ng
Creek, a fact the more noteworthy, from its relation to the future of
the tribe, since polygamous, or certainly duogamous, marriage generally
prevails as a tribal custom, at least at the Miami River and the Cat
Fish Lake settlements. It will also be observed that between twenty and
sixty years of age, or the ordinary range of married life, there are 38
men and 46 women; or, if the women above fifteen years of age are
included as wives for the men over twenty years of age, there are 38 men
and 56 women. Now, almost all these 56 women are the wives of the 38
men. Notice, however, the manner in which the children of these people
are separated in sex. At present there are, under twenty years of age,
66 boys, and, under fifteen years of age, but 31 girls; or, setting
aside the 12 boys who are under five years of age, there are, as future
possible husbands and wives, 54 boys between five and twenty years of
age and 31 girls under fifteen years of age--an excess of 23 boys. For a
polygamous society, this excess in the number of the male sex certainly
presents a puzzling problem. The statement I had from some cattlemen in
mid-Florida I have thus found true, namely, that the Seminole are
producing more men than women. What bearing this peculiarity will have
upon the future of these Indians can only be guessed at. It is beyond
question, however, that the tribe is increasing in numbers, and
increasing in the manner above described.

There is no reason why the tribe should not increase, and increase
rapidly, if the growth in numbers be not checked by the non-birth of
females. The Seminole have not been at war for more than twenty years.
Their numbers are not affected by the attacks of wild animals or noxious
reptiles. They are not subject to devastating diseases. But once during
the last twenty years, as far as I could learn, has anything like an
epidemic afflicted them. Besides, at all the settlements except the
northernmost, the one at Cat Fish Lake, there is an abundance of food,
both animal and vegetable, easily obtained and easily prepared for
eating. The climate in which these Indians live is warm and equable
throughout the year. They consequently do not need much clothing or
shelter. They are not what would be called intemperate, nor are they
licentious. The "sprees" in which they indulge when they make their
visits to the white man's settlements are too infrequent to warrant us
in classing them as intemperate. Their sexu