The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-01-11
For the VALLEY VIRGINIAN.
Augusta County, Va. One Hundred
Years AGO.

on the list one published in l73l, at Ciarks
burg, Va, written by AleNanderS. Witt ers
and printed by Joseph Israel, entitled
: sChl oniclcs of Border Warfare, Or History
of the Settle mcnts by the Whites OF Nortl
Western Virginia; and OF the Indians an(
Massacres, in that section OF the State, will
reflections, anecdotes &c., from which
gather some very interesting statements
pertaining to the state of society and condi
ton of Augusta and adjoining counties one
hundred and forty years ago. Perhaps Thu
book is common, and has been generally
read in your vicinity, therefore extracts from
its pages would be OF little interest to thu
readers Of the VIRGINIAN. in that case vol
can return the manuscript or consign it t.
/ the Editors waste basket.
/ From this book [ learn that at, or about
the year 1870, all that part Of Virginia ly
ing west of The Blue Ridge of mountains was
included in the county Of Orange. AT the
fall session of the colonial legislature, in
l73S, the counties of Frederick and Augusta
were formed ont Of Orange. The country
included within the boundaries of the Po-
tomac river on the North, the Blue Ridge on
the East, and line to be run from the
head spring Of Hedgman to the head spring
of the Potomac, on the South and West, to
4 the county of Frederick; the remainder OF
l the State west OF the Blue Ridge to the Ohio
river, to the utmost limits of Virginia, consti-
| tuted Augusta" As the settlements were
extended, subdivisions were made, until
What was once Augusta county southeast OF
the Ohio river, had been converted into tb;1-
of 2s9,362.
Those who venturcd to explore and occu-
by the southwestern portion of Virginia,
found also in its vicinity some powerful and
Y warlike tribes. The Cherokees possessed
what was then the western part of North
,Nsarolina, and numbered $500. The Chica-
s. sws, residing south of the Cherokees, num-
be red $50, and the Catawbas, on the Cataw-
ba .STver, in South Carolina, Only about $50.
The.Se latter were remarkably adventurous,
enter prislng aud courageous, and, notwith-
standi us their reu1ote situation and small
ness OF numbers, frequently travelled the
Valley ,sf Virginia, and even penetrated
the coun try on the no 9TH branch of the Sus-
quehana, and between the Ohio river and
Lake Erie,. to wage war with. the Delawares.
1t is said they used in those wars degree OF
cunning and stratagem to W. dich other tribes
have never approached. A tradition says
,af t,o ofo hoc
hunting camps of the Dclawares, and re-
manned in ambush, and during the night
sent two or three OF their party round the
camp with buffalo foofs fixed to their feet,
to make artificial buffalo tracks, an d thus
decoy the hunters from camp. In the NOR
ming, the Delawares discovering the Tracks
and supposing them to have been made by
bufaloes, followed them, when suddenly the
Catawbas rose from the If covet, fired at afad
killed several of the hun tiers, and the others
fed.
Such were the numbe rs and positions OF
MANY of .the proximate Indians about the
time settlements were begl IN on the Monon-
gahela river and its branch les. Anterior to
this period, adventures had explored and
established themselves in various parts of
the Valley between the Blue Ridge and the
Allegheny mountains. That section OF it.,
which was included wit hin the limits OF the
Northern neck, was the first to become set
tied by the whites. Set. Elements were soon
after extended westward " across The Shen-
andoah, and early in the eighteenth centu-
ry Winchester became 'rading post, with
small improvements in its vicinity.
About this time Thomas Norlin, a pediar
travelling from Williamsburg to Winchester,
resolved, in conjunction wit h.John Sailing,
a weaver, also from William: 'barag, to prose
cute an examination CT the o.intry beyond
the limits which had hithert, bounded the
explorating excursions of other adpenturers.
They travelled up the Valley of the Shenan-
doah, and crossing James river proceeded as
far as Roanoke, when Sailing W as captured
by the Cherokees. Norin elude, ! their pur-
suit, and effected safe retreat to Wimehes-
ter. Sailing was taken to Tennes see, where
he remained several years. While on a hunt-
ing expedition he was captured bya party of
Illinois Indians, and carried to llaskaskia,
where he was adopted bya squaw whose son
had been killed in the war.
While with this tribe CT Indians, Sailing
frequently accompanied parties.of them on
hunting excursions. During one of these
excursions they met party of Spaniards
| exploring the country who needed an inter-
prefer, and for this purpose they purchased
Sailing of his Indian mother for three strains
| of beads and a calumet. Sailing attended
the Spaniards to port at Crevecocur, and
! from there to port Frontignance; here he
was redeemed by the Governor OF Canada,
who sent him to tie Dutch settlement in
New York, whence he made his way home
after an absence of six years.
| At the period Of Salling's return to Will
3iamsburg, there were many adventures
who had but recently arrived from Scotland
and the north of England, and among these
were John Lewis and John Mackey. Sal
| .ing's return excited general interest, and
Lewis and Macley listened attentiyely to
his description of the Shenandoah Valley,
aud pleased with its beauty and fertility As
represented, they prevailed on Sailing to ac-
company them on a visit to examine it more
infinitely, and if found as he represented te
select it as their future residence Lewis made
choice Of and improved spot few miles
below Stanton, on creek which bears hi.
name; and Mackey OH the Middle branch o
the Shenandoah. near Buffalo Gap and Sal
ling on the forks of James river, below thu
Natural Bridge. Thus was effected the frs
white settlement west of the Blue Ridge.
To be continued.
The United States steams Gettysburg ha
returned to Gibraltar after further examine
ton OF the coral reef recently discovered il
the Atlantic. The position was duly verti