The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-09-03

emile or kiss a5 he VIII use He e'S 80.
e. eAn,i Ssve the cunning tsih 70 peeaA neS1''
eNACOOCREE and IT'S SURROUND
''s' '--a.a = - INGS. ..e.s
&C reast oai --ss'a5
&C. 'rIyno,a AN OCCASIONAL ooRREsrospEs-.]
NAooocHzE VALLEY, Ga, August, 1s69.-Sey-
snsy years ago my father, Ia. ~ Edward VII
Hams. was resident of Charleston. S. G. An
attack of "s,rangers' fever" and smallpox leo
him 10 seek home in moro saiuDrious ch-
mate. This he found in the mountains OF
North Carolina, where ne also found a spright-
ly mountain girl. ths daughter o., successful
merchant, whom he married, As usual in such
discoveries, his home was filed in few years
with half score OF boys and girls. These new
responsibilities mSde 1t necessary that he
should have cheap and productive land, on
which to make bread to feed them.
When my father visited this portion OF
Georgia. then almost a wilderness country, is
VA settled mainly by lndians-scattered here
and there were o few whites, in civilization not
much IN advance OF the eavages; only thelr su-
oTeritrs IN cupnlpg ard knavery. Ally father
ms 40 much pleased with the rich lands. pure
air and water, and magnIhcent mounialn
ecenery, he made an extensive purchase, en-
-brscing the centre OF Nacoocbee Valey. a
.portioH Of this purchase was 10 be paid for ID
coorn anasg1heat. This -Sas easily done, as
dSep farms were rented to industrious ten
ants. whom be brought with him from North
Carolina. Az the valley was very productive,
three years, rent YVES sufficient 20 dlscharge
the debt Land that sold at that time tor one
dollar per acre, no4 commands twenty 10
thirty.
In the Cherokee Nation, ane was strongly de-
Tended by fortifcations which extended across
The valley from mour tain to mountain. =,
Along the lines OF these fortificatIons mouncs
were raised. on which Indian chiefs securely
beiieye, the daring Spaniards visited this conn.
try as early as the twelfth century in sesrcn OF
s:QoId aud diamonds. and were permitted to en-.
Ter the forbhcsiions Of a"Naceocnee Ohl
Town. When the savage curiosity was sa-
tisfied, the Spaniafds were extermnated.
Whata changei Not . yestiee OF that an
ocfent town remains; the Indians who possess
ed This beautiful country have been driven from
Their cherished hunting grounds to thefar
Tes.. The once strong walls OF Nacoochee arc
leyelled TO the ground, and the mounds, which
cost 80 much toll and labor. are sharing the
same fate. No proud monument stands TO
point opt the res lnsg place OF the old chiefs
and their brave warr1ors.
: Tho lofty pine which withstood the Gettine
storms OF centuries. the tree that temarks the
grave OF Nacooohee and bore aloft tho Conted-
-derate flag during the late bloody war, died
Nth our lost cause. It is nng q hlighiaa tree
81 sn5inro ofthe tempest tost Confedcracy.
The white man as no 1aTri7es lfB plough mer-
rily over ine bones of.his red brother, with
pilgrim piety thinks he came honestly IN pos
session OF, these broad acres-even as the
wolf drinks the blood OF the iamo IL mas over
come by brute force and maglnes ne ~ iss
riehtfuI oyuer. If any wrong vas commllteo,
has it not been amply atoDed for Dy the ln-
PRODUCTION among the saysges OF pure new;
ENGLAND rum and pious misslonariesT AT the
isat day. when Gabriel sounds his trum-
net fosswake the hlamberng dead, and
the great book is opened. nations ana govern
rnents, as well as individuals. viii eau upon
the mountains to fab upon them: that tney ana
fher sims may be hid from the Judge tnat Blu
teth on the throne.
:, The miners herein 1884 while searcnlng Ior
1old. tliscoyeYe3 subterranean village con-
tsiufnr some thi ty houses forming continu-
oug street., in length eve hundred feet Ihese
Houses we're doubtless buried oy "wSter
sponssn which cause mountain shdes. inns
nust have occurred many centuries ago. as
fha VILLAGE was covered when the whites trss
settled the country by 3 heavy growth OF TIM
har. thu, denoting the great antiquity or the
estssfrophe A number Of curious specimens
Of art have been fonnd here IN situate ms
which preclude the possibility OF their having
been removed Tor many ages. -,
Tradition has it, that Nacoochee, the
aOherokee Evening star." was the only daugh,
ter of noted Cherokee chief. She possessed
remarkable beauty and grace OF manners. This
sloyely maid of the valley was wooed by many o
vnIlspt youth, but unfortunately was won by
brave Young warrior OF the Choctaw MARION,
-trfbe at that time bitter enemies OF tie Cnero-
-keea and frequently engaged in herce warfare
With them. ,.,
. = One dark night, Nacoochee disappeared from
lIcr yire-ciad wlgwam ; she had eloped with
.Hantee, 500 Of Choctaw chief. The father OF
Nse,oohee summoned hundred stout warriors
3oSpo Il, pursuit Of his erring daughter. The
valleys and mountains echoed The terrnc wa.
vhoop, asthsy were searching every hill and
sTsys antf nights passed, but Sontee and the.
bnght-eyed Indian girl could nowhere be
9Ss aurs red father rofpsed to est or sleep.
he believed the lovers bad sought refuge under
the Great Bear (Yonahl OF the Valley. Be-
ueged and more diiigent search was MADE.
Gante6 had selected bridal chamber ZOE nus
ycting princess. (which was simply supplied
NTH yenisDn aud wild turkey, ) amid the ROCKY
&alnesses Of Moupt Yonah. He regarded the
rugged cliffs rising in their native grandeur as
secure from the intrusion of friend or foes
Gocoochees new home must haYa been sec.
sonS Rdel. Before her s.ood out world OF
mountains. rising one above another until
their lofty peaks we're lost in the blue sSy.
while at her feet nestled the lovely valleys OF
Naooochee and Santee, covered with fragrant
forest howerlug trees, and brilliant rhododen-
i7rops and aasleas. From the crevices IN her
granite palace gushed forth pure, perennial
streams. which are joined by thousand noun,
tain springs that cor stitute the head-waters OF
the picturesque Chattahooche River, and like
the rivers which run out Of the Garden OF Eden,
abound 10 gold.
The cries of the wolf and nighthawk disturb
ed not the slumbers OF the Youthful lovers.
But Nacoochee and Santee could no more sue
oessfully conceal themselves from The revenge
full warriors, than could Adam and Eve hide
from the presence OF the Father OF the great
human family, after having listened TO the
beQuilIng serpent and eaten OF the forbidden
fruit. "a savage shout OF victory announced
the capture Of the foe. who bad dared rob the
old chief Of h,s daughter. Hasty Judgment
was prcnoupced-Saptee vas to be thrown, IN
the presence OF Nacoochee. from the highest
precipice on Mount Yonab. Before the sentence
was executed, the warriors engaged n death
song and war dance around the strongly guard
ed prisoner. This was kept up until the set
a. hok nd ppnQt6ln