THE PAMUNKEV INDIANS OF VIRGINIA. 15 



and although they do uot neglect their truck iwitches, they cherish a 

 heartj^ dislike for manual labor and frequently hire negroes to come in 

 and work their little farms. The deer, the raccoon, the otter, the musk- 

 rat, and the mink are cajjtured on the reservation. As many as sixteen 

 deer have been killed in this small area in one season. The skins of all 

 these animals are a good source of income, and the tlesh, except of the 

 mink and otter, is used for food. Perch, herring, bass, chub, rock, 

 shad, and sturgeon are caught in large numbers by means of seines. 

 Sora (reedbirds), wild geese, ducks, and turkeys are abundant. 



In the autumn sora are found in the marshes in great numbers, and 

 the Indian method of capturing them is most interesting : They have 

 what they strangely call a "sora horse," strongly resembling a peach 

 basket in size and shape, and made of strips of iron, though they were 

 formerly molded out of clay. The "horse'' is mounted on a pole which 

 is stuck in the marsh or placed ui^right in a foot-boat. A fire is then 

 kindled in the " horse." The light attracts the sora and they Hy around 

 it in large numl)ers, while the Indians knock them down with long ])ad- 

 dles. This method is, of course, used only at night. Every year, many 

 white hunters visit the reservation and employ the Indians as their 

 guides in hunting this same toothsome bird. They, however, use the 

 slower but more sportsmanlike method of shooting them on the wing. 



One of the clay "sora horses" above referred to maybe found in the 

 National Museum as part of a collection which the writer made from 

 the Pamuukey in behalf of the Smithsonian Institution. 



The Pamuukey farm on a very small scale. They do little more 

 than furnish their own tables. They also raise a few horses, cattle, 

 sheep, and hogs. 



A general merchandise store is conducted on the reservation by a 

 Joint stock company, comi)osed of members of the tribe. Their ttsh, 

 game, furs, and the few farm j^roducts not (jonsumed at home, find mar- 

 ket in Kichmond and Baltimore. 



GOVERNMENT. 



LEGAL STATUS OF THE TKIBE. 



In government the tribe is a true democracy, over which, however, 

 the State of Virginia* exercises a kindly supervision. The State 

 api)oints five trustees to look after the interest of the Indians. No 

 I'eports of these trustees could be found on file at the office of the gov- 

 ernor o*' Virginia, and their only function that could be ascertained to 

 have been performed was the disapproval of certain sections in the 

 Indian code of laws. Laws thus disapproved are expunged from the 



* The writer has been unable to find any statute or judicial decision fixing the 

 relation of the tribe to the State. What is here stated on this subject is the view 

 taken by the chief and council men of the tribe. 



