Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-10-18
Gold I'm America Its First Dis
cOycry by the Prehistoric
Indiaus.

1O0nauSs
ltoiumbia IL CO Reg.tef
In a recent speech delivered in the
House OF Representatives, r. =.
Vance, Member of Congress from
North Carolina, said that the first
discovery of gold in the United
States was made in MeckIenburg, in
that State in 1920. A correspondent
of a North Carolina newspaper cor
reefs this statement, saying that the
first gold was found in Cabarrus in
1899, and refers to Wheeler's "His-
tory or North Carolina for evidence.
Old chroniclers give an account of
a province called Cofachiqui, which
was visited by DE Soto's gold-hunt-
ing expedition in 1538-l0, and which
was embraced in what afterward be-
came the States of Florida, Georgia,
Alabama and Mississippi, and, ac-
cording to Logan, In his history OF
upper Carolina" had its center on
the western limits of South Carolina.
Its capital and chief town stood upon
the tongue Of land between the
Broad River of Georgia and the Sa-
vannah, just opposite the modern
district of Abbeville. The Spaniards
entered this capital after a two
months march, and found the
country ruled by beautiful Indian
Queen, Adalla, who entertained the
Spanish Governor and army with
much ceremony. Here they found
hatchets formed from an alloy Of gold
and copper. BY this their cupidity
was greatly excited, and they con-
cluded that they had found country
Astounding in the loDg-coveted, pre-
cious deposits Of gold. And 50 in
deed they had, says Logan Whom
we quote freely, but it was neither
their good fortune nor their desert
to find out the precise spot where
gold could be obtained. In less than
fifteen miles southeast OF the town,
on the opposite or Carolina side Of
the river, lay one OF the most extra
ordinary gold deposits in the world.
The Cherokees were we'll acquainted
with the Dorm mine. This is shown
by the numerous relics of their hand
iwork scattered around it, and there
can be little doubt that the massive
nuggets OF its out-cropping gold sup
piled them abundantly with the finer
metal Of the alloy that so attracted
the eyes of the Spaniards. 1t Is no
less known, to a few who have in
auired into the traditions Of the abo-
rhymes, that the gold and copper
found in their possession, in the form
of solid passes or curious trinkets,
by the first men who visited the
country, were obtained from these
sources.
The Indian method of smelling
metals was one Of the most remark
able devices Of savage ingenuity; in
practical efficiency the famous blow
pipe Of DR.. Hare was scarcely supe-
rior. Logan tells us that, having
first followed out fat stone in the |
form OF a basin, they filed it with
charcoal, and upon this laid the mug
gets OF metals. A number of Indians |
now seated themselves in circle |
around the basin, each one having in
his hand long reed pierced through
its entire length and armed at one
end with clay tube or pipe. Every
thing being ready, fire was applied
TO the charcoal, and the whole mass |
instantly blown into powerful heat
through the reeds, the clay eXtremi-
ties of which were inserted in the
basin, while the Indians blew
through them upon the charcoal with
all their might, and with protracted
expiration. No ordinary lump of
either gold or copper could long
maintain its solidity in such q cruel
BILE. With this process the Indians
could easily produce any variety OF
ornament from those metals, using
them either alone or in alloy. This
method was known TO have been in
use among the Indians who lived
upon the gold-producing lands of
North Carolina, and the same process
must have been known to the Chero-
KEGS.
These chronicles and traditions go
to confirm what Lawson says, that
the Indians, from time immemorial,
were acquainted with valuable mines
of gold and silver in Upper Carolina.