy reported that the books were in good order—and Indian boys, spell “littly bit.”
Who shall say there is no hope for the civilization of this picturesque tribe?
Not a hair’s breadth will this Indian diverge from the truth. Even to the simple question as to when he would visit his white friends again, he replied, “Six moons; me don’t know, maybe ten moons; six moons, me say—no come, white man say, ‘Billy Bowlegs lock-a-dox ojus!’ (lie too much).”
Billy is grateful for favors shown him and on his return from a visit always sends some remembrance. A letter usually accompanies the present, and the following is a unique specimen of his literary ability:
“Indian Town, Fla., J. M. Willson, Jr., Kissimmee.I write you Letter. I send you Big Alligator Feet skin. Big Alligator 12 ft. long 4½ inches. This time Indian no sick. All Good Well Ojus. You write to me Letter. Your FriendMr. Billy Bowlegs.”
“Indian Town, Fla., J. M. Willson, Jr., Kissimmee.
I write you Letter. I send you Big Alligator Feet skin. Big Alligator 12 ft. long 4½ inches. This time Indian no sick. All Good Well Ojus. You write to me Letter. Your Friend
Mr. Billy Bowlegs.”
In his signature, Billy always uses the prefix, “Mr.”
At another time on Billy’s return to his Okeechobee home, a letter was received which read:
“My Good Friend:“Littly white birds me send. Indians all well.”
“My Good Friend:
“Littly white birds me send. Indians all well.”
The egrets, snowy white and beautiful as a poem, came in a crate made of green palm stems, with a door fastened by buck skin hinges and buck skin catch, the whole a marvel of neatness and ingenuity.
The birds were at once given the freedom of the lawn, where they have been a constant surprise, in showing how full of confidence, how charming the wild heron can be made under habits of domestication. They love companionship and at meal time they station themselves like two sentinels, at the dining room piazza. Here they stand, with their long necks craning into the door-way, alert and tense, waiting for their beef to be thrown to them.
These white plumed egrets, with their dark, piercing eyes, their spotless white figures adorned in their bridal veil of long silken plumes, make a picture that an artist may envy.
It is a pleasing and encouraging fact that on all occasions when the Seminoles visit white settlements they are warmly welcomed by the whites and treated with the utmost respect and many times entertained as one would celebrities.
TheFlorida Times-Unionalways breaks a lance in favor of the Seminole. During a carnival season in Jacksonville, Billy Bowlegs visited the city, and of his visit an editorial read:
“Jacksonville has among her guests this week one of the most representative Indians in America to-day—the highest type of what is known as the savage tribe.... Billy was a conspicuous figure in last night’s parade; he rode inone of the most striking and effective floats of the parade, that of the Florida East Coast R. R. Company.... This float bore the distinction of conveying the noble figure of this Seminole chief and thus the only one with a member of the real and single strictly American race. Billy Bowlegs is no savage, but a magnificent specimen of physical manhood, with a dignity, a reserve, a keen intelligence and an honest heart—a representative of that forlorn remnant who regard honor with commendable sacredness.”
“Jacksonville has among her guests this week one of the most representative Indians in America to-day—the highest type of what is known as the savage tribe.... Billy was a conspicuous figure in last night’s parade; he rode inone of the most striking and effective floats of the parade, that of the Florida East Coast R. R. Company.... This float bore the distinction of conveying the noble figure of this Seminole chief and thus the only one with a member of the real and single strictly American race. Billy Bowlegs is no savage, but a magnificent specimen of physical manhood, with a dignity, a reserve, a keen intelligence and an honest heart—a representative of that forlorn remnant who regard honor with commendable sacredness.”
Billy visited theTimes-Unionoffice, and took the keenest interest in the mechanical equipments for making a newspaper.
A fac-simile of Billy’s writing appeared in the paper at this time and, a year later, it made an amusing picture to witness Billy’s expression when he was shown the fac-simile; the clipping having been taken from the paper at the time. Very quickly memory came to him and he said, “Me know; my name write big paper, Jacksonville.”
Okeechobee Dade County Florida Nov 28 Mr. Billie Bowlegs Seminole Indian My Home Okeechobee Fla
Such names as Tom Tiger, Doctor Tommy, Wild Cat and Billy Bowlegs, are white man’s names forthe Indians. Each Indian has his Indian name, which is significant of some family or personal characteristic, and which contains the root word of the gens to which the Indian belongs. During the Indian’s visit he expressed a wish to have the Seminole names of a number of his people written down so that he might make a copy and carry home with him. Certainly this young brave could not be called stupid or sluggish. Knowing that the information was sought for the purpose of putting it into a book, so that “the people could read about the good Indians of Florida,” he showed the greatest interest in the questions, making his answers direct and truthful.
With the patience of a sphinx this Indian answered questions till dark. When asked if he were tired, he answered, “Tired ojus,” although his native politeness had not permitted him to show any special restlessness at the tedious afternoon’s questioning. An air of deepest solemnity would rest upon his face until he was assured his meaning was thoroughly understood. During his visit he expressed an eagerness to learn, and followed a copy with remarkable exactness. With the desire to read and write, however, ended all ambition to be like the white man.
Every effort was made to please so rare a visitor, favors were shown him, in fact he was treated as a most honored guest, yet this son of the forest received it all with a silent dignity that would have graced a monarch. When he was ready to leave hequietly arose, remarking, “Me hi-e-pus” (go), and noiselessly passed out of the house.
It is a disputed question whether a wild Indian of pure blood has ever been permanently civilized. One of the missionaries of the Osage band once said that “it took fifteen years to get a blanket off Joseph Pawnee-o-passhee, Chief of the Osage tribe, and it took Joseph just fifteen minutes to get it on him again.”