188 AMOXG THE SEMIXOLES. 



The meadow lark trilled his clear notes from the grass, 

 where, also, we heard the mellow whistle of the quail. 

 Woodpeckers and paroquets flew screaming by, and the 

 wood ibis winged his silent way overhead. 



Soon the entire population came forth to meet us, 

 with the exception of the women, and we were welcomed 

 to the village. There were sixteen shanties grouped 

 together, with that of the chiefs a little way off. Four 

 posts supported a pitched roof, thatched with palmetto 

 leaves. The shanty was open at the sides and ends ; a 

 raised platform of logs the whole length and breadth 

 was used to sleep upon by night, and as a table and 

 chairs, etc., by day. We were much annoyed by the 

 dogs, who would come about us examining everything 

 we had. They were nasty little curs, most of them, 

 who would creep carefully up to us, with noses extended 

 and tails between their legs, and who would scurry away 

 at the least motion. I am prepared to vouch for the 

 statement of the old sailor, Romans, who, in 1770, says : 

 They (the Creeks) are very fond of dogs, insomuch 

 as never to kill one out of a litter ; and it is not uncom 

 mon in the nation to see a dog, very lean, and so sensible 

 of his misfortune as to seek a wall or post for his support 

 before venturing to bark.&quot; (Another &quot;old joke)/ I 

 mention things in their natural order of affection in the 

 Indian estimation dog, hog, squaAV, and pickaninny. 

 The hogs were black, as all Florida hogs are, and nu 

 merous. The children were brown, and numerous. The 

 girls and young squaws were much superior to their 

 degraded sisters of the west in point of beauty and 

 cleanliness. Of medium height, with small hands and 

 feet and well-shaped limbs. Their heads were small and 

 well-shaped ; eyes black and lustrous ; nose small and 



