The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-07-21
WESTERN DEMOCRAT.
QQCHARLOTTE.Oo
FLUCTUATIONS OF OBSCURE
TERMS IN THE DOCUMENTARY
HISTORY OF NORTH CAROLINA.
From the Raleigh Register.

|
In the first volume of the interestin;
history of North Carolina by DIR. Hawks
the reader cannot failed to have noticed il
the documentary portion of the work, ;
considerable number of obscure Indial
terms, relating principally to the.natura
products of the "new found land of Vir
ginia.''-Some of these are correctly anG
satisfactorily explained by DR.. H.. others
are passed by as being unknown. As the
Indian dialect of that period has become
nearly extinct, their true Identification can
only be reached through the short and, in
many instances, vague descriptions of the
narrative. With view of aiding in these
investigations, so intimately connected with
our embryotic existence as a nation, and
worthy of antiquarian research, the writer
proposes to offer additional explanations,
either real or conjectural, leaving the read
er to draw his own conclusions as to their
correctness.
" On page IS (voyage of Amades and Bar
lowe, 1884. we have glowing description
of the great abundance of grapes found on
Roanoke Island by the first colonists sent
out by Sir Walter Raleigh. The allusion
is undoubtedly to the we'll known Scupper-
nong, (Sweet water of the Indians) still
abundant in the whole Albemarle region
Of this species, (VitiS rotundifoLia) there
are several varieties common on the sea-
coast, and throughout the interior and
western portions of the State. The Cataw-
ba grape variety of 7. LGbrusca,) is fast
acquiring a worldwide notoriety. 1t is
said to have been first noticed by Col. Muir
ray, of Buncombe county, n. c., in 1902,
on the head-waters of the Catawba, and is
destined to prove mine of wealth to many
all enterprising citizen of the United States.
From it, Mr. Longworth, of Cincinnati, and
others, are now making wine of great
excellence, known as the "sparkling Ca
tawba.''
The Isabella grape is, also, another es-
teemed variety of Carolina origin, we'll
adapted to table use. Other varieties, of
nearly equal excellence, are found in the
western part of the State. But it would
require volume to do justice to this fruit-
fuI theme of rinous .fauor.
On page 1O6. (voyage of Sir Richard
Greenville, 1850 allusion is again made to
the abundance of grapes of large size.
''Maize, or Guinea wheat" is also mention
ed, and the early information given that
''perfect sugar" may be made from the
factors to the human race in the introduc-
ton of this most valuable Of the cereal
grains!
On page 154, (Hariots Narrative, 1856
certain merchantable commodities are emu
merated.
''Silk of Grass, or Grass Silk" is proba-
bly, bear grass, yucca Filamentosa,) COM
mon on the ea-coast, and in some parts of
the interior. The thread-like appendages
on the edge of the leaf, and more particu-
larly its tbrous substance, may be con-
verted into articles Of coarse fabric. Elliot
says (Botany of S. c. and Ga.) The leaves
of this plant twisted and tied together are
used for strings, ropes, and even cables for
small boats.''
On page 157 we read ''O1. There are
two sorts of walnuts, both holding OIL &c.
The allusion here is probably to the hickory
nut, as all of the species formerly passed
under the name of walnut
..Furs. All along the sea-coast there
are great store of otters," &c. The otter
is still sparingly found on the Catawba
river and other western streams. The
skins are usually dressed, and converted
into shot-pouches.
"Luzerne (spclt Lucern in Bailey's
Dict. fol. ed. 1866 is the name of spot
ted animal, about the size of a wolf inhabit-
ing the wilds of Russia" Hariot proba-
bly, alludes to the panther. then found in
the interior of the State, but long since
driven to the mountains.
On page 106. dyes of divers kinds"
Besides the Sumack for dying black, the
roots of false bugi0$e, (BGtschia cQnescensJ
the Puccoon, and others were used by the
Indians for imparting a red color to their
faces, deer-skins, rushes for making mats,
baskets, &c.
On page 164. There is herb which in
Dutch is called MeLden. There is here a
slight mistake i'll orthography by the nara
tor himself. Neide, in German, is the
name of a pot-!,erb called orache (Atriplex
hortensis.) The natural order to which it
belongs furnishes many plants which. after
being burnt, yield soda, or '.sGu-cQrth," as
the historian quantity calls it.
"Openank are kind of roots of round
FORM" &c. This is unquestionably the
Indian potato (APios tuberosdJ common in
low-grounds. The numerous tubers con-
nected together on long root are very
farinaceous when cooked, and might be
cultivated as an article of food.
"Okeepenank are also of round shape,
found on dry grounds" &c. This alludes
to tho LARGO f1DerouS roots of nOa or v,oro