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27. Talking Leaves and An Ocean of Mountains

 

 

 

 

George Guess, better known by his Cherokee name, Sequoyah, around 1809 began trying to develop a system of writing as a means not only of communication but of preserving Cherokee culture.  By 1821 he had developed an alphabet of over 80 letters representing the syllables of the Cherokee language.  In 1828 the first Native American newspaper, the Cherokee Phoenix, began publication.  In that same year Dr. Elisha Mitchell, Professor of Chemistry, Geology, and Mineralogy at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, undertook a geological tour of western North Carolina.

 

 

 

 

John Gambold to Thomas McKenny –

August 30, 1824

It is indispensably necessary for their preservation that they should learn our Language and adopt our Laws and Holy Religion . . . . The study of their language would in a great measure prove but time and labor lost . . . . it seems desirable that their Language, Customs, Manner of Thinking etc. should be forgotten. [1]

 

 

William Chamberlin’s Journal

October 22, 1824

The knowledge of Mr. Guess's Alphabet is spreading through the nation like fire among leaves . . . a great part of the Cherokees can read and write in their own language. [2]

 

 

Ard Hoyt –

December 1824

Mr. Hicks, I am informed, thinks it will at least be the means of increasing a desire for learning among the lower class and ultimately bring more of them to a knowledge of English literature.  [3]

 

Issac Proctor to Jeremiah Evarts –

January 25, 1825

. . . letters in Cherokee are passing in all directions and nothing is in so great demand as pens, ink, and paper. . . .  [4]

 

 

 

Rev. Daniel S. Butrick’s Journal

February 22, 1825

The Cherokees seem peculiarly partial to Guess's plan of writing.  They can generally learn it in one day and in a week become writing masters and transact their business and communicate their thoughts freely and fully on religious and political subjects by writing.  They will doubtless be generally acquainted with this plan of reading and writing in the course of one year.  [5]

 

 

Issac Proctor to Jeremiah Evarts –

July 20, 1825

All the scholars, as well as all the neighborhood have become conversant with this new mode of writing.  This, no doubt, more that anything else, has operated against English schools. [6]

 

Samuel Worcester-

1825

I have been attending to Guyst's alphabet, with an hour's assistance from Mr. Reece.  It seems to be the united opinion of all who have formed an opinion, that his mode of writing the language must prevail, though alterations may be made.  The number of natives who have already learned it is very great.  [7]

 

 

Prospectus

October 1827

 

For publishing at New Echota, in the Cherokee Nation,

A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

TO BE CALLED THE

Cherokee Phoenix

 

There are many true friends to the Indians in different parts of the Union, who will rejoice to see this feeble effort of the Cherokees to rise from their ashes, Like the fabled Phoenix.  On such friends must principally depend the support of out paper.

The Alphabet lately invented by a native Cherokee, of which the public have already been apprized, forms an interesting medium of information to those Cherokees who are unacquainted with the English language.  For their benefit Cherokee types have been procured.

The columns of the Cherokee Phoenix will be filled, partly with English, and partly with Cherokee print; and all matter which is of common interest will be given in both languages in parallel columns.

As the great object of the Phoenix will be the benefit of the Cherokees, the following subjects will occupy its columns.

1.  The laws and public documents of the Nation.

2.  Account of the manners and customs of the Cherokees, and the progress in Education, Religion and the arts of civilized life; with such notices of other Indian tribes as our limited means of information will allow.

3.  The principal interesting news of the day.

4. Miscellaneous articles, calculated to  promote Literature, Civilization, and Religion among the Cherokees.

In closing this short Prospectus, The Editor would appeal to the friends of Indians, and respectfully ask their patronage. 

Elias Boudinot  [8]

 

 

 

Jeremiah Evart -

November 8, 1827

The types & press, & furniture for the office are to be ready for shipping by the close of this week.  The types & furniture have been ready for several weeks; but we have delayed purchasing a press, because we supposed that the printer who would be employed, would wish to have some voice respecting the kind.  We have this morning engaged one called the "union press" - it is an iron press; but seems simple in its structure - easily set up - & not likely to get out of repair.

Drawings of the press, with instructions for putting it up and working it, will be forwarded to you.  It weighs about lbs. 1000, the types & furniture - say - 1200.  All will be well packed & sent as soon as possible, to Augusta.

The whole will be addressed to John Ross, Esq., Newtown, Cher. Na. - to the care of Brewster & Prescott, Augusta.  Mr. Ross will give directions to some waggoner.  I hope the council have made some provision for the support & employment of Mr. Boudinot.  [9]

 

 

John F. Wheeler -

 

We arrived at New Echota about the 23rd of December, 1827.  We found the press, type, ect. had not arrived, they having to be transferred from Augustine, Ga., in wagons, a distance of over 200 miles.  We found the Rev. Samuel A. Worcester, a missionary under the American Board, with his family, and Elias Boudinot, the editor of the paper, with his family, at New Echota, both of whom had just removed there, and both intending to engage in the translation of the Scriptures into the Cherokee language, to be printed with the newly invented characters.  Mr. Worcester had systematically arranged the characters, which can be better understood as something like the English, ba, be, bi, bo, ect. using the Cherokee vowels at the head of each line.  Mr. Worcester furnished Mr. Harris and myself with a written copy,  (for there was no printing in the Cherokee language) to learn the alphabet.  We had nothing to do for three or four weeks but to learn the alphabet, and it was more and more incomprehensible to us than Greek.  For myself, I could not distinguish a single word in the talk of the Indians with each other, for it seemed to be a continuance of sounds.  While we were waiting for the type and press it was ascertained that no printing paper had been ordered from Boston with the material.  A two-horse-wagon was procured and Harris started for Knoxville, where was a paper mill, for paper.  He was gone about two weeks, when he returned with a sufficient for the present wants.

The house built for the printing-office was of hewed logs, about 30 feet long and 20 wide.  The builders had cut out a log on each side 15 or 16 feet long and about two and a half feet above the floor, in which we made a sash to fit.  This we had raised, because the light was below the cases.  Stand had to be made, a bank, and cases for the Cherokee type.  The latter was something entirely new, as no pattern for a case or cases to accommodate an alphabet containing 86 characters could be found.

The Cherokee font was cast on a small pica body, and, as several of the Cherokee characters were taken from the English caps, the small caps of small pica were used.  The press, type, ect., arrived about the middle of January.  The press, a small royal size, was like none I ever saw before or since.  It was of cast-iron, with spiral springs to hold up the platen, at that time a new invention. . . . 

We had no impression stone, and had to make up each page of the paper on a sled galley, put it on the press, and take proofs on slips of paper, and then correct it on the press, a very fatiguing way of correcting foul proof, which was the case with my first efforts at setting Cherokee type.  But after several weeks I became expert at setting up Cherokee matter . . . Translation from English into Cherokee was a very slow business; therefore we seldom had more than three columns each week in Cherokee.  [10]

 

 

 

Subscriptions to the Cherokee Phoenix

 

Those who read Cherokee only receive the journal free of charge.  To subscribers who can read English, the cost is $2.50 annually, if paid in advance; $3 if payment is delayed 6 months; and $3.50 if not paid until the end of the year.  [11]

 

 

 

John F. Wheeler -

The first issue of the Cherokee Phoenix (Tsa-la-ge Tsi-le-hi-sa-ni-hi) was issued about the middle of February, 1828.  There were three hands in the office -Harris, myself, and John Candy, a native half-blood who came as an apprentice.  He could speak the Cherokee language and was of great help to me in giving words where they were not plain written. . . .  [12]

 

Benjamin Gold to his family –

1828

This neighborhood is truly an interesting and pleasant place.  The ground is level and smooth as a floor; the center of the Nation, a new place, laid out in city form; a hundred lots of an acre each.  A spring called the public spring about twice as large as our sawmill brook, near the center,  with other springs on the plat; six new framed houses in sight, besides a Council House, Court House, printing office and four stores, all in sight of Mr. Boudinot's house; but the stores are continued only during the session of the Council and then removed to other parts of the Nation - except one steadily continued. . . . [13]

 

Samuel Lorenzo Knapp -

In the winter of 1828, a delegation of the Cherokees visited the city of Washington, in order to make a treaty with the United States, and among them was Se-quo-yah, the inventor of the Cherokee alphabet.  His English name is George Guess; he was a half-blood; but had never, from his own account, spoken a single word of English up to the time of his invention, nor since.  Prompted by my own curiosity, and urged by several literary friends, I applied to Sequoyah, through the medium of two interpreters, one a half-blood, Capt. Rogers, and the other a full-blood chief, whose assumed English name is John Maw, to relate to me, as minutely as possible, the mental operations and all the facts in his discovery. . . .

In some of their deliberations . . .  the question arose among them, whether this mysterious power of the talking leaf, was the gift of the Great Spirit to the white man, or the discovery of the white man himself?  Most of his companions were of the former opinion, while he strenuously maintained the latter.  This frequently became a subject of contemplation with him afterwards, as well as many other things which he knew, or had heard, that the white man could do; but he never sat down seriously to reflect upon the subject, until a swelling on his knee confined him to his cabin, and which at length made him a cripple for life, by shortening the diseased leg.  Deprived of the excitements of war, and the pleasures of the chase, in the long nights of his confinement, his mind was again directed to the mystery of the power of speaking by letters; the very name of which, of course, was not to be found in his language.

The thought struck him to try to ascertain all the sounds in the Cherokee language.  His own ear was not remarkably discriminating, and he called to his aid, the more accurate ears of his wife and children.  He found great assistance from them.  When he thought he had distinguished all the different sounds in their language, he attempted to us pictorial signs, images of birds and beasts, to convey those sounds to others, or to mark them in his mind.  He soon dropped this method, as difficult or impossible, and tried arbitrary signs, without any regard to appearances, except such as might assist him in recollecting them, and distinguishing them from each other.

At first these signs were very numerous; and when he got so far as to think his invention was nearly accomplished, he had about two hundred characters in his Alphabet.  By the aid of his daughter, who seemed to enter into the genius of his labors, he reduced them, at last to eighty-six, the number he now uses.  He then set about to make the characters more comely to the eye, and succeeded.  As yet he had not the knowledge of the pen as an instrument, but made his characters on a piece of bark, with a knife or nail.  At this time he sent to the Indian agent, or some trader in the nation, for paper and pen.  His ink was easily made from some of the bark of the forest trees, whose coloring properties he had previously known; and after seeing the construction of the pen, he soon learned to make one. . . .

His next difficulty was to make his invention known to his countrymen; for by this time he had become so abstracted from his tribe and their usual pursuits, that he was viewed with an eye of suspicion.  His former companions passed his wigwam without entering it, and mentioned his name as one who was practicing improper spells, for notoriety or mischievous purposes; and he seems to think that he would have been hardly dealt with, if his docile and unambitious disposition had not been so greatly acknowledged by his tribe.  At length he summoned some of the most distinguished of his nation, in order to make his communication to them - and after giving them the best explanation of his discovery that he could, stripping it of all supernatural influence, he proceeded to demonstrate to them, in good earnest, that he had made a discovery. 

His daughter, who was now his only pupil, was ordered to go out of hearing, while he requested his friends to name a word or sentiment which he put down, and then she was called in and read it to them; then the father retired, and the daughter wrote; the Indians were wonder struck; but not entirely satisfied.  Sequoyah then proposed, that the tribe should elect several youths from among their brightest young men, that he might communicate the mystery to them.  This was at length agreed to, although there was some lurking suspicion of necromancy in the whole business. 

John Maw, a full-blood, with several others were selected for this purpose.  The tribe watched the youths for several months with anxiety; and when they offered themselves for examination, the feelings of all were wrought up to the highest pitch.  The youths were separated from their master, and from each other, and watched with great care.  The uninitiated directed what the master and pupil should write to each other, and these tests were varied in such a manner, as not only to destroy their infidelity, but most firmly to fix their faith.     

The Indians, on this, ordered a great feast, and made Sequoyah conspicuous at it.  Sequoyah became at once school-master, professor, philosopher, and a chief.  His countrymen were proud of his talents, and held him in reverence as one favored by the Great Spirit.  [14]

 

 

 

 

Diary of a Geological Tour by Dr. Elisha Mitchell in 1828

 

 

Jefferson, Saturday Evening.

Arrived at this place about noon in safety. Fox has not yet run away with me. Indeed, there seems more danger that the crows will run away with him. The poor old fellow is badly worsted. His back is very sore, and I shall leave him here on Monday and hire a horse to ride about the country with. At Mrs. Colvards the fare was rather hard; no tea or coffee but excellent potatoes. I intended to start as soon as it should be light this morning, but the sun had already gild­ed the mountain tops. Poor Fox, if he is in the habit of swearing, and I hope he is not, must have cursed the negro that brought him out this morning, and the white man who drove him. I first clambered up the mountain and along and dreary clamber it was of five miles. Near the summit there is a very extensive prospect embracing a wide circuit of the comparatively low, level country through which I had been traveling, but there was nevertheless, notwithstanding the extensiveness of the prospect, something wanting. There was no water; there were no thriving towns and villages to be seen, inhabited by an industrious, frugal and virtuous grown population, and a body of youth preparing to supply with ability the plans which their fathers are shortly to leave. The rocks in the ascent of the ridge were chiefly mica slate, and granite of a grain, very white arid frequently with abundance of mica. Seven miles from the top of the ridge after a mod­erate descent—the path apparently over mica slate almost ex­clusively—only two or three houses; I came to New river. ‘Tis a beautiful stream, broad but not deep, clear and running its course among the mountains, which often over-hang its banks and overshadow its waters. About three miles from this place left the river. Passed an. old Dunker’ who was mending his mill-race.  He evidently is not quite orthodox, poor man; for he shaves around his mouth where the beard would interfere with what he probably considers as amongst the more important duties of his life—those of kissing his wife and eating his dinner. I am put up at a certain Mr. Lal’s—I beg his pardon, Mr. La’s—no on looking upon the sign I find his name is Faw. Jeffersontown has 6 or 8 houses —dwelling houses— rather shabby. Mr. Mitchell is gone out to electioneer at a muster, seven miles according to one infor­mant; 12 to another. I thought at first of getting upon a horse and riding out, but finally gave it out under the idea that the people would be dispersing, if not dispersed, before I should arrive. Instead of doing that I ascended the highest of the mountains in the neighborhood along with Mr. Faw, and a rugged ascent it was. Saw a good many plants that were new to me, dug a root of ginseng for you, a small one with my own hands. The air being clear, the prospect was  delightful. The Pilot could be distinguished clearly, proba­bly at the distance of near a hundred miles. It appeared to be almost exactly east. The Grandfather, or the mountain which we supposed to be the one bearing that name, bore S.  40 West. We had a clear view of the country lying down the New River in Virginia, and also of the part of Surry, Wilkes, etc, lying near the Blue Ridge, for the point on which we were standing was high enough to overlook the Blue Ridge. Nearly the whole county of Ashe lay at our feet, the Merry-­_ Anders of the river could be traced as on a map. Some of _ the plantation in view also presented a noble appearance, but oh, what an ocean of mountains. That spoken of is called the Negro Mountain, the rocks of it are almost hornblende  slate, or gneissoid hornblende rock. I have yet seen none of the rock which I supposed from the representation of McClure to underlie the whole county. I start on now today to ascer­tain if possible when the strata changes, and this leads me to speak of the future. I have been as good a correspondent as  possible. This letter will leave here tomorrow morning be ­_ fore it is light and will reach you, as I hope, on Thursday next. I assure you that all is well hitherto, and encourages the hope that it will continue so hereafter. But on Monday I shall probably start on horseback and not be near my writ­ing apparatus for a week, and then perhaps not under cir­cumstances that will permit me to use them. With what you now receive therefore you must rest contented for some time, perhaps till my return, though I will write if I can. I pro pose as I have already mentioned to start on Monday and travel the northern or lower part of the county and be back to the upper part to be present at a muster next Saturday. The  ruggedness of the country renders it necessary I should go on horse-back. In about a fortnight I hope to pass over into Wilkes again and cruise about there and to be home again in five weeks from today. With regard to things at home, push the girls along in their learning—which I acknowledge you are ready to do. But becoming convinced, as I do, as I travel the country, of the importance of education, I can not help feel­ing a degree of impatience to have that of my daughters ef­fected as rapidly as possible. Endeavor to make Sumner do his duty in the field.

From your Affectionate Husband,

E. Mitchell

 

 

 

Jefferson, July 9th, 1828, Wedns. Morning.

 

My Dear and Good Wife:

In my letter of Saturday evening last, I gave you an account of my movements up to that time. After sealing this letter I saw Mr. Mitchell. Sunday, I ought, perhaps, to have collected the people of this little village (there are but eight; families of them), and preached them a sermon, but I did not. I read, talked, walked, and a man came to see me about minerals, whom I found it a difficulty to get clear of.

Monday Morning. Started on horse-back with Mr. Mitchell -to find where the western transition of Triassic succeeds to the primitive rocks of this place. Passed along the great western road, down Beaver Creek between the ends of Plum; Top and Phoenix Mountain to the North fork of N. River, over gneisssoid, Hornblende rock and Hornblende slate altogether for about seven miles. Visited the forge 8 miles from town. Rocks here show characteristic gneiss. Forge gets its ore -from two places, one about 4 or 5 miles above King’s Bank, the other a similar distance below. The former one poor, as was told, but makes good iron, and is necessary to flux the latter. The latter highly magnetic and appears to con­sist of sulphuret. Forge makes 200 lbs per day, which -sells at 5 cents at the forge, but Sidney Maxwell told me he got it from the workmen at 3 and 4, and that he had had the iron of Carter County delivered at 4: got our dinner at Johnstons and at Maxwells struck the first rocks respecting which there could be any question that they were approach­ing to transition, Shining Argilite. That was at 12 miles but 2 miles further on at __________ there was well characterised, gneiss. After this the rocks were not distinct­ly characterized, assumed a more earthy appearance and had a little clay slate mixed with them. Called upon Col. Gideon Lewis who told us of some interesting appearances at the Bull Ruffin. Arrived at the top of the Stone mountain where a post indicated the Tennessee line, and had a pleasant view of the mountains of Carter county of Tennessee. Over the Tennessee side found rocks which are an imperfect granite and might be referred to the primitive with as much pro­priety as to the transition. In returning saw plenty of the Magnetic ancient slate. Fell in with William Gray who lives at the last house on New River, 1 1/4 miles from the top of Stone mountain, who told us the lead mine which lies un­der so much soil in this part of the country, is within a mile of his house. Agreed to stop and see it, and stayed all night, climbed a high ridge and travelled, I should judge, two miles to the mine. Tis a small vein of Specular Oxide of iron in a half baked granite rock. Found the same granite rock elsewhere on the top of the ridge, and Gray told me they were going to cut a pair of millstones from it. Slept all night somewhat thicker than three in a bed.

Tuesday Morning. A tremendous rain which cleared off when the sun was about two hours high, and we started. Visited the ore Bank (King’s) which is on the side of Plum Top Mountain. The bed is in Hornblende Slate, the ore poor and in small quantity.

Breakfasted at Maxwell’s and arrived here about the middle of the afternoon. All the houses between here and Ten­nessee are log huts. The North Fork winds amongst the high steep mountains and along its banks on the little arable land there is, the inhabitants are settled. They depend a good deal upon their cattle which look well. They are fertile quite to their tops and though they are covered with timbers— large chestnuts, oaks, etc, afford a good deal of pasturage. They will afford much more when the timbers come to be cut down. Started today on an excursion towards the Vir­ginia line.

 

Jefferson, Friday Evening.

It is waxing late but the dread of your wrath being more potent than the desire to sleep, I proceed to give you the rest of these idle and unprofitable days. Major Finley, of Wilkes, came on Tuesday evening, and as he is going on a visit into a region which I wished to visit and offered me his company, I waited till the morning was far advanced before starting. Rode up through the gap between the Phoenix and little Phoenix Mountains. Crossed the North Fork. Gneiss, at about a distance of about nine miles from town, where a change in the country seemed to commence say 5 miles from the Virginia line. Stopped at Timothy Perkins on Helton’s Creek, where there was an army of maidens. I proposed pushing on up Helton but was advised to stay and get infor­mation at a Methodist meeting which was to be held close by at 12. It being the middle of the harvest, but few peo­ple attended, and if they had staid away it had, as it seems to me, been as well. After service a classmeeting. I staid and heard a reasonable amount of female screaming and vo­ciferation, returned to Perkins’ determined some ores for Isaac McNab, dined rode up Helton 2 miles to William Perkins, then back and round to Stephen Perkins on little Helton within half a mile of the Virginia line. Found in the field two men from Wake cutting down the wheat. Steven Perkins’ grandfather came from Connecticut. He is a shrewd, intel­ligent young man and appears fully sensible of the disadvant­age his children would labor under for want of a good educa­tion. His wife, a wonderfully busy little woman told me that one boy and girl of them were twins, and that since their birth there had been three instances of the like amongst their cousins in the neighborhood the country swarms with children. Was well bitten by the fleas at night. There are no ticks here but abundance of these their brethren.

Thursday Morning. John Weaver came in before I was up to have me determine some ore for him, and agreed to go with me to the White top, an exceedingly high mountain, 3 miles north of the say Northwesternmost corner of N.Ca. of course in Virginia. Went out to see Perkins’ ore bank which is ex­tensive and then while breakfast was getting ready heard an amusing account of an old man who determined the locality of ores by the mineral rod, and by his own account is very busy in digging for gold and silver taken from the Whites by the Indians, and laid up in “subteranium chambers.” Said he greased his boots with dead men’s tallow, and is prevented from getting the treasure out not by the little spirit with head no bigger than his two thumbs who come to blow the candle out, but by the great old two horned devil himself.  After breakfast wound over the hills to William Perkins, then up Helton 2 1/2 miles along a new horse path and by an old plan­tation to John Weavers. He has a wonderfully romantic place by the side of the creek under the over-hanging rocks. He is a bachelor of 27. His sister keeps house for him. Another house appeared at the distance of two miles up the creek, and we were apprised of our approach by the rolling of drums which the boys keep to frighten away the cattle that are driven in here in great numbers from Washington county, and eat up the range. Being very wild the drum scares them so that they go heels over head down the sides of the mountain; and a 4 year old ox will clear a 2 year old ox at a single jump. Two or three miles more another house, and then a mile brought us to the top. Here were a few trees ( of Spruce I believe ) but most of the top is fine pasture land covered with white I clover and cattle, and commanding an extensive pros­pect of the mountains of Carolina and of the rich country west upon Holston in Washington county, and look­ing from the height at which we stood like a garden separated into its different compartments. This mountain is evidently in the transition formation. I found grey rocks and grey rock slate around its base. The summit rocks are rather flinty, and I did not understand them well. But for the bleakness and cloudiness of the situation one does not see why there might not be a plantation on the very summit of the mountain. The soil is black, moist and fertile. A copious spring bursts out within a stones throw of the summit. Here the strawberries are just ripe, and I gathered and ate a num­ber. Saw a number of plants which were new to me, but had neither the time nor the means for examining them. The Grandfather mountain, as I supposed it to be, with a craggy and irregular summit was seen at the south, and the other ridges of Burke and Buncombe farther west and apparently as high as the Grandfather. Arrived at Weaver’s again about the middle of the afternoon, exceedingly fatigued having walked according to Weaver, 10 but as I suppose 12 miles in my great heavy boots. Mounted my horse and rode to the north of Helton 10 miles, and fording that stream, as I was told, for I did not undertake to count, 32 times in the distance, and then down the North Fork to Col. Meredith Ballou’s.  This ride was very pleasant. A craggy cliff occupied now one side, now the other side of the river, generally overhanging the stream. The other side presented a narrow strip of low ground, fertile, sometimes in a state of nature, sometimes cultivated— the cultivated land extending some distance up the hill side and sometimes an old field, but covered with clover, how dif­ferent from the old fields of Lower Carolina. The soil of Ashe at least on this side of New river is certainly fertile as is proved by the size of the trees that spring up from it. A ride in the deep valleys of such a country with the blue tops of mountains appearing everywhere, then around a stream as clear as crystal dashing over its rocky bed close by you and reminding you of its existence, at least by its murmur, and a cloudless sky over-head, in a summer evening cannot be un­pleasant except that those whom one loves may not be present to partake of the enjoyment. And it at least affords one an opportunity to fall into a reverie and think about them. The object of this day’s labor was to ascertain the coming in of the transition rocks which I had supposed before I left home to occupy the whole of Ashe county, and which I soon find to occupy only a diminutive part of it. Near the Blue Ridge, as I travelled, the rocks appeared to be chiefly mica slate, about here they are Horneblende slate and Gneissoid Hore­blende rocks. This is succeeded on the N. West by Gneiss proper and the gneiss gives place to an intermediate rock preparatory to the transition. The commencement of the change may be stated to occur at 9 miles north and 12 miles West from here as the road runs, but I found Grey wracke only at the foot of the White Pop Mountain, and within 2 1/2 miles of Stone Mountain in the ridge containing the bed ore (in ditches). I did not find it at all on the road leading to Perkin’s.

Col. Meredith Ballou, at whose house I put up on Thurs­day, is of French extraction, a native of Amherst County in Virginia. He owns a forge—is a busy, active little man still, though 61 years of age, and the father of eleven sons and two daughters by a wife 13 years younger than himelf, and looks as if she might still bear a number of children more. Between the ages of his oldest and youngest daughter there is a difference of 30 years. Fell into a dispute with him about an ore of iron (the micaceous oxide) which he asserted to contain lead. He tells me the first forge erected in this country was built on Helton creek a little above where he lives about 20 years ago by one Tarbert. Shortly after an­other was built still higher on the same creek; 14 years ago; that on Little River and 4 or 6 years ago that visited on Mon­day on the western road. Friday morning, rode down the river 3 or 4 miles to see his forge and the ore bank on Weaver’s land, which has been taken by Zachariah Baker, the last year’s representative from Ashe, for a silver mine from which he was to derive inexhaustible wealth. It proved to be a thin crust of Brown Hematite disseminated through a rock and in such small quantities that it can never be worth working. After dinner Ballou rode out with us two or three miles to see his ore banks which are numerous and rich. Indeed, I judge the range of gneiss heretofore spoken of to be full of ore. Ballou inquired whether I was a professor of religion— said he was not himself, but of the two sects into which the country was divided is most inclined to the Baptist. He spoke of the Methodist camp meeting held annually near Timothy Perkins’ where I attended meeting, said that at the last meet­ing two men, one of those a member of the Methodist church, were witnesses of the pranks of a distinguished preacher. He went into a hut in the dusk of the evening where there was a young woman, a sister in the Methodist communion. He threw one arm around her neck and, put the other upon her bosom. She removed it and he replaced it. She removed it again and he replaced it again; then finding that he was ob­served he struck up a sort of Psalm “I wished to try her faith. Halleujah praise the Lord.” With this precious piece of scan­dal, I close my letter, observing only that I arrived here just at dark and have been eating, shaving and writing ever since.

Saturday Morning. Started after an early breakfast for the settlement of the Three-Forks 23 miles S. West of this where there is to be a muster to-day, along with Phillips— not the celebrated Irish orator but a constable of the county of Ashe. Passed some good plantations within the first six miles, then entered upon a district of mica slate and Magne­sium rocks—Ridgy without being mountainous or picturesque — barren and uninhabited—this continued until I was within 4 miles of the Three-Forks settlement where the gneissoid Horn­blende rock and good soil reappeared. Put up at Robert Sherer’s, a Baptist and a worthy and intelligent man, a native of the N. Western part of Orange. Saw and became acquainted with a number of people—Dr. Reaser of Tennesseee who brought me a number of specimens of ore—Mr. Calloway— Elijah Cahloway, Esq.; I beg his pardon, formerly a member of the legislature from this county and having a son not yet 21 a candidate. He is regarded here as a gentleman, and is member of the Baptist church. He told me he and Dr. Caldwell were great friends, and that he was a great preacher—asked if he did not preach in the city of Lunnon, [London] and thought that he was a preacher there. Said he had always been a great friend of the University. Having obtained the leave of the candidates I explained in a stump speech to the people assembled the object of my visit to Ashe. Walked out to­wards night 3 miles to a spot on the west side of the S. Fork of North River on the lands of John Cook to see some asbestoid rocks. On my return found at Shearer’s Mr. Smith who was at Chapel Hill last winter, who proposed to me to start today for Watauga and ascend the Grandfather tomorrow but as I excused myself to him on account of tomorrow’s be­ing Sunday, he stayed until I was ready—also a Mr. Farth­ing, son of Reverend Wm. Farthing of the Baptist Church in Wake county, who died last winter at his home at the foot of Stone Mountain — also Mr. Shearer’s pretty daughter and her husband, a good natured sort of a fellow, not half good enough for her. This Glen Fork settlement is about 23 miles from Jefferson and is a considerable body of good land. A good road runs across the mountain here passing through the Deep Gap, and thence down within two or three miles of the Watauga river to the Tennessee line. A Baptist meeting house is only about 2 or 300 yards off at which by an appoint­ment given out on the muster ground I am to preach tomorrow.

Sunday Morning. After breakfast as we were sitting in the Piazza, an old gander named Ellwood (I don’t know how to spell his name) called in with a keg in a bag in which he bad brought whiskey to sell at the muster yesterday. Found abundance of fault with Mr. Mitchell the candidate, and also with Baker the other candidate. When about to go he was asked to stay for preaching —“No, he had said yesterday he  was not going to hear him preach—no man never could attend to everything.” I told him he seemed to be descended from Ishmael—his hand was against every man. I hoped that every man’s hand is not against him. Smith tells me this same fel­low raised a report on the muster ground yesterday—that I received from the state 9,000 dollars for passing through and looking at the rocks. Preached at 12 to a considerably at­tentive congregation. After dinner rode down 10 miles to Watauga. Smith purchased a bottle of brandy and put it in my saddlebags. Stopped at the distance of a mile at Hardin’s (he is a candidate for a seat in the Senate) to avoid a shower of rain and again at Council’s store to collect our company, which finally amounted to 7—The two candidates, Mitchell and Calloway, Smith and Myself, Farthing, a person, name not known, and Noah Mast, to whose father’s on Watauga we are going. The prospect in some places where the chestnuts now in bloom grow upon rich grounds on the declivities of the mountains, and are covered with a most luxuriant foliage, is enchanting. Council’s Store was open, some were hunting, a waggon hauling plank; Mitchell and Calloway electioneered by the way, and, as I was riding on Sunday, with what propriety could I reprehend these things. And yet it seemed necessary, on Mr. Smith’s account, that I should ride. Passed from the deep gap road about 3 miles to Mr. Mast’s and observed a discontinuance in the gneissoid horneblende rocks at this point and a commencement of others which appeared to be in [torn] of the transition. The low grounds on the Watauga above the Stone Mountains are wide, tho’ they cease at the mountains or a little above, and on these low grounds Mr. Mast (a German) has a good plantation and a son settled both above and below him. Young Mast sent out for Henry Holtsclaw who agreed to accompany us to Grandfather tomorrow and then to go on with Mr. Smith to the old fields of Tow. We heard of a family in which was a young lady, apparently about 20, tolerably good looking, and who is the Grace or Goddess that Collin’s speaks of in his ode to the Passions “with a bosom bare.” There were two little children, the youngest of whom, Smith tells me, is the result of a “fox paw” [fauxpas] of Mademoiselles. She refused to tell who was its father, but his identity is well understood. I am told that when she found herself pregnant she asked him to marry her, telling him at the same time that if he did not take her then, but left her to bear the scandal alone, she never would have him—that he is willing to marry her now but can­not get her. Both the mother and the child seem to be treated with tenderness and affection by the family, and what is most strange her brother is said to be on the most inti­mate terms with his sister’s seducer. The young woman appears to feel her situation. . . .

Monday Morning. Foggy, cloudy and rainy; purchased a small bear skin from Mr. Mast. At nine proceeded a small distance up the creek to where one of the young Masts keeps bachelor’s hall, when a bad rain coming on we stopped and I agreed for a tickler of balsam, for which I afterwards paid a dollar. Started soon after, though it still rained and our guide was rather unwilling to proceed, and indeed, we were thoroughly wet when we got two or three miles up to Robert Barnhill’s, originally from Mecklenburg. In the neighbor­hood is a hunter who has two women living with him; to one of them he owes and to the other he gratuitously discharges the duties of a husband; one has 3 children, and the other one and another near at hand. ‘Tis a terrible region for these irregularities. The Leather Stocking of these regions, and whom we would have had as a pilot, but that he is in the woods, has a wife living on Sandy River in Kentucky, and the children of that wife and another woman living with him here on the Watauga. Another hunter, has a wife living in N. Ca., and supports or keeps the only daughter of a man who lives in Tennessee. In a rude hunter’s state of society, the women become schquaws, very pretty ones, but schquaws notwithstanding. We had still 8 or 9 miles to go to the top of Grandfather. We passed on over one ridge after another, winding through the woods over logs and rocks, and through laurels, walking when we could not ride, passing some mount­ains and knobs with very indecent names, seeing only one small deer which we did not kill, crossing the head of Linville river which flows into the Catawba, and arrived at the foot of Grandfather, where we were obliged to leave our horses, about one o’clock. The Linville and Watauga head up under the mountain, and from the place, where we took our dinner, we could get water from either, within two or three hundred yards. Of course we were on the summit of the Blue Ridge. The ascent of the mountain is rough, thickety and disagreeable. Steep, perpendicular cliffs in places but in general not very difficult. About half way up we met with a Fir-Balsam tree. It is sometimes a foot and a half in thickness and pretty tall. The balsam resides in small blisters or cavities in the substance of the bark which are cut out and the precious fluid passed into a vial. They say that the exudation obtained in the same way as common turpentine has not the same proper­ties—but I have my doubts. It is the panacea or universal remedy of the mountains—cures wounds, rheumatism, flux, et cetera. It grows quite to the top but it is stunted and smaller there, and along with one other tree occupies exclusively the highest points. The summit of the mountain is moist and wet, producing carexes which I wished to but could not study. Holtsclaw had been often upon it but only in search of bears of which it is the favorite winter retreat. They retire to dens in the cliffs in December and come out in February, passing the time in sleep. This is time for the hunters to find their retreats and take them out. They lose nothing of their fatness, and their flesh is thought to acquire additional delicacy; they have nothing in their bowels during their sleep – I write this at Jefferson, July 11, Friday. I Ieave today for the lower end of the county where I hope to go out to the Elkspur Gap on Saturday into Wilkes.

I thank you for your letter. I may write again from Wilkes.

     Yours,                   E. MITCHELL.

 

 

Wilkesboro, July 20th. 1828. Sund. Eve.

My Dear and Good Wife:

In my last which leaves this tomorrow morning I informed you of all things whether good or ill that have befallen me down to Monday Evening the 14. when I am received in this place a second time and put up at Mr. Massey’s where Messrs, Hooper and Phillips staid—to their great satisfaction last year. Wilkesboro lies near the Yadkin. The river makes something of a bend and approaches the town. From the water’s edge a steep hill rises suddenly and it is on the south side of this hill (sloping gradually)that the town is built. It contains 19 dwelling houses; a new courthouse and goal. Massey’s is a pleasant place to stay at when he is at home. He is of a quaker family but was led astray by the bright black eyes of a Moabitish or Presbyterian damsel. He mar­ried out of the society and of course ceased to be connected with it. His wife is really pretty, but what astonishes me is that she has found it out. Found out the man Mr. McKenzie who sent me the specimens from Wilkes a year or two ago— Originally a tailor secondly an officer in the army—lieutenant —and thirdly doctor and mineralogist. He lives a little out of town and supports his large family with some difficulty.

Tuesday morning. Rode up the river to see Gen. Stokes and Col Wellborn. Their father-in-law Hugh Montgomery owned one of the finest plantation on the river. They married sis­ters, and this plantation was divided among them. Stokes is considerably the oldest. They have not formerly agreed very well but are said, to be on good terms now. Wellborn is nearest to town—only two miles off. Called on him. He offered me breakfast—whiskey and then feeding of my horse, but I declined them all. Showed me some minerals and I went on to Gen Stokes’ two miles farther. What Wellborn’s real character is I cannot make out. He has been a member of the Baptist church and will now allow of no swearing about him. He left the church under the idea that he was unfit to remain in it. He seems to have a religious paroxysm. He is a candidate, a furious Jacksonite and a prompt bold man. At Gen Stokes’ I was treated with great kindness. I used to wonder why he was so much put forward in the state but it now appears. He is a very pleasant man of good sense. His wife appears much younger than himself. He was born 20 or 30 miles above Petersburg in Virginia and was a sailor in his youth. In his family he has been exceedingly unfortunate— perhaps this is not the proper word. He has been a great card player and is at present a great swearer himself so that we may conjecture what their education has been. In addi­tion to this I suspect some defect in the moral and physical constitution of the young men themselves. One, Hugh M. was educated at Chapel Hill and is now a lawyer in Morganton. He is said to possess respectable talents but is intemper­ate. I was told of his refomation as I passed through Morganton last year. As we were conversing freely about his children I told him I had understood that Hugh had reformed. He said he had hoped so-had sent him on his cir­cuit with Judge Donnell with high expectations but on his re­turn he had staid at Morganton instead of coming home and he well knew but feared to ask for what. Another son is a midshipman in the navy and by the father’s account will never be more than a midshipman, a third is at West Point and I gathered from his father not succeeding very well, a fourth is at home. I told him I intended to give my children the best education in my power and then if they did not succeed, not to permit it to trouble me—he said I could not help it— and I suppose he was right. He gave me some information respecting the running the line first by Strother and Co. to painted rock and then by himself, Dr. Caldwell and others along the great Smoky mountains. After dinner rode out to see Michals Forge and Ore Bank; the Forge (not yet com­pleted) is the only one in the county. The ore bank is 2 or 3 miles off: the ore appears to be tolerably good though not of the first quality and has been manufactured into iron pretty extensively at Beard’s Forge in Burke. There seems to be a series of beds of iron, one lying on this side of the Brushey Mountains, on one of the spurs of which Michals ore Bank is extending like everything else in this country from N. E. to S. West—; returned to town—and took tea at Major Finley’s where I saw Col. Patterson and his wife—grand­daughter of Gen. Lenoir.

Wednesday Morning. The repairs of my wagon not being yet completed I did not, start till about eleven. In the mean­time walked out to see the Wilkesboro mineral spring. Tis only some water that oozes through some earth and leaves that has been brought down from the road, and that it con­tains perhaps a little iron has little to recommend it besides its dirty nauseous taste. Started at eleven with Dr. McKen­zie and passed up the river, found the rocks mostly Gneiss the whole day and indeed throughout this whole excursion; found iron on the road 6 miles from town in white flint rock. Near Millers when we crossed the river McKenzie told me there was a bank of Porcelain clay; I did not visit it. Passed Stonecyplus an old bachelor who they say knows where there is lead in the mountain near but will give no account of it. Left my waggon at Dyck Jones, and went on a couple of miles further to John Lipps and then up the creek a mile and a half further to see some black lead. Found a little in the granite rocks but none of any value. Was told by Lipps of the garnet on the lands of — Church, his, father-in-law, who lives just under the Blue Ridge. Returned to Jones’s and got an excellent cup of coffee. Anderson Mitchell and another Lipps came in with specimens chiefly from flat Knob amongst which I found rich characterized Sappare or Kyan­ite.

Thursday Morning Crossed over through a barren country to the river which we had left and then up the river to Gen. Jones where we arrived about noon or a little after. It is not difficult to account for the deterioration of the “Range” of which people are continually complaining in this part of the country. Two causes operate in the production of this effect. 1.Since the country has been cleared and plantations laid out it will not answer to burn the woods as formerly for fear of destroying the fences and the consequence is that the small undergrowth is not destroyed as it used to be—the woods be­come thicker and not like an orchard as they are in the indian country—and thus herbage of all kinds being shaded does not grow and flourish. 2. Of the different kinds of herbage those suited to the sustenance of cattle as the pea-vine and natural grasses are fast devoured and both become less vigorous in their growth and are prevented from going to seed whilst the contrary effect is produced upon the bitter unpalatable weeds. Thus our woods become thick also and shady and the little herbage they produce is not fitted to the sustenance of cattle. Passed Gen. Lenoir’s (Old Fort Defiance) and stopped at the house of his son-in-law Gen. Jones to dinner. The Gen. out electioneering. A man of wealth—has two sons one at Hills­boro with Mr. Bingham and the younger with Mr. Gay. His daughters all married, two of them at table—one recently wedded to Lawyer Henry of Greenville district S. Co. origin­ally a Yankee? and a well enough man, the other—the young­est stole a march upon her parents and married her cousin Larkin Jones described to me by McKenzie as the smartest young man that has been raised in Wilkes. After his mar­riage was raised into favour and went on last winter to attend the medical lectures at Philadelphia and the agitation pro­duced by the sudden and unexpected return of her husband at night caused a miscarriage from which she is still feeble. After a thunderstorm, occurring whilst we were at dinner, was over, obtained a horse and rode accompanied by a son of Catlett, the General’s brother, to Gidding’s old place to see some ore said to be there—the distance 10 miles. For two or three miles the country was tolerably open but the hills after­wards closed in upon us and we wound our way beneath them beside the river bank and were finally obliged to cross one or two pretty considerable ridges in order to reach our place of destination. A ride of this kind to one accustomed to the monotonous sameness of the Low Country is pleasant and agreeable and would have been highly so to me but for a shower that fell. Giddings old place, now occupied by three men of the name of Harrison—a father and his three sons, is a fine sample of what is called in the mountains a Cove. The Yadkin is here a brawling mountain stream and the moun­tain instead of coming up close to it recedes so as to leave a handsome plantation of level land along its banks. Here is a fine peach and apple orchard and as pleasant a spot but for its situation as is to be found in the country. But the only access to it is by a trail or foot-path leading over a mountain ridge. Tis a very valley of Wyoming—the place for a per­son to retire to, who has been ill treated by the world and is disgusted with it—the place for him to retire to and not be happy. I recommended it as a retreat to Lawyer Henry— telling him how finely he could shoot bears for his wife to eat and get fine skins to warm her—the orchard would also furn­ish fine whiskey for her as well as the field the best of wheat and he could present the whole to her as the product of his own labor and a testimonial of his love. But he did not seem to approve of the plan. We did not leave the place before sun-down and had then to wind our way over the hills and down the river ten miles but it was a fine moon-light night. We reached home after the family had all retired to rest but found a good supper ready for us.

Friday Morning. Started after breakfast and rode down to Catlett Jones’s’ [torn] took in Dr. McKenzie—rode down to Tommy Tripletts to dinner and then to Wilkesboro. This upper valley of the Yadkin is delightful. From half a mile to a mile broad—bounded by ranges of mountains of mod­erate elevation—the Brushey mountains on one side and a small chain parallel to the Blue Ridge on the other—the land is very fertile—pleasant to cultivate and produces immense quantities of corn. The river is here a stream of moderate size and rushes rapidly along over its gravelly bed— the air is salubrious and healthy and the soil occupied by very respectable farms, Col. Davenport, Gen. Jones, Gen. Lenoir, Major Witherspoon, Col. Catlett Jones, Capt. Dula and others (it is not a war-like neighborhood these military titles to the contrary notwithstanding). They want only an evangelical clergyman of good abilities and learning and a respectable academy to make this valley a very desirable place of residence—but these important requi­sites I fear they will not soon have. Tommy Triplett is an unbeliever who cannot read and an honest kind man as Mr. Kenzie tells me. From him I had another edition of the story about lead found at the north of Stoney Fork within a mile of him, 12 miles from Wilkesboro. An old hunter parted from his company was scouring about and fell upon a place where the indians had cut lead from the bottom of the branch and a bag of their bullets was hanging from the tree, but he was never able (as he neglected to mark the spot) to find it again. Such in substance is the account that I have receive in so many different places and from so many different persons that I am ready to knock down the man who shall tell the tale again. To compensate me however in part he told me of some passages between himself and a mineral-rod man, a race of vermin who infest this country and share the confidence of the people so that it is a constant question when they learn that I am concerned with the minerals – whether I will undertake to find where those substances lie hid in the bowels of the earth. Triplett proposed to one of these gentry to find his lead mine at the mouth of Stoney Creek and promised a reward of one hundred dollars if he would do so. He readily engaged to undertake the task but said it might lie deep. No! said Triplett, it is within two feet of the surface. But the large body of the ore may lie deep and in that case my rods will be drawn to it notwithstanding this search for ore ris­ing to the surface. Triplett appearing incredulous he said he would find any money about the house. He was told that 5 silver dollars should be hid in the field and he should deposit 5 more in the hands of a third person and if he could by his art find the five he should have the whole ten—if not he was to forfeit his own five. The smallness of the sum was an ob­jection at first but he appeared equally backward when it was proposed to substitute 20 instead of five. The fellow in Ashe urged the strange objection to the mineral rod viz, that if the metals had any power of attracting the twigs all the branches would be stripped from the trees. . . .

Sunday Morning.  Preached to a small congregation in the courthouse twice.  Made out the worst when I had Gen Stokes and the largest most respectable number of persons to hear me, this was not pleasant but must be submitted to.

Monday Morning. After packing my minerals – started for Surry.  [15]