Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-01-12
From the Yorkville Enquirer Of 1875
INSTALLMENT w.
The Indians

No history of South Carolina-in
fact no history of Americas COM
plete which does not assign a place
to the aboriginal inhabitants. They
were called Indians because Colum-
bus set out to reach the Indies by a
westerly route. How this people got
to America and from what country
they came are questions that have
never been satisfactorily answered;
and from the peculiar circumstances
of the case, nothing perhaps, better
than a reasonable conjecture will
ever be arrived at. 1t has been by
some individuals, conjectured that
the Indians, as they are called, came
to this country from Asia. The point
at which they crossed over Is suppos-
ed to have been Behring strait. This
strait, which at present, Is less than
forty miles wide, 1t is supposed may
have at some time been much mar
rover; or the two continents may. 1t
Is conjectured, have once touched
each other. Supposing this not to
have been the case, it is argued that
when the strait was frozen over,
enough families or tribes may have
crossed over the sea and thus reach
ed the continent of America. Other
| individuals, on account Of the great
difference which appeared to exist be-
tween the people Of Europe and the
aborigines of America, have been
led to conclude that the latter are
different species from the former.
This theory, Notwithstanding that II
has been held by men of eminent SCI
| entific attainments, is attended with
so many and so great difficulties. that
it has been generally rejected as des-
| titute of facts to establish 1t. The
theory or conjecture that the In
dians came to America from Asia by
the way of Behring strait, whilst 1t is
not satisfactory, is attended with as
| few difficulties as any supposition,
and may be accepted until something
is discovered which will throw light
upon this mysterious subject.
We are accustomed to speak OF
! America, when discovered by Euro
peans, as a waste, untrodden only by
the feet Of wild beasts. This Is not
strictly correct All Of America was
inhabited, and some Of it densely
populated, when first visited by CO.
lumbus. The West Indies, South
America and Mexico, at least parts
of them. were densely populated by
partially civilized men. The natives
of Mexico and Peru had magnificent
cities and vast quantities Of gold.
When Columbus visited Hispaniola
and Jamaica he found that the for
mer had three millions Of inhabitants
and the latter 100000. These. we are
forced to add, were all cruelty exter-
minated.
In South Carolina, when settled by
the English, there were as near as
can be ascertained, twenty-eight
| tribes. Some Of these were small and
insignificant, but others were large
and powerful. Their territory was
from the mountains to the seaboard.
The two most powerful tribes were
the Westoes and Savannahs- The
Westoes occupied the territory be-
tween Charleston and Edisto river.
The Savannahs were located in the
middle country, on the Savannah riv-
er. On the northeast side Of Savan-
nah river, back of Port Royal island,
were the Yemassees. The Creeks had
established themselves on Broad river,
which was called by them and the
Cherokees, the Cherokee river. The
present counties of Anderson, Green
Vile and parts of the adjoining coun-
| ties as far as Broad river was the
home Of the Cherokees. The Conga-
rees lived on the river which still
bears their name. Newberry county
was the hunting ground Of the Salu-
das. The Catawbas roamed northward
from Camden on both sides Of the riv-
er, which retains their name. The
Waterees located themselves below
| Camden. There were many other
| tribes-as the Chickasaws, who, since
they did not live wholly in the terri
tory now occupied by South Carolina,
are omitted. Some of these as we
will see in the sequel, were numerous
and valiant, rendering in some in
stances signal service to the whites;
and at other times spreading terror
through the country
Of the twenty-eight tribes which
once inhabited the state, only about
seventy individuals remain. These
are in the eastern portion Of York
county, on the Catawba river. They
remain as the debris of once nu-
merous, and we may be permitted to
add, generous people.
In person, the Indian is described
as being tall and slender, with nigh
cheek bones and long, straight, black,
coarse hair. Their hair, it is said by
old historians, was as strong as tnat
of a horse. The Indian was active,
rather than strong; capable of endur-
ing much fatigue, rather than OF
performing great labor. He was not
DTdNe Ill Tie lllOuClIl oCilSC VI NhaS
VIC rCt, but was possessed Of fortitude
to a degree unknown to most other
people. He was cunning. He never
attacked his foe in the open field, but
concealed himself behind trees and
rocks and when a favorable opportu-
nifty was presented, poured death and
destruction upon his enemies. He
was sad and taciturn. Rarely did he
speak and more rarely did he laugh,
and never did he indulge in even
moderate hilarity. His mode Of life
made him sober His existence was
a precarious one. He lived by hunt
ing and fishing. The forests and riv-
ers spontaneously produced his sup
plies. To capture his game with his
rude weapons, required great skill
and a noiseless motion. A failure for
a few days, in the chase, would sub
ject him to much suffering, and per-
haps death. Hence he was sedate
and all his movements were made
with great caution.