Saturiba Indians. A Timucuan tribe in Florida, occupying, about 1565, the territory on both sides of lower St John river, with the adjacent coast territory, northward to Satilla river, Ga., including Cumberland (Tacatacuru) island, beyond which was Guale (Yamasee) territory. The statement quoted in Brinton 1 making St. Helena, South Carolina, their northern boundary, is incorrect. They were at war with the Timucua, their nearest neighbors higher up on the river, and afterward with the Spaniards, but welcomed and aided the French during the short stay of the latter. Their chief was said to rule 30 sub-chiefs, each perhaps representing a different village. The name may have been properly that of the head chief rather than of the tribe, the two being frequently confused by the early explorers. It does not occur in Pareja’s list of Timucuan dialects in 1612, the tribe being probably noted under one of the unidentified names in the list, viz, Itafi, Tucururu, or Mocama, the last two being specially designated as located on the coast. All the Indians of this region were Christianized by Franciscan missionaries before the end of the 16th century.
Citations:
- Brinton, Fla. Penin., 120, 1859[↩]