Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1860-06-09

to my mino, that the Indian G;
ciques do not have much powe
over their subjects. But we mad
the Indians who visited us d
whatever we wanted done.
We killed a great many deer
(which swarmed around our en-
campment, and so we had a goo
time. And we learned from Il,
Indians a great deal about tn
country. One thing they told us
and which we could rot believ
until we went ourselves to see it,
1t was of large flat rock, which
had great many eagles heads ane
shells, and a great many other Gu
rious things sticking out Of it. W.
went to see it and found that twas
so. It was not far from ourencamp-
ment. The Indians said hal tlleil
Great Spirit lived under the rock
and could Sometimes be heard il
the ground on the opposite side Of
the little stream, which runs by the
rock. And that the eagles heads.
etc, were real eagles and shells.
but that the Great Spirit had got
angry with them and turned then
into stones and put them there
We remained in u encampment
seventy-fve days, when the wealth
err became milder. and we were
enabled to pursue our journey. So
we broke up our encampment, and
being all well refreshed by our long
rest, and our horses we'll rested and
fat, we pursued our journey to the
Northeast"
The manuscript from which l
have translated the above, goes on
to relate the various adventures of
DeSoto and his followers in their
wild journey to the North. OF
these / shall say nothing more at
present, but will endeavor to locate
the above "encampment." Since
| first saw THE, | have thought
much Of it, and as may be surpo=-
sed, l was very anxious to know
the locality in which the occurren-
ces narrated above took place
And I consider myself very fortu
nate in having obtained some
months since, a clue to the real
ruth. | need not state how | OBJ
it, if | demonstrate my posi-
ion, that is sufficient.
Any one who may have ever
visited the Catoosa Springs in
Northwestern Georgia, may per-.
recollect some Of the following
circumstances OF their trip to that
most beautiful watering place. -
The Western and Atlantic r. r.
uns within three miles Of these
springs, and the depot for the
is situated between two
idges on the Chickamauga creek.
bout five hundred yards apart. !
this to be the creek upon
which DeSoto's encampment was
ocated. And l have good and
ubstantial reasons for my opinion.
After leaving the depot by the
mnibus line in going to the
prings, at about half way you will
gain cross this creek and immedi-
tely mount a slight eminence, upon
hitch is still seen the remains of
n old fort or breastworks, ofwhich
0 account was ever given.
The Cherokee Indians know
othing of its origin. And I be-
eve that no one at this time can
ccount for it otherwise than as |
by believing it to be the very
ientical "encampment" Of De
OTTO and his followers. l examined
lie locality some time since for my
wn satisfaction, and am able to
i've the following facts in connec-
on with it. There are at this
pot, remarkable remains of some
ncient breastw rks, whether they
'ere made by DeSoto or not. And
Glow these remains, not very far
istant from the creek, is a large
at stone or rock, which it is said
7as formerly covered by projecting
ocks, very %curious]y shaped, some
Ike an eagles head, and all pos
essed strange resemblances. But
ae most Of these, if not all indeed,
ave been broken off and carried
way BY visitors to the springs
=