Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-05-31

curious, In the language OF my
friend. from whom first heard it:
"The Occonies and the Little Esta-
toees, or, rather, the Brown Vipers
and the Green Birds, were both mi
nor tribes Of the Cherokee nation,
between whom, as was not unfre-
quently the case, there sprung up
deadly enmity. The Estatoees had
their town on each side OF the two
creeks, which, to this day, keep their
name, and on the eastern side Of the
keowee river the Occonies occupied
much larger extent Of territory,
but it lay on the opposite, or west,
side Of the same stream. Their dif-
ferences were supposed to have arisen
from the defeat Of Chatuga, a favor
ite leader Of the Occonies, who aim
ed to be made chief of the nation at
large. The Estatoee warrior, Toxa-
way, was successful; and as the in
fiuence OF Chatuga was considerable
with his tribe, he labored success
fully to engender in their bosoms a
dislike Of the Estatoees. This feel
ing was made to exhibit itself on
every possible occasion. The Occo-
nies had no word too foul by which
to describe the Estatoees. They lik-
ened them, in familiar speech, to
everything which, in the Indian i'm
agination, is accounted low and con-
temptible. In reference to war, they
were reputed women; in all other
respects, they were compared to dogs
and vermin; and, with something Of
a Christian taste and temper. they
did not scruple, now and then, to in
woke the devil OF their more barba-
rous creed for the eternal disquiet of
their successful neighbors, the Little
Estatoees, and their great chief, Tox-
away.
"ln this condition Of things there
could not be much harmony; and,
accordingly. as If by mutual consent,
there was but little intercourse be-
tween the two people. When they
met it was either to regard one ano-
thcr with a cold, repulsive distance,
or else, as eneimes, actively to TO-
mcnt quarrel and engage in strife.
But seldom, save on national con-
Germs, did the Estatoees cross the
Keowce to the side held by the Occo-
nies and the latter, more numerous,
and therefore less reluctant for strife
~
found on the opposite bank of the
same river. Sometimes, however,
small parties Of hunters from both
tribes, rambling in one direction or
another, would pass into the enemy's
territory; but this was not frequent,
and when they met, quarrel and
bloodshed were sure to mark the ad
venture.
But there was one young warrior
Of the Estatoees who did not give
much heed to this condition Of par
ties, and who, moved by all errant
spirit, and wholly insensible to fear,
would not hesitate, when the humor
seized him. to cross the river, maxi
ing quite as free, when he did so,
with the hunting grounds of the Oc-
comics as they did themselves. This
sort OF conduct did not please the
latter very greatly, but Nagoochie
was always SO gentle, and at the same
time so brave, that the young war
rior Of Occony either liked or feared
him too much to throw themselves
often in his path, or labour at any
time to arrest his progress.
''ln one Of these excursions, Ma
goochie made the acquaintance Of
JocaSsee, one Of the sweetest Of the
dusky daughters Of Occony. He was
rambling with bow and quiver, in
pursuit Of game, as was his custom.
along that beautiful enclosure which
the whites have named after her
the Jocassee valley. The circum-
stances under which they met were
II strange and exciting. and we'll
calculated to give her a power over
the young hunter, to which the pride
Of the Indian does not often suffer
him to submit. 1t was towards
evening when Nagooche sprung a
fine buck from the hollow Of the
wood beside him, and just before you
reach the ridge Of rocks which hem
IN and form this beautiful valley.
TIL the first glimpse OF his prey
flew the keen shaft of Nagoochie;