The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-01-30
NORTH CAROLINA CHERoKEEs
Interesting Facts About an Interest
ing People.

Interesting Facts About an Interest
ing People.
New York Evening Post.
One of the most interesting people
in this country to visit, and yet one of
the least known, ven by the citizens
Of North Carolina, is the reservation
OF what is known as the Eastern band
of the Cherokee Nation. The history of
this reservation is odd and interesting.
When the Indians of this State we're
removed to the Indian Territory by
the Government the greater part of
the Cherokees left their old home
reluctantly forever. A strony band Of
them, however, retained land in three
of the western counties Swain,
Cherokee and J~ackson.) That country
was then almost u wilderness. ~
large tract of land was set apart as IL
reservation for them by the State, and
special laws governing this reserva.
ton were enacted by the Legislature.
For over u half century what was
known as the Cherokee land laws y
were incorporated in the codes of this
State and other legal works. 1t has
been but a few years since thy were
omitted from the new editions. They
made interesting reading in the
curious effort to mix the laws Of the
white men of America with the Indian
ideas and customs and rules as to land
tenure.
The tract of land originally held by
the Cherokees was much large thar
it is at present. The reservation now
consists OF about $4,000 acres, in the
counties mentioned, right among tho
-, -, a,l ,,n ~ , . l., a., hoo
land in Western North Carolina. Nc
part of the country east of the Mis-
sissippi River contains a more pictur-
esquely beautiful region than these
Indian lands. and none better suited
to Indian tastes and requirements
with its cold, clear streams, abound
ing in fish its high mountains, wei
wooded and alive with all kinds O
game, and its comparative remoteneSs
from the haunts OF white c Bear:
are plentiful, and the wolf yet rove
there. Deer arc abundant, and part
ridges are very plentiful.
The Cherokee is u very interesting
Indian. The chief town or capital
of the reservation is Tin English) Vel
low Hill. Bryson City, distant tel
miles from the reservation, is u ran
bling place, through which rushcs ;
iuouIluulH SUICulu Cdllcu VIC oCOIIi
Lufty. The Indian houses are nearly
all uniform in appearance, and art
built of logs, compactly so Us to stant
the cold weather which is very severe
some times. There is never any eXtrem,
heat, because of the altitude.
The principal, occupation Of these
Indians is farming and fishing ant
hunting, and they always have plenty
of food. The band now number nearly
1000, and the records show that they
are increasing. The healthfulness o
the region is the main cause of thi )
and many OF them reach a great age
Several of them now claim to be ccn
tenarians, and the oldest inhabitant,
Big Witch" claims to be over III
years old.
The Cherokecs vote just as other
citizens of this State do. During the
civil war they were intense Cunfede'
rates, and a large battalion of then
served in the Confederate army
and fought we'll. Many of them
are educated all are civilized. Thos,
who l. educated speak English
huently, and ore fond of the whit,
people, who do them many ~kindnesscs
Some of them have intermarricd with
native whites. They do not like
negroes, and there is no social inter,
course bet reen the races. Many OF
these Cherokccs, however, know nc
English, and are us wild looking IL
those on the Western prairics. Among
this class the bow and arrow is still
used with mastery craftsmanship.