96 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



In February, a trip was made to several camps in the interior of 

 the Big Cypress Swamp under the escort of W. Stanley Hanson, of 

 Fort Myers. Five camps were visited and photographed. In a camp 

 near Immokalee, Wilson Cypress was seen mending an ox-yoke, hav- 

 ing detached the oxen from a crude conveyance in which his family 

 were traveling. This is a " stop camp " for any Indians passing by. 

 Owing to the exceedingly dry season it was possible to make the trip 

 into the Cypress Swamp by automobile ; the camps are usually reached 

 only by canoe or ox team. 



New Camp Florida is located on a large hammock surrounded by 

 custard-apple and other trees. A vacant dwelling in this camp is 

 shown in Figure 97. Adjoining it, on the right, was a garden in which, 

 according to Seminole custom, the ground was practically uncleared. 

 In this garden were taro and mulberry trees that had been set out and 

 wild banana trees and pawpaws. Sugar cane, corn, pumpkins, and 

 other crops had been harvested. Old Camp Florida, next visited, has 

 been abandoned since a death occurred in it, about 1927. The most 

 remote camp seen was Charlie Cypress' hunting camp, which con- 

 tained no permanent dwellings (fig. 98). Under a canvas shelter a 

 woman was sewing, and Mrs. Richard Osceola was mixing bread for 

 the evening meal. She consented to turn from her work while the 

 photograph was taken. The last camp visited was Charlie Dixie's hunt- 

 ing camp, in which there were neither platforms nor shelters. The 

 small children in this camp wore no clothing. 



Continuing her journey the writer went to Brighton, on the " Indian 

 Prairie " northwest of Lake Okeechobee, and thence south into the 

 cabbage palm country, visiting the three camps in this group. This 

 region is the abode of the Cow Creek Seminole. The leader of the 

 singing in their dances is Billie Stuart, who recorded 125 songs with- 

 out hesitation. These included 17 songs attributed to the Caloosa. At 

 this location valuable assistance was rendered by Mrs. Eliza Fielden. 



An abandoned village site and an old burial ground near Fort 

 Lauderdale were visited and photographed, after which the work 

 near Miami was resumed. Several exhibition dances and two public 

 Seminole weddings were attended. 



A large collection of specimens was obtained for the United States 

 National Museum, including old turtle-shell and coconut-shell rattles 

 and a cane flute of a type which, it is believed, has not hitherto been 

 observed. 



