Letters from the Alleghany Mountains

BY CHARLES LANMAN, AUTHOR OF “A TOUR TO THE RIVER SAGUENAY,” “A SUMMER IN THE WILDERNESS,” AND “ESSAYS FOR SUMMER HOURS.”
NEW-YORK: GEO. P. PUTNAM, 155 BROADWAY. 1849.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1849, by GEO. P. PUTNAM, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New-York.
TO JOSEPH GALES, ESQ.,
Mr Dear Sir,—
I have two reasons for embellishing this little volume with your distinguished and honored name. In the first place, the material of which it is composed, was originally published in the National Intelligencer ; and in the second place, I desire to record the fact, that for many years past, in all matters appertaining to my pen you have been to me an invaluable counsellor and friend.
In love and gratitude,
Very sincerely yours,
Charles Lanman.
Washington, D. C., August, 1849.
Dahlonega, Georgia, April, 1848.
The Cherokee word Dah-lon-e-ga signifies the place of yellow metal ; and is now applied to a small hamlet at the foot of the Alleghany Mountains, in Lumpkin county, Georgia, which is reputed to be the wealthiest gold region in the United States. It is recorded of De Soto and his followers that, in the sixteenth century, they explored this entire Southern country in search of gold, and unquestionable evidences of their work have been discovered in various sections of the State. Among these testimonials may be mentioned the remains of an old furnace, and other works for mining, which have been brought to light by recent explorations. But the attention of our own people was first directed to this region while yet the Cherokees were in possession of the land, though the digging of gold was not made a regular business until after they had been politely banished by the General Government. As soon as the State of Georgia had become the rightful possessor of the soil (according to law ), much contention and excitement arose among the people as to who should have the best opportunities for making fortunes; and, to settle all difficulties, it was decided by the State Legislature that the country should be surveyed and divided into lots of forty and one hundred and sixty acres, and distributed to the people by lottery. For several years subsequent to that period, deeds of wrong and outrage were practised to a very great extent by profligate adventurers who flocked to this El Dorado. In the year 1838, however, the Government established a branch Mint at this place, since which time a much better state of things has existed in Dahlonega.