Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-07-22
Correspondence of the Savannah Courier
THE LEGEND OF HIWASSIE.
5E RIDGE, NEAR THE TEsSATEE GAP,


BLUE RIDGE, NEAR TIE TEsNATEE GAP,
Habersham County, Ga, July Sd, 1853.
My DEAR CHAPMAX:-Behold "Trave'er" up-
on one Of the highest eminences of the Blue
Ridge, gazing upon the most magnificent scene
his eyes ever beheld. In whatever direction |
look, | see ridges of mountains, one behind the
other, "like dark blue sea of giant billows, in
stantly stricken solid by natures magic wand
1t is impossible for me, by any description, to
give you a correct idea of the picturesque char
acter of this section Of our State You would
do well to leave your office for few weeks.
and visit this region. You would then find
that have not been guilty Of exaggeration.an
the readers of the Courier would have some
graphic sketches from the able pen of its edit
or. The Turnpike from Major Logan's, across
the Blue Ridge, through the Tesnatee Gap, is
great convenience. 1t cost upwards of 5000,
and has yielded handsome income.
The people Of this part of Georgia, are very
simple in their manners, and remarkably atten-
tive to strangers. Many of them resided for a
long time among the Indians, and take great
pleasure in talking Of them. Several legends,
derived from the sons Of the forest, have been
related to me. One Of these particularly inter-
ested me. 1t was substantially as follows:
century ago, a fierce war ragged between
the Catawba and Cherokee tribes of Indians.
In one of those bold and frequent excursions,
common among the inhabitants of the forests,
the son Of the principal Cherokee Chief, sur
pfised, and captured large town belonging to
the Catawba tribe.
Among the captives was the daughte er of the
first Chief of the Catawbas, named HilUassie or
the Pretty FaScn. j young hero of the Chero-
KEGS, whose name was MOTLEY, or tie daring
h0rseHan, was instantly captivated with the
majestic beauty and graceful manners of the
royal captive, and was overwhelmed with de-
light, upon finding that his love was reciprocal
ted by the object of his alteration. With two
attendents, he presented himself before the Ca
tawba warrior, who happened to be absent
when his town was taken by the Cherokees,
from whom he demanded his daughter in mar
riage. The proud Catawba, lifting high his
war club, knitting his brow, and curling his lips
with scorn, declared, as the Catawbas drank the
waters Of the East and the Cherokees the wa
ters of the West, when this daring lad could
find where these waters united then, and not
until then, might the hateful Cherokee unite
with the daughter of the great Catawba.
Undismayed, MOTLEY turned away from the
presence Of the father Of the beautiful Hiwas-
sic, and resolved to search for union of the
eastern with the western waters, which, at that
time, was considered an impossibility Descen-
ding the Blue Ridge, which is known to divide
the waters of the Atlantic from those of the
Great West, and following its winding courses,
he could frequently find springs running each
way, and having their source within few pa
ces of each other; but this was not what he
wanted.
Day after day was spent in this arduous bust
ness, and there appeared no hope that his ener-
L i -
on a certain day, when he was nearly exhaus-
ted, he came to a lovely spot on the summit Of
the ridge. Here he resolved to repose, during
the sultry part Of the day.
Seating himself on the ground, and thinking
upon Hi,oassie, he saw three young fawns NOV
ing towards small lake, the stream of which
was rippling at his feet, and whilst they were
slipping the pure drops from the transparent pool,
our hero found himself unconScously creeping
towards them. Untaught in thewiles of danger,
the little fawns gave no indication whatever
of retiring. MOTLEY had now approached so
near, that he expected in a moment by one leap
to lay hold and capture one of the smallest Of
them when to his surprise, he saw another
stream running out of the beautiful lake down
the western side of the mountain. Springing
forward with the bound of the forest deer, and
screaming with frantic Joy, he exclaimed, "Hi-
acassie! OF! Hi,cassie! 1 hare found M'-
This spot is within few miles of Clayton,
in Rabun County.
Having accomplished his object, he set out
for the residence of the Catawba Chief accom-
panied only by one warrior, and fortunately for
the success of the enterprise, he met the beauti-
ful HIwAssIE, with some confidential attendants,
half a mile from her fathers res idence. She
informed him that her father was indignant at
his proposals-that he would not regard his
promises. 81 will fly with you to the noun
tains," said Hiwassee, ''but my father will new
er consent to our marriage"
Motley then pointed her to a mountain in
the distance, and said, if he find her there, she
should drink of the waters that flowed from the
beautiful lake. A few moments afterwards,
MOTLEY met the Catawba chief near the town,
and at once informed him of his wonderful dis
covery, and offered to conduct him to the place.
The chief, almost choked with rage, accused
MOTLEY with the intention of deceiving him,
to get him near the line of territory where the
Cherokees were waiting to kill him. "But'
said he, "as you have spared my daughter, so
will | spare you, and permit you at once to de-
part; but have sworn you shall never marry
my daughter, and | can't swear falsly"
you cont swear false exclaimed MOTLEY.
"Then by the Great Spirit, she is mine" and
the next moment he disappeared in thick for
est. That night brought no sleep to the Ca
tawba chief, for HIwAssIE did not return. Pur
suit was made in vain. He saw his daugh-
ter no more. MOTLEY bounding through the
mountains, soon met his beloved Hiwassie.-
Solemnizing the marriage according to customs
of their country, thev led retired life among
the mountains for three years; and upon hear
ing of the death of his father, MOTLEY settled
in beautiful valley of the river, on the western
side of the mountain, and called it Hiwassie,
after his beautiful spouse. Such is the legend,
as it was told me by one familiar with the histo-
rv of the Indians. TRAVELLER.
A boy who was trouble with the tooth ache de-
termined to have it textracted; but there being no
dentist living near, he resolved to do the Job
himself, whereupon he filed the excavation
with nowder. bnt heinc afraid tn tnuch II off he