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Show 1 6 4 MYTHS OF THE CHEROKEE [ ETH. ANS. 19 vives, and is the last conservator of the potter's art among the East Cherokee. 1 Yonaguska had succeeded in authority to Yane'gwa, " Big- bear," who appears to have been of considerable local prominence in his time, but whose name, even with the oldest of the band, is now but a memory. He was among the signers of the treaties of 1798 and 1805, and by the treaty of 1819 was confirmed in a reservation of 6± 0 acres as one of those living within the ceded territory who were " believed to be persons of industry and capable of managing their property with discretion," and who had made considerable improvements on the tracts reserved. This reservation, still known as the Big- bear farm, was on the western bank of Oconaluftee, a few miles above its mouth, and appears to have been the same afterward occupied by Yonaguska." Another of the old notables among the East Cherokee was Tsunu'lfi-hfin'skl, corrupted by the whites to Junaluska, a great warrior, from whom the ridge west of Waynesville takes its name. In early life he was known as Gfir'k& la'skl. 8 On the outbreak of the Creek war in 1813 he raised a party of warriors to go down, as he boasted, " to exterminate the Creeks." Not meeting with complete success, he announced the result, according to the Cherokee custom, at the next dance after his return in a single word, detsinurldhHflg'&\ " I tried, but could not," given out as a cue to the song leader, who at once took it as the burden of his song. Thenceforth the disappointed warrior was known as Tsunu'l& h& fi'ski,' 4 One who tries, but fails." He distinguished himself at the Horseshoe bend, where the action of the Cherokee decided the battle in favor of Jackson's army, and was often heard to say after the removal: " If I had known that Jackson would drive us from our homes, r^ would have killed him that day at the Horseshoe." He accompanied the exiles of 1838, but afterward returned to his old home; he was allowed to remain, and in recognition of his services the state legislature, by special act, in 1847 conferred upon him the right of citizenship and granted to him a tract of land in fee simple, but without power of alienation. 4 This reservation was in the Cheowa Indian settlement, near the present Robbinsville, in Graham county, where he died about the year 1858. His grave is still to be seen just outside of Robbinsville. 1 The facts concerning Yonaguska are based on the author's personal information obtained from Colonel Thomas, supplemented from conversations with old Indians. The date of his death and his approximate age are taken from the Terrell roll. He is also noticed at length in Lanman's Letters from the Alleghany Mountains, 1848, and in Zeigler and Qrosscup's Heart of the Alleghanies, 1883. The trance which, according to Thomas and 1 An man, lasted about one day, is stretched by the last- named authors to fifteen days, with the whole 1,200 Indians marching and countermarching around the sleeping body! * The name in the treaties occurs as Yonahequah ( 1798), Yohanaqua ( 1805), and Yonah ( 1819).- Indian Treaties, pp. 82,123, 268; Washington, 1887. * The name refers to something habitually falling from a leaning position. * Act quoted in Report of Indian Commissioner for 1895, p. 686,1896. |
