Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-12-18
a9lisfellanepns &maina.
THE CATAWBAS.
An Abbeville Girls Account of A Visit to
Their Reservation.

An Abbeville Girls Account of A Visit t.
Their Reservation.
For some reason, all of the Winthrop
college girls did not 60 on the recent
visit to the Atlanta exposition. Some
of them remained in Rock Hill, and g
party of these amused themselves by
taking a trip to the Catawba Indian
reservation. One of the visitors, ar
Abbeville girl, over the signature Of
"Nellie," has written an account of the
visit for the Abbeville Medium. Here
is her story:
Thinking that perhaps some of your
readers might be pleased to know
something of the Indian reservation in
the northern part of our State, will ask
for a few lines in which may describe
the trip to the reservation taken by
some of the Winthrop Normal and
Industrial College girls.
1t was with very sad hearts we saw
her 225 pupils and teachers set out on
Wednesday morning, the 2Sth, for the
Atlanta exposition. But the teachers
who remained at home informed us thai
they were going to "make us have 8
good time"
The first thing on docket was the
Thanksgiving dinner, which was ele
CANT, and to which we all did justice
Then last night we had out reception
one long to be remembered.
But it is not of these we wish to tell
you but of our trip the following day
Friday. The reservation is situated
about 10 miles west of Rock Hill
There were about SO in the party, aud
we went in wagons and hacks, reach
ing the house of the chief, Jim Harris,
about 2 o'clock. Here we stopped to
rest and eat our lunch, and tired and
hungry set we were too.
Jim Harris is large, we'll built man,
evidently about 35 years old. He
speaks English very well; but can
neither read nor write. With him
lives. his mother, Sallie Harris, very
friendly old soul, she took us in her
house and showed us her pottery (some
of which was very pretty). Almost all
of the girls purchased something from
her as a memento of the occasion, Prof.
Moses said that he told Jim he ought
to have sent some specimens of their
work to the exposition, aud begun to
explain to him what it was, when he
came to find out that he had already
sent some and that Jim knew more
about the exposition than he did.
Sallie said that the girls ought to all
write down their names and give them
to her in order that she might remem-
Der us. When Miss Wicker replied
that we would do so if she would give
US pencil and-paper, she said that she
didn't have any; but if her other son
were there he could give them to US as
he could read and write.
We were very anxious to see Old
Uncle Billy George, who is about 100
years old, and quite noted old person
but owing to our limited time could
not go to see him.
We went down to the spring, about
a uuater ofa mile from the chiefs house,
and ate our lunch, and drank pure
mountain water from real Indian
spring. We then walked down to the
Catawba river. The scenery here is
simply grand. One can catch glimpses
of the water, bright and sparkling
through the trees, sometimes quarter
of mile away. The bottom lands on
the banks of the river were sowed in
oats or wheat, we are unable to tell
which, IA girl is not expected to know
but there was fine stand, and the way
in which the soil was titled would have
done credit to a 6rst-class farmer.
There are only about 250 remaining
now of the great Catawba nation.
Seventy. five are here in the northern
part of York county, the others are at
Fort Smith Arkansas. How sad it is
to think that these few remaining ones
will soon have passed away! And the
mighty Catawba nation will then have
become extinct.
The reservation consists of about 800
acres of, judging from what we saw
very fertile land. In addition to this
they are paid $500 annually, or about
$40 apiece.
On our homeward drive, about hall
mile from the chiefs house, we passed
another Indian house, in the piazza oi
which stood two Indian women, two
little girls and little boy. Prof. Moses
told them he would give them a nickel
if they would bring the babies down to
the carriage. The mother grabbed the
children and came Immediately, al.
though one of the children protested
loudly against it and rent the air with
it's screams, thus proving that they
have learned from their white brethren
"to love money"
Our ride home was more pleasant
than in the morning, we returning in g
hack instead of the wagon. The pale
moon had risen and was shedding hel
silvery beam upon us ere we came in
sight of our beloved home, which we
reached about 7.15, tired hungry and
happy, hoping some day to revisit the
interesting sights Of the Indian reser
vation.
THE ToNGUE.-Taste is not equally