The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-05-09
BEAUTIFUL KINNEETA.
THE INDIAN ARR0W-MAKER'S DAUGH-
TER.

THE INDIAN ARR0w-MAKER's DAUGH-
A Legend of Absorbing Interest
Tragic Death of the Idol of the Tribe
-Treachery of 4 Rival Lover-His
Spirit Still Wandering up and Down
the Eartli-the Fathers Curse.
Written for the GOLn LEAF.]
About ee-fourths Of a mile from
the quaint little village Of Kittrell, the
two noted ledges of crystal quartz,
which run East and West through this
section, come together and reach, or
cross, Baffalo Creek. Between these
ledges runs beautiful, limped stream
of diminutive proportions, which flows
from bold spring some two hundred
yards above. 1t is lovely little
valley, shaded by immense oaks, pop
lars, and other large trees, while the
glittering of the sun on the ledges of
clear, white crystal gives it more the
appearance of the artistic works of
man than of nature.
Tradition says that years and years
ago, before the little stream had worn
its way through the converging ledges,
there was beautiful little lake here,
which was surrounded by an Indian
village where most of the symmetrical
arrow heads made from this crystal
quartz were manufactured. There
seems to be sufficient grounds for this
assertion, as the large piles of clippings
round about testify. Here the old
Indian arrow-maker fashioned out
those pretty crystal arrow-heads that
are found only in the section around
Kittrell.
1t was here the scenes of the sad
! story an about to relate were enacted,
and l will give them as they were
related to me many years ago by an
aged citizen, who said they had been
handed down from father to son since
the first settlers occupied this country.
Said the old man, in speaking of the
lake that covered the little valley:
"Many, many years ago it was
surrounded by an Indian village, the
inhabitants of which almost worshiped
the lake, upon whose limpid bosom
they would row their birch-bark
canoes while they sang their quaint
Indian ditties when they met to cele-
brate the autumn harvest, or the return
from a successful hunt.
The most prominent among the
villagers was the old arrow-maker,
whose reputation for shaping symmet-
rical arrow-heads was unequaled in
the land. 1t was said that this repu-
tation was owing chiefly to the skill of
Kinneeta, his only child and daughter.
The old man and his adopted son,
Wauchula, would fashion out the
arrow-heads in the rough, but they
were always turned over to the skillful
Indian maiden for the finishing touches;
and it was said that an arrowhead
that had passed through her dexterous
hands would scarcely ever fail to bring
down the game.
"Such was the superstition in regard
to them that the braves of this tribe
would use no other arrow-heads when
they went to battle. Kinneeta was
described as a most lovely creature,
both in form and character, who was
idolized and almost worshiped, not
only by her own people, but by the
surrounding tribes. She was regarded
as supernatural, and being a peace
maker all difficulties that arose among
the Indians were carried to her for
settlement. Her decisions were never
questioned and always abided by.
"Many were the suitors for her
hand, but she loved only one-her
foster brother Wauchula. Together
they had been raised together they
had learned to row their birch-bark
canoes; together they had always
wandered over the hills, chasing the
deer and other game; and together
they had solemnly resolved to live and
die.
"But the cruel hand of fate had
otherwise decreed. Among the many
suitors for the lovely maiden's hand
was Oskunika, a son of the chief Of
one of the tribes which inhabited the
Lynch Creek section. He adored her
and for years had endeavored to gain
her love and when he learned that
she had resolved to marry his rival he
determined that Wauchula should
never live to claim her as his bride.
"On the full moon in September,
when the braves and squaws of the
different neighboring tribes were gath
cred at the lake to celebrate the
nuptials, and Wauchula and Kinneeta,
gaily bedecked with wild flowers, were
quietly rowing on the lake, while the
gay visitors engaged in the marriage
dance on its banks, Oskunika was
secretly hidden behind one Of the
crystal boulders awaiting an oppor-
tunity to send a shaft of death through
the heart Of the unsuspecting and happy
bride groom.
| "At last his opportunity came. As
the happy pair rowed past he let fly an
arrow on its errand of death. But
alas! he had not calculated in his
hendish endeavor for Wauchula' S
motion in rowing the boat, and the
shaft, passing him, went through the
heart of the beautiful maiden, who
fell, with a scream, dead at the feet OF
her lover.
alt was some moments before the
gay throng could realize what had
happened. But when the facts did
become known such wailing and
bowling went up as only the Indian is
| &f