Petals Plucked from Sunny Climes

written in characters of blood for years, it is considered both appropriate and interesting to interspers

ittle solicitude as the buzzards that lazily flew above their heads-while in Arkansas they would have to work. They were a race of hunters and fishe

agile foe they had to meet in warfare, who could swim the streams and leap over the logs of the wide forest, and vanish, like th

on account of the fugitive slaves, which the Indians harbored, instead of

a compact which had been violated. We have transferred it as an item of interest. As the whites found the Indians becoming

nding, concluded May

12,

the country assigned to the Creeks, west of the Mississippi River-it being understood that an additional extent of territory, proportioned to their numbers, will be added

o pay to the Seminole Indians fifteen thousand dollars, to be divided among the chiefs and warriors of the several towns, in a ratio proportioned to their population, the respective portions of each to be paid on their arrival in the cou

in the Creek Territory, west of the Mississippi River, a blanket and home-spu

and in addition to the other annuities secured under that treaty, the United States agree to pay three thousand dollars a year for fifteen years, commencing after the removal of the whole tribe-these sums t

same shall be paid for in money to the respective owners, after their arrival at their new homes; or other cattle, such as may be desired, will be furni

tolen and destroyed by them, so that they may remove unembarrassed to their new homes, the United States stipulate to have the same prop

r arrival at their new residence, as in the opinion of the President their numbers may require, the emigration to commence early as practicable in A.D. 1833, and with those Indians at present occupying the Big Swamp and other parts of the country beyond, as define

on the Ocklawaha River, in the

n, Commissio

fteen

consider the following statements connected with his movements as items of unsurpassed interest

reason he is sometimes called Powell instead of Osceola. He was born in the State of Georgia, on the Tallapoosa River, about the year 1800. In 1808 a quarrel occurred among the Indians of the

od of Fort King, uniting himself with the Micosukees. The greater portion of his life was spent in disquietude, when there was neither peace nor war, but depredating

awyer," and for whom General Jackson had offered a reward of five hundred dollars, rose in their council, with all the dignity of a Roman orator, after which he announced his intention in thundering tones: "I say there is no goo

father; the relation of parent and child to each other is peace-it is gentle as arrow-root and honey. The disorderly among us have committed some depredations, but no blood has been spilled. We have agreed that if we met a brother's b

d themselves located in a land of undisputed titles, as entirely their ow

poetry, descriptive of their conditio

happy pe

in our h

s of the pa

ed our s

On this occasion he refused all solicitations to partake of their hospitality, and sat in silence, the foam of rage resting in the corners of his mouth. Finally he rose to retire, at the same time assuming a menacing manner, and, seizing the surveyor's chain, said: "If you cross my land I will break this chain in as many pieces as there are links in it, and then throw the pins so far you can never get them again." Like most of his race, he was possessed of a native eloquence, the

h of desperation, and he replied, "I will not." General Thompson then told him he had talked with the Big Chief, in Washington, who would teach him better. He replied, "I care no more for Jackson than for you," and, rushing up to the emigration treaty, as if to make his mark, stuck his knife through the paper. For this act of contempt he was seized, manacled, and confined in Fort King. When Col. Fanning arrested him he was heard to mutter, "The sun is overhead, I shall remember the hour; the Agent has his day, I will have mine." After he was first imprisoned he became sullen, but soon manifested signs of penitence, and called the interpreter,

rt King. This was an act of revenge for an Indian killed in a former encounter. Dalton was found twenty miles from Fort King with his body cut open and sunk in a pond. The Indians commenced snapping their guns in the face of the Government, at the same time expressing their contempt for the laws, and threatening the country with bloodshed if any force should be used to restrain them. November 30, 1835, the following order

ictimized by his revengeful machinations. After lingering about for seven days, the opportune moment presented itself, when Thompson was invited away from the fort. On the afternoon of December 28, 1836, as he and Lieutenant Smith, who had dined out that day, were unguardedly walking toward the sutler's store, about a mile from the post, the savages discovered them. Osceola said, "Leave the Agent for me; I will manage him." They were

ed, "I will show you," and afterward stationed himself behind a pine-tree, awaiting the arrival of the Fort Brooke force, while his warriors lay concealed in the high grass around him. When Major Dade arrived opposite where the chief and his men were ambushed, Micanopy, in honor of his position as top chief, leveled his rifle and killed him instantly. Major Dade was shot through the heart, and died apparently without a struggle. The savages rushed from their coverts, when Captain Frazier was their next victim, together with more tha

ng freely of "fire-water." One instance is mentioned worthy of remark, in regard to finding Major Dade's men with their personal property untouched. Breast-pins of the officers were on their breasts, watches in their places, and silver money in their pockets. They took the military coat of Major Dade, and some clothing from his men, with a

very place, and there was security in none. Acts of fiendish barbarity were of common occurrence; houses burned-the labor of years gone forever-while many of the missing were consumed in the flames of their own dwellings, the savages da

an open space, with only an old leaky canoe to cross in, under constant fire of the enemy, some of them being obliged to swim. The soldiers accustomed to Indian warfare never forded twice in the same place. Captain Ellis, now a worthy citizen of Gainesville, Florida, who commanded a company during the Seminole war, being present when this attack was made, says:

down his man every fire to the number of forty, while he ordered his warriors not to run from the pale faces, but to fight. The contest was a close one, but General Clinc

s previous contract, reporting that Osceola was then on his way to St. Augustine with one hundred warriors. Osceola had never heretofore regarded the sacredness of a flag of truce as binding, besides being engaged in the abduction of Micanopy and others, who would otherwise have complied with the terms of the treaty. General Jessup intended before his arrival to have him detained. General Hernandez, who was the soul of honor, remonstrated with him, when he replied, "I am your superior; it is your duty to obey." Gener

se who have condemned him must think of the anxiety by day and horrors at night through which these poor settlers struggled, when time passed like a bewildering dream of terrors,

never known to laugh during his confinement, but often heard to sigh. During his last illness he had the best medical attention from Charleston, whose skill he refused, believing

s droop o'er hi

of youth

wife was Chécho-ter, or Morning Dew. She was a Creek, and their family consisted of four ch

blue sk

e tall gr

e's breath fro

the wand'r

gled grass

and threat

an eagle when

the gath'

among the Indians in that locality, who says Osceola has two sisters living there, bot