The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1894-02-02

Tssy Kss,6er Two sTSossahds A. sscssas'
ing and Ars on fatsresfing fsopse.

ing and Ars on Interesting fsopfe.
From the New York Evening Poss.)
One of the most interesting people
in this country to visit, and yet one of
the least knowt; cten by the citizens
of North Carolina, is the reservation
of what is known us the Eastern band
of the Cherokee Nation. The history
of this reservation is odd and interest
ing. When the Indians of this State
were removed to the Indian Territory
by the Government, the greater part
of the Cherokees left their homes re-
!uctantly forever. A ttroiig band of
them, however, retained land in three
of the wcttern counties, Swain, Cher
then almost wilderness. A large
tract of land WIS set apart as o rcscr "a
ton for them by the State, and Special
|Idws gpxcghiiJ his resexyatiun were
enncted by the rfeg9sistarc. f'C OYER
a half century what was known ,as the
"Chernhae lnpd la-st.a'' were incor--
poratcd In the codes of this State and
other legal works. 1t has been but a
cw years since they were omitted
rom the new editions. They made
interesting reading in the curious eff
tort to mix the laws OF the white men
of America with the Indian ideas and
customs and rules as to land tchure.
The tract of laud originally held by
the Cherokecs was much larger than il
;s Mt present The reservation now
;onsists Of about $4,000 acres, in the
counties mentioned, right among the
mountains, and some of it is the best
land in Western North Carolina. No
part of the country cast of the Mieeis-
sipri River contains more pic
turcsluely beautiful region than these
Indian lands, dhd nunt better suited
to Indian tuutcs and requirements,
with its cold, clear streams, abound
ing in fish: its high mountains wcm
"voucd and alive with nll kinds of
game, and its comparative rcmotcness
from the haunts Of white men. Bears
are plentiful, and the wolf yet rovcs
there. Decrs are abundant, and part
ridges are very plentiful.
The Cherokee lis very interesting
Indian. The chief town or capital"
of the reservation lis lin Englisl) Vel.
low Hill Bryson City. distant ten
miles from the reservation, lis the near
est railroad station. Yellow Hill is
rambling place, through which rushcs
! mountain stream called the Ocona
Lufty. The Indian houses are nearly
oil uniform in appearance, and are
built of logs, compactly so as to stand
the cold weather, which is very severe
rome timcs There is never any OK
treme heat use of the altitude.
The pril. &c occupation of these
Indians is .,ru,ing md fishing and
hunting, and they always have plenty
rf food. The band now number near.
ly 1000, and the records show that
they are increasing. The hcalthful-
ness of the region is the main cause
of this, and many of them reach n
great age. Several Of them now claim
to be centenarians, and the "oldest in
habitants," ''Big Watch" claims to
be over 140 years old.
The Chcrokccs vote Just ms 9TH
er citizens of this State do. Du-
ring the civil war they were intense
Coufedcratrs, md IL large battalion of
them served in the Confederate army
and fought we'll. Many of them are
educated; NIL are civilized. Those who
are educated speak English nucntly,
and are fond of the white people, who
do them many kindncsscs. Some Of
them have intcrmarricd with native
whites. They do not like negroes. and
there is no social intercourse between
the races. Mnny of the Chcrokces,
however. know no English, md are rs
wild looking as ti,nsn ;:: .hc Western
prairics Among this clnss the how
and arrow liz still used with mnrtcrly
workmanship.