The weekly standard., 1869-10-20

arm of the river flowed around it, which has
since dwindled to q small branch with
marshes, 1t is evident that it was q
fayorite camping ground for the aborigines
and here they must have had considerable
town Of wigwams Indeed, upon the is
land, if their knowledge extended so far
| they were admirably situated in natural
fortress for purposes of ofense as well as
defence; and from the depth under ground,
at which their hearthstones are now found,
we are left to believe that they lived here
from generation to generation for ages long
gone. Neither are the evidences of their
former presence found upon the island alone.
Half mile up the river, on the Southern
shore, in the lowlands of Gov. D. s. Reid's
plantation, a similar exhumation was made
by freshet some years ago, when by the pa
tient Investigation OF the Governor skull,
with beads, and bones, and pottery and many
hearth-stones, with implements and weapons,
were discovered. During our researches this
ground was gone over again, but nothing
new was elected. And from this point, the
evidences of the settlement are continued
down the river for nearly two miles, if not
more, into the plantation of Col. Robert M.
Douglas. Thus it seems their town was
drawn out along the banks of the river on
either shore: and doubtless the main reason
for its BEING so placed we're because of the
abundance OF game and fish and the proxim
ity to water for culinary purposes. b
H THE TRIBE AND ITS CHIEFS.
In the absence of positive evidence, we
oaa Jy CONJECTURE the name oi 5ae ttlpe 70
winch .nese savages Deionseu. IL Is known
it'd tb;s roo,;on - a., .r.,,d 80: :.
mountains, of which the Pilot is one. is
named after them. being called the Suara-
town mountains t. is then indeed nroba.
BILE that this ancient settlement was one of
their towns and taking this in connection
with legend transmitted to us, through
Julius j. Martin, ESQ.,, concerning the name
of the Dan river, the truth of the conjecture
becomes highly interesting to every Caro-.
linian. 1t is said that the name of this noble
river, so familiar to us under the English
appellation of Dan, is a mere abbreyiation
Of the beautiful Suara word Danahaw. the
name of a Chief of this tribe almost within
the memory of man We have the Saxapa.
haw, and why not the Danahaw2
However, it is claimed that the true name
of the Danahaw is the Maritauk. signifying
in the Indian dialect s.precious metals n
Without further discussion, l NAV be per
mltted to say that our investigation has thus
iar SHOWN the Indians OF the DAN to have
Deen entireiy unacqualnted with any kind
OF meiais, ana 1t is therefore most probable
tnat Maritauk Is mlsnomer Nevertheless
l WIN NOT take a snap judgment upon the
question.
f GEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS.
Prof. Kerr informs us though by no
means speak tor him) that he will be in the
field until near Christmas. He has ira
rersed Alleghany, Wilkes, Surry, Stokes.
Yadkin and Rockingham. The sandstone
belt of this region commences near German.
manton. Sweeping alono its Southern mar.
gin. the Danabaw follows the basin tbus
formed into Virginia Here are the coal
beds of Rockirgham which will be exam.
ined next week. and the people will no
doubt find the next geological report of no
ordinary interest. The japan clover. or
Lespedeza, is reported to have been seen
growing in all tho Western counties. Eff
forts were being made to introduce it here
when 10. it seems that the river has already
accomnjisbed the work having scattered
the seed along its whole course in almost
everv valley.
H.. ,,nc,,,, .>n u,,,
=. NV ~
Inc otate ihe between Virginia ana
Noftn Oarohna mas never peen permanently
,oca'eu, VI surveyeu lur'hel west d. any
lille than hock.ngiam county. Ine last
commission appolnteo ior a,e TINS purpose was
raiseu ABOUT Tue year 1000. Noening was
accomplished, as the pay was entirely mad
equate. Out OF TINS state OF uncertainty IN
termlnanie lawsuits ana great CONFUSION mas
-. - tI:,s e
cause of the impossibility to arrive at anv
decision whatsoever. It is the opinion of
those hest informed on the subject that our
state ia the loser Inv all this DELAY and that
if an aceurate line were run from CurrituclS
westward many hundred souare miles would
be added to our territory. That we would
encroach ON what is now known as Vir-
yinia soil is scarcely in donbt. and "a we
have tound If imnoss;ble IN anneY Norf,lk
we NAV Get DanyilIe or come 80 close thereto
nc to give the DanvilIians IT mean no lis
respect) a scare. To the honor of Virginia
be it said, she has never interposed an OBJ
stacle to a resuryey. Therefore we NAV
reasonably expect that she never will And
If proper reprcseutations were made to the
National government the next line might be
easily run under the direction of the Coast
Survey Department, insuring accuracy with
dispatch. throw out these suggestions for
what they are worth, simply adding that
the State Geologist has frequently called at
tention to the matter, as he has also done in
regard to the unsatisfactory condition of our
boundary lines with the State of South
Carolina.
WOLF HUNTING.
Ilearn from a friend that the good people