CONTENTS.

LETTER I. PAGE [Dahlonega,] 9 LETTER II. [Trip to Track Rock,] 20 LETTER III. [Valley of the Nacoochee,] 25 LETTER IV. [Cascade of Tuccoah,] 31 LETTER V. [The Falls of Tallulah,] 36 LETTER VI. [The Hunter of Tallulah,] 47 LETTER VII. [Trail Mountain,] 53 LETTER VIII. [Down the Owassa,] 58 LETTER IX. [Across the Mountains,] 65 LETTER X. [Notes on the Little Tennessee,] 75 LETTER XI. [The Smoky Mountain,] 84 LETTER XII. [The Cherokees of Carolina,] 93 LETTER XIII. [Cherokee Customs,] 100 LETTER XIV. [Cherokee Characters,] 106 LETTER XV. [Hickory Nut Gap,] 115 LETTER XVI. [Down the French Broad,] 122 LETTER XVII. [Trip to Black Mountain,] 131 LETTER XVIII. [The Catawba Country,] 139 LETTER XIX. [The Mountains and their People,] 151 LETTER XX. [The Nameless Valley,] 157 LETTER XXI. [The Valley of Virginia,] 166 ADDENDA. [Geology of the Alleghany Mountains,] 173 [Soil of the Alleghany Mountains,] 182 [Minerals of the Alleghany Mountains,] 186 [Miscellaneous Remarks on the Alleghany Mountains,] 192

LETTERS FROM THE ALLEGHANY MOUNTAINS.

LETTER I.

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.

The appearance of this village, though not more than a dozen years old, is somewhat antiquated, owing to the fact that the houses are chiefly built of logs, and, having never been painted, are particularly dark and dingy, but uncommonly picturesque in form and location. The population of the place is about five hundred. It is located upon a hill, and though the country around is quite uneven, having been deeply ravined by atmospheric agents, when viewed in connection with the mountains, (some ten or fifteen miles off,) which seem to hem it on three sides, presents the appearance of a pit to a magnificent amphitheatre. On approaching Dahlonega I noticed that the water-courses had all been mutilated with the spade and pickaxe, and that their waters were of a deep yellow; and having explored the country since then, I find that such is the condition of all the streams within a circuit of many miles. Large brooks (and even an occasional river) have been turned into a new channel, and thereby deprived of their original beauty. And of all the hills in the vicinity of Dahlonega which I have visited, I have not yet seen one which is not actually riddled with shafts and tunnels. The soil is of a primitive character, quite yellowish in color, composed of sand and clay, and uncommonly easy to excavate with the spade. Heretofore the gold ore of Lumpkin county has been obtained from what is called the deposit beds, but the miners are now beginning to direct their attention to the veined ore, which is supposed to be very abundant in all directions. It is generally found in quartz and a species of slate stone. The gold region of Georgia, strictly speaking, is confined to a broad belt, which runs in a northeastern and southwestern direction from Dahlonega, which may be considered its centre. Several auriferous veins traverse the town, and it is common after a rain to see the inhabitants busily engaged in hunting for gold in the streets. That huge quantities are thus accumulated in these days I am not ready to believe, whatever may have been done in former years. I know not that any very remarkable specimens of gold ore have been found in the immediate vicinity of Dahlonega, but an idea of the wealth of the State in this particular may be gathered from the fact, that several lumps have heretofore been found in different sections, which were worth from five hundred to one thousand dollars. More valuable specimens have been found in North Carolina; but while Virginia, the Carolinas, and Alabama have all produced a goodly amount of gold, I have heard it conceded that Georgia has produced the largest quantity and decidedly the best quality.