Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-07-28

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1t is currently reported that the route
which was to pass through this tunnel has
been changed, II much easier one having been
found, whereby the mountain can be crossed
by eusy grades, and the tunnel entirely avoid
Ell and abandoned that this entire new route
will cost less money than it would to complete
/, the still unfinished tunnel Such result
would only prove the charges nIadc against
the original managers Of the road The only
use the deserted tunnel could ever be put to
would be in future years, when Walhulla be.
comes large city, some entcrprising men
can establish larger beer brewery there, and
and use it for his beer vault 1t would keep
everything at nearly freezing point In
such an event. if it does not prove the grave
of its original projectors, it might at least
contain their bier
Leaving the tunnel we descended little
further down the mountain to visit another
beautiful fall, known as
sIsKAwEENA FALLS,
or as it has been corrupted here into Sisouc.
na. mountain stream here falls over bro
ken rocks a a distance of nearly hundred
feet The stream, though comparatively
small now, must have at one time been very
large, os there arc cvidcrccs of the water
having extended over much wider distance
and to have by continual abrasion worked it.
self backward many feet it being now stu.
nted at the back end of a cove where almost
| perpendicular sides extend quite distance
forward. During the war tho water above
the falls was made to do good service in fur
nshng power for driving a powder mill,
owned by your former townsman, Mr.. Ostcn.
dorif, but fire in the ncighboring forest
communicated to and destroyed the mill, of
which the only vestige now remaining arc
some broken pieces of machinery.
These falls derive their name from an In.
dan maiden (don't let your compositor con
| vert her into a warrior, as he did all the mai.
dcns ia my letter about Tomassee falls the
metamorphosc is rather too great) There is
quite a
ROMANTIC LEOEND
attached to these falls, which could be woven
up into small-sizcd novel. The tribe which
Inhabited the country adjacent to this noun
tain, supposed to have been the Oconees, were
attacked bya mighty tribe with which they
were at cnmity. mhc old chief of the Oco
nees had a beautiful daughter, named Sska.
wccna, who was bctrothcd to the handsomest
and most daring of the young braves of the
tribe, and often had they wandered together
by moonlight to these romantic falls, and
there whispered their tale of love and mur-
murcd their VOWS of eternal constancy to the
music of the falling waters But dark days
! of trouble came when their powerful foes
swept down upon them, bent upon the de.
struction of the entire tribe. Bravcly did
the Oconecs contend for their homes and kin
drcd Siskaweepa saw her aged father, the
chief, slain early in the struggle Her lover
performed prndiges Of valor, leading on his
comrades to where the fight ragged the ficrc-
est. but all in vain. The Oconccs were dc.
fcated and almost annihiatcd. At last the
maiden saw her lover stricken down as he
was bravely contesting every foot of ground.
Her first impulse was to rush from her hid.
ing place, seize his apparently lifeless body,
and with almost superhuman strength boun.
ded with it in her arms, from crug to crag,
down the mountain sdc towards their old
| trysting place, the falls. Finding herself
hotly pursued by several of the hostile Indi-
ans, bent on her capture, and knowing the
terrible fate which awaited her should she
fall into their hands, she resolved not to out
live her father, her lover and the tribe, but
clingng to the still lifcless form she bore,
aud commencing herself to the Great Spirit,
she sprang from the lofty preoipice, expecting
to be dashed to pieces upon the jagged rocks
below. But it was not so decreed by the ora
cles Of fate. A juttipg rock, about fifteen feet
from tho top, received her with her precious
freight. Upon looking around she observed
that tho sheet of water which fell from the
upper rock, was here broken into number
Of little streams, which fell in cascades upon
tho rocks below She also observed that be.
hind this unbroken sheet there appeared to
be deep cavern, formed by tho over hang
ing of the rock above. Darting through the
water, at its thinest part SHE found herself
entirely excluded from sight, where none
would dare to follow hcr
Her next care was for her wounded lover,
who began to show signs of returning life
Staunching his bloody wounds as best she
could, and bathing his brow with water, she
soon wooed him back to life. At night she
stole out from their place Of conccalment,
and climbing up the steep rocks, stealthily
reoonnoitcred the position, and finding that
all was quiet, she assisted her lover to reach
the solid ground, and together they returned
to their hitherto beautiful home, only to find
it and all the village backencd ruin. Soon,
others of tho tribe who had succeeded in cs.
Gaping from the bloody fray,returned to their
village The lovers were united in marriage,
the young husband being chosen chief of the
tribe, and for many years they lived in peace
and quetncss. Tho falls have ever since
been known by tho name Of S;skaweena.
While ascending Tomassee Knob, as do.