166 



CRANIA AMERICANA. 



tribes into their own confederacy, and give them all the rights possessed by 

 themselves. 



Hence the present Creek nation is said to embrace the remains of no less 

 than fifteen different tribes, w^hich they have conquered at various times. " This 

 confederacy of remnants," says Romans, " is a race of very cunning fellows, and 

 with regard to us the most to be dreaded of any nation on the continent, as well 

 for their indefatigable thirst for blood, (which makes them travel incredibly for a 

 scalp or prisoner) as for their being truly politicians bred."^ 



All these details go to prove that the Creeks possess, in a remarkable degree, 

 those seemingly incompatible extremes that compose the Indian character. 



PLATE XXII. 



SEMINOLE. 



This remarkably characteristic Indian head was presented to me by my friend 

 Dr. G. Emerson of this city, who at the same time favored me with the following 

 historical memorandum. " Seminole warrior, slain at the battle of St, Joseph's, 

 thirty miles below St Augustine, in June 1836, by Captain Justin Dimmick, of 

 the First Regiment United States Artillery. At the commencement of the action 

 Captain Dimmick rode forward, and received the fire of the Indians at a distance 

 of about thirty yards. The Captain's horse being struck on the neck and flank, 

 he dismounted; and the Indians, supposing him to be badly wounded, rushed 

 towards him to scalp him. At that moment Captain D, raised his gun, (a 

 double-barrel fowling piece,) and shot both of the Indians in succession: he 



Nat. Hist, of Florida, I, p. 91, 



