THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 27 
as an oar striking against the side of the boat will cause him to 
sink and swim away at once. 
The Indians kill a great many alligators for the purpose of sell- 
ing their skins to traders. As a rule, they ‘ fire-hunt” them at 
night. The alligator lying with his eyes 
out of the water does not appear to be =< = 
afraid of the light which is reflected in 
his eye, having the appearance of a HARPOON. 
brilliant candle flame, and may be seen 
from a considerable distance. The Indian paddling in his canoe 
approaches within a few feet of the animal and easily shoots 
him through the head, after which he is speared and towed to the 
shore. 
Of late years alligators have become comparatively scarce and it 
no longer pays professional hunters to kill them as a business, 
although they are still numerous in many places in the interior. 
Indians, as a rule, do not like to hunt far from their canoes or 
ponies, although they are good walkers, and, if occasion requires, 
will cover long distances on foot. 
The Indians are very fond of bear meat and extract an oil from 
the fat which they prize highly. Whenever a bear is discovered a 
hunting party is immediately organized and the animal is tracked 
to his hiding place, surrounded and killed. 
When deer hunting the Indians divide into small parties, two or 
three bucks hunting together, taking with them their squaws and 
children. They select a part of the country where deer are known 
to be plenty and usually succeed in killing a great many. When in 
the vicinity of a white settlement they find a ready market for their 
venison and what they do not sell is smoked and dried for future 
use; dried venison will keep very well, but it is tough and unpal- 
atable. 
During the planting season both the men and women work in the 
field, but when on-a hunting expedition the women do all the camp 
work. The men, when not hunting, lie about the camp taking it 
easy. Upon reaching a new camping place the men take their rifles 
