Evening journal., 1897-04-05
DAWFUSKIE ISLAND.
1T HAS A HISTORY AS THE SCENE OF
MANY INDIAN STRUGGLES.

dians.
A new candidate for public favor is
Dawfusl,ie island, one Of the islands
not far distant from Savannah and one
Of the most interesting historically.
Dawfuslio is the Indian name Of the
island. It is some six miles in length
and four miles in width, noted for its
fish, oysters and crabs and famous Of
late years for its deer hunting The IN
dians were very partial TO it-that is,
Judging from the mounds, tomahawks
arrowheads and other relics of that
race which are still to be found on the
island. 1t is the southeastornmost point
of South Carolina, and directly oppo-
site Tybce island, and in what was
formerly known as ST. Luke's parish,
Beaufort district, but Low legally dcsig-
mated as Ycmasscc township, Beaufort
county.
The island was at enc time the prop
orty Of the Mcngin family. who settled
it about 1850, and up TO the beginning
Of tho late war it was divided into sew
cral plantations and had "a population,
in addition 20 the planters families, of
about 1 300 slaves. Several places on
tho island are still owned by the de-
scendants CT the Mongins, Bloody Point
by Mr.. Mongin Stoddard and Melrose
by Mr.. Alfred II. Stoddard.
The following story of Dawfuslsie is
land appeared in The Morning News of
June "a, 1878, and is all Of its early
history that can be found:
"The massacre Of Bloody Point,
though previous to the Revolutionary
war, is still interesting as relating to
the ancient history of st. Luke. The
islands Of Port Royal and st. Helena
were pretty thickly settled with white
population when Hilton Head, Dow
Dusky, Pinckney and the other neigh
boring islands were held in possession
by few isolated Indians or were alto
gether uninhabited. They formed kind
of neutral ground between the white
and red men. The Indians from Georgia
were in the habit of making frequent
inroads upon the white settlements,
killing the inhabitants and carrying of
whatever plunder they could gather, to
their remoter homes in the farther south.
They formed large war parties and
would proceed as far north as Hilton
Head. Here they would slzulk about till
fair chance offered, when they would
cross Broad river and ravage the neigh
boring settlements; hence the name Of
Skulk creek (and not Skull, as is now
written).
"The Indians were in the habit Of re.
turning to Skulk creek after these in
vasions and would elude pursuit among
its numerous hooks and windings. UpOr
one Of these occasions. after having
committed a nu1ber Of murders anC
/, having loaded their canoes with what
e ever plunder they were ablo TO collect
r. having secured quantity Of fire wa
ter, :" it is presumed, from the sequel
2 they passed through Skulk creek o.
% their return south without stopping II
:. their old baunts and never halted unit
they reached Dow Dusky, where the.
/, thoU ght they wOuld be beyond the reacl
of the whites.
e "A very strong and determined part.
s of whites went in pursuit of them. Oh
reaching Hilton Head they learned from
y a few Indians of a friendly tribe tina
their enemies had not halted, but hat
% proceeded on south. Having induces
these friendly Indians to join them a
guides, they continued their pursui
4 farther south. When they had gone o.
e as far as Dow Dusky, they discovore
d from the smoke Of their camp that TIA
a Indians had halted at the southeas
n point of the island. The whites lando
e on tho northwest portion and marche
s toward their enemies The Indians ha
= put all their boats a short distanc
w. MP what is now known as New river
to avoid the surf which breaks upO
e tho point The Indians were at tho oa
- uemo point enjoying thomsglve7 in 81
e unwCuted round of CCiviyiaiiiy an
Il foasting. The whites approached eau
tiously and s;calthily, and, having 60
IS between the Indians and their boats
offectually cut OH their retreat
!. shower of bullets was the first intima
q tion they had Of The presence Of an en-
ie envy. They were shot down, hayonetec
sabered and wcrc finally driven into tn
sea.
"Tho surprise was complete; the mas
sacre was Dreadful; the white sane
MNAt NAAtl4TA 4AAAl WIN AARNNu eAaN "a
q earth w~s slrewn with wounded, dyin
= and dead A few. very few, escaped
,e swimming, some to the opposite marsl
s. and one swan entirely over TO Tybce,
IA distance of three miles. From the drea'
l. ful carnage at this spot it received Il
le name of Bloody Point. which it retain
II to this time, it being the extreme soutl
le eastern point of South Carolina. Aft'
y, this decisive victory the settlements
~ the north Of Broad river received I
i further molestation from the southei
Indians, and soon after Hilton Head
J. self began to be settled by the white
TIE Indians who escaped, having CO
lected after lapse Of some time, L
turned TO Hilton Head, and, fndl
~ only two of the tribe who had guide
ye the whites in their pursuit, avenged Il
D. downfall of their own tribe by destro
s. ing both of them. They then return'
is south and were lost sight Of ever afte