The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-07

twice or thrice upon his breast witt
his open hand, points to the distant
elevations, and, in his inability to speak
the Catawba dialect, makes a gesture
by thro wing forward both hands and
stepping firmly one step in the same
direction, to intimate by such panto,
mime that be desired to reach that
part of the country. I can hear the
Indian grunt his acquiescense; and
they start of.
It is said they crossed Broad River
by stepping from rock to rock in the
shoals at the place where now is Frost's
Mills. They became satisfied after
crossing, that they had gone TOO far
down the river. They therefore r-
traced their steps on the western bank,
until they came to the mouth Of the
small stream, at this time known as
Crirn's creek, near which the town of
Peak is now situated. Here they en-
countered an nincampmento of Indians
probably Cherokees-by whom they
were instructed to follow the stream on
the bank of which they were standing,
and taking every left-hand branch, the
third one would lead them within a
mile of the desired point. So they take
their way along this pleasant water
course,-creeping under heavy festoons
Of wild grapevines,-watching the gray
squirrels skipping along the branches
and the spotted fawns fitting among
the trunks of the countless tress. They
pass through the very heart of what is
to be the Dutch Fork in after days,
and at short distances the wanderer
pauses, to admire the beauties of the
woods. The sun is now near the
tops of the trees westwardly, and the
moon nearly full is appearing above
the forest towards the east. Suddenly,
to the surprise of the Indians, the
white man halts,-turns around, so as
to look baci upon the course he has
come,-and gazes alternately upon the
right hand and then upon the left.
What does he he see? He sees his
fatherland;- the Odenwald Mountains
on his right hand, and the valley of the
Rhine on his left. Truly is it so,
though in miniature. There, before
him were the gentle hills, known now,
as the Stone Hills of Lexington, that
could not fail to remind him of the
mountains among which he was born;
and stretching away into what is now
Newberry were flat lands that recalled
the valley of the Rhine. So impressed
was he with the resem blance, that he
struck his camp there for the night,
parched his Indian corn grains, and
broiled the savory venison. Deep in
the night, he was aroused from sleep
by unearthly shrieks and wild halloo-
ing in the air; and he thought that St.
Hubert had been following him to his
new country. 1t was the flight Of tie
bine cranes (herons) from the Saluda to
the Cohees Shoals, in Broad River.
The next day, he found the little
mountain, ascended it, and viewed the
surrounding country. At nightfall, he
was again at his camp. That spot did
he select for his permanent home, be-
cause it so forcibly brought his father
land to his remembrance. He soon
returned to Pennsylvania, and made
known his discovery; and it will soon
be my pleasing task to make mention
of some of the many who followed
hire, among whom, no doubt, was
the maiden that sighed and sobbed at
the spinning wheel. My friend, Cap |
tain George Epting, can point out his
dim grave, few hundred yards down
the stream from his old mill, though |
no trace of any dwelling house can be
seen at this day. 1t has not been long |
since l and my friend made our way |
brambles to the crumbling |
persimmon tree, at the foot of which the
spring of the daring first settlers still
yields good water, of which we took
each a memorial sup by means of a
dipper improvised with ; poplar leaf.
Such was the first white man that ever
came to the Dutch Fork. 1t was
about the year 1875 40; and his name
was JOHN ADAM SUMNER.