OF THE BUREAU OF ETuNOLOGY. XLIX 
defeated in war, would never submit to the Government of the 
United States, but retreated to the inaccessible cypress swamps, 
while the majority of their surviving comrades removed to the 
Indian Territory, another body having fled into Mexico. The 
Seminole war of 1835 to 1842 was the most stubbornly con- 
tested of all the Indian wars, and, considering the numerical 
force of the tribe, or perhaps even without that qualification, 
was the most costly and disastrous to the United States. 
During the seven years mentioned nearly every regiment of 
the regular army was engaged against them, besides marines 
and sailors, and in addition, for longer or shorter periods, 
50,000 militia and volunteers. The cost of the war was 
$30,000,000 and over 3,000 lives. Of the Seminole probably 
not more than 400 warriors were engaged, their numerical 
weakness being counterbalanced by the topographic character 
of the country which they defended. 
The Seminole, who are described in the present paper as 
of a high grade in physique and intelligence, may well be de- 
scendants of these heroes. It was natural that their inherited 
enmity and also their sense of danger should have induced 
them during the last half century to repel all visits from whites, 
and more especially from representatives of the United States 
Government. Their dwellings and villages have been so lo- 
cated as to secure this isolation, and the account now given 
of them by the Rev. Clay MacCauley, D. D., is the result of 
the first successful attempt to ascertain their true numbers and 
condition. Notwithstanding his ingenuity and energy, the 
adverse circumstances did not permit this investigation to be 
exhaustive; but it has been sufficient to discover some impor- 
tant and instructive facts set forth in the present essay. 
The status of these Indians is peculiar in that their contact 
with civilization has hitherto been regulated, to an extent not 
known elsewhere, by their own volition, and has not been im- 
posed upon them. Visitors, traders, and Government agents 
have been denied admission, but the Indians have in a lim- 
ited way visited the settlements beyond their own boundaries 
and traded there. The result has been a remarkably prosper- 
5 ETH——IV 
