The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-30
LEGENDS d POTOMAC
SOME WEIRD STORIES TOLD OF
THE EARLY DAYS OF
WASHINGTON
HOW THE RIVER WAS NAMED
Story of an indian Maiden Whose
Death Caused a Flight of Swans
Landing of the British
at BraddOck Rock.

More fantastic stories and legends have
gathered around the early history of
Washington than any other city in the
United States. There are a number of
Indian legends still remembered bv the
cid settlers along the river, and some of
these are Of weird and unique interest
especially that of the naming of the Po
tomac and Of the cluster of rocks near
the Aqueduct Bridge known as the Three
Sisters. There are other stories the tale
OF the Braddock Rock the legend Of the
British drummer boy, and no end of
rabies related by the darkies, some of
which are quite remarkable. They have
never yet been gathered into substantial
form. The average Washingtonian Is as
ignorant Of the wealth of romance and
dramatic STORY that clings to these
old landmarks as he is of the MANY
other picturesque facts that are part Of
the oldtime days of ''the Federal Citv "
Inc story of the naming of the Poto
mac mas been handed down in fragments
some OLD Georgetown residents state that
tne indians called the Potomac ss1,ba
River of Swans" because of the hnn1
oreds, even thousands, of swans and
other Wild game birds that made it their
Feeding ground. Others maintain that q
was known as 1.-The Gray Swan" heinz
named after an Indian girl, a DAUGHTER
OF the Manahoacs. who found a tragic
any rate the latter story is the more nic-
turesque. When the wind in Novemher
means along the shores the old settlers
OF virginia say to the children, "That IS
the voice OF the Indian girl singing her
death song" Aiei
LEGEND OF THE GRAY SWAN.
When Capt. John Smith first sailed I'm
the Potomac he found three tribes Do
soMillechS' Ahacostlans, and Manahoacs.
seItIed IN Maryland, some Of whose Vii,
1aeeS ana hunting grounds were located
IN the forests along the Potomac AZ
tnough pad blood existed between +ba.o
three' they were Ieagued together az one
against the Powhattans, a fierce Viro.i,,io
HlDe, Which had stolen on their e.ro1r,5a
mere was an unusually haautifn1 vo,,n.
eguaW belonging to the Manahoac tribe
"o was known as Gray Swan be-,
cause OF the swan feathers she u1os ~
eustomed to wear and fror1 49, eH4 % az
Sne mad tanned a number of tbe III
DiIuS along the river. A brave ne a.
= o"hatans secretly became her 1o,1ar
- ms was discovered by the youne so,,ov,T,
PpeopIe' and plans made accordingly The
= o% I'd Tan was tracked and burned r.
bod1t ne indian girl found his charred
10y Disconsolate, she Sought rafnoo
Al suicide, and tust at sunset her 6eath
S Ill Tell upon the ears of her 1900
1IIey reached the spot where tba Soi,-,l
80 AIolh' only in time to see the riI,ar |
1TGSp over The body Of the Indian otrI
go d Iarge gray swan, repeating tbe |
fbe 9,a Us OF her song, rose I'D from
hills 5iro,s,. anu new over the Virginia |
'ii MS directly toward the falling snn
me tolloWtng morning not q swan No..
80, oh the river, all having flown ayyoS, |
S vi strange cries. The story goes thot |
ey never again returned. and 49, !
riUa,. NJ ne Jay the Manahoacs called the |
80 me Gray Swan. Almost all of |
lnese indian legends are curioueIy go
clated with the sounds of ths T2iy,d ''S ~
voices" of the water. and +ba oo1 ne
Of the sky. anu Che colors
THE BRITISH DRUMMER ROW
,oo4 tnere Is a most pathetic story con-
Hgcleu with the river just off High TsIono !
where the rapids run. Tt reIa+o. "a III
niue drummer boy in the service of .sbi~ |
majesty King George" He was o r,o,,
Der OF the Rraddock expedition 1rlia,,
TaHpeo out near that part of fha cit1,
"n INC as observatory hill. He went
L LuC On hshlng expedition with a num- |
1f+t1o me me soldiers, and just about the
nlle IaHs' while attempting to sten |
across the rocks, was drowned and bis
pody swept under by the c,1rrsr,t 90 10 |
never recovered. The colored foIIra
@!ohg the canal firmly believe that tbo
shost OF this little British drummer how
ii'9 me rocks Of the Little Falls ev
cry night just after sunset.
=. some of those especially gifted with
seeing things at night" have actna1II,
given most accurate descriptions of 3D.,
Eeu coat, his mournful cry and the boI.
low echoes of his drum
The Braddock rock is now inc,osed
with an iron railing, erected bv the Col !
onlal Danes. 1t IS not an impressive
Slght now that the river has been filled |
up all around it, and ash piles and trash
are dumped In its immediate neighbour |
mood Here it was that tradition saws
George Washington first landed and SIR
Veyed what became the future CANT |
tai. O"pi-
The rock is located near the Easbv
Polnt sewer, and just at the base of the
NaVaI Museum of Hygiene, formerly the |
old observatory. When the water was
around 1t and trees sheltered if there |
were some artistic features about If Tts |
history, purely traditionary, Is accented |
as actual fact. Nearly every local his |
torian has stated:
The British troops sailed up the Poto- |
mae in barges until they came nearly on |
posite to what is now the foot of Tween |
ty-htth street. Here a big boulder. then |
reaching out Of the water twelve or |
fourteen feet deep, stood out like a |
great square buttress. The barges touch
ed at this rock and upon it all the troons |
were landed. Thus it became known as
- y