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INDIAN TERRITORY 



^C ^^^ NDIAN TERRITORY possesses an area 

 of 64,090 square miles. The San Bois, 

 Washita, and Boston mountains and 

 spurs are conspicuous, and occupy 

 about one third of the area. There 

 are also extensive prairies sloping 

 gradually toward the Mississippi. 

 Along the river valleys the land is 

 fertile, but much of the land in this 

 territory is barren. This territory has five separate 

 nations or governments, which are independent of each 

 other and known as the five civilized tribes. Each has 

 its chief or governor and council. The tribes are 

 Creek, Seminole, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Cherokee. 

 The Osage is also another important tribe. 



The Arkansas river flows through the northeastern 

 section, and the Red river makes the southern boundary 

 of the territory. 



Deer are abundant throughout the territory; there 

 are also moose, bear, lynx, squirrel, raccoon, opos- 

 sum, and other varieties of small game. 



For many years sportsmen who could choose their 

 places to hunt sought Indian Territory for the wild tur- 

 key shooting. This highly esteemed game was con- 

 spicuously abundant there. The great number of wild 

 turkey killed within this territory has perceptibly less- 

 ened them ; still they are now to be found more 

 numerous among the hills than in most parts of this 



