The Cherokee tongue, on the contrary, is very loud, somewhat rough and very sonorous, sounding the letter R frequently, yet very agreeable and pleasant to the ear. All the Indian languages are truly rhetorical, or figurative, assisting their speech by tropes; their hands, flexure of the head, the brow, in short, every member, naturally associate, and give their assistance to render their harrangues eloquent, persuasive and effectual.
The pyramidal hills or artificial mounts, and highways, or avenues, leading from them to artificial lakes or ponds, vast tetragon terraces, chunk yards,[[64]] and obelisks or pillars of wood, are the only monuments of labour, ingenuity and magnificence that I have seen worthy of notice, or remark. The region lying between Savanna river and Oakmulge, east and west, and from the sea coast to the Cherokee or Apalachian mountains, North and South, is the most remarkable for these high conical hills, tetragon terraces and chunk yards. This region was last possessed by the Cherokees, since the arrival of the Europeans, but they were afterwards dispossessed by the Muscogulges, and all that country was probably many ages preceding the Cherokee invasion, inhabited by one nation or confederacy, who were ruled by the same system of laws, customs and language, but so ancient that the Cherokees, Creeks, or the nation they conquered, could render no account for what purpose these monuments were raised. The mounts and cubical yards adjoining them, seem to have been raised in part for ornament and recreation, and likewise to serve some other public purpose, since they are always so situated as to command the most extensive prospect over the town and country adjacent. The tetragon terraces seem to be the foundation of a fortress, and perhaps the great pyramidal mounts, served the purpose of ook-out towers, and high places for sacrifice. The sunken area, called by white traders the chunk yard, very likely served the same conveniency that it has been appropriated to, by the more modern and even present nations of Indians, that is, the place where they burnt and otherwise tortured the unhappy captives that were condemned to die, as the area is surrounded by a bank, and sometimes two of them, one behind and above the other, as seats, to accommodate the spectators at such tragical scenes, as well as the exhibition of games, shows, and dances. From the river St. Juans, Southerly, to the point of the peninsula of Florida, are to be seen high pyramidal mounts with spacious and extensive avenues, leading from them out of the town, to an artificial lake or pond of water; these were evidently dignified in part, for ornament or monuments of magnificence, to perpetuate the power and grandeur of the nation, and not inconsiderable neither, for they exhibit scenes of power and grandeur, and must have been public edifices.
The great mounts, highways, and artificial lakes up St. Juans on the East shore just at the enterance of the great Lake George, one on the opposite shore, on the bank of the Little Lake, another on Dunn’s Island, a little below Charlotteville, one on the large beautiful island just without the Capes of Lake George, in sight of Mount Royal, and a spacious one on the west banks of the Musquitoe river near New Smyrna, are the most remarkable of this sort that occurred to me; but undoubtedly many more are yet to be discovered farther South in the peninsula; however I observed none westward, after I left St. Juans, on my journey to little St. Juan, near the bay of Apalache.
But in all the region of the Muscogulge country, South-West from the Oakmulge river quite to the Tallapoose, down to the city of Mobile, and thence along the sea coast, to the Mississipi, I saw no signs of mountains or highways, except at Taensa, where were several inconsiderable conical mountains; and but one instance of the tetragon terraces, which was at the Apalachucla old town, on the west banks of that river: here were yet remaining conspicuous monuments, as vast four square terraces, chunk yards, &c. almost equalling those eminent ones at the Oakmulge fields; but no high conical mounts. Those Indians have a tradition that these remains are the ruins of an ancient Indian town and fortress. I was not in the interior parts of the Chactaw territories, and therefore am ignorant whether there are any mounts or monuments there.
To conclude this subject concerning the monuments of the Americans, I deem it necessary to observe, as my opinion, that none of them that I have seen discover the least signs of the arts, sciences, or architecture of the Europeans or other inhabitants of the old world; yet evidently betray every sign or mark of the most distant antiquity.
FINIS.
[64] Chunk yard, a term given by the white traders, to the oblong four square yards, adjoining the high mounts and rotundas of the modern Indians.—In the centre of these stands the obelisk, and at each corner of the farther end stands a slave post or strong stake, where the captives that are burnt alive are bound.
INDEX
Agave vivipara, [xix];
Alabama, [427];
Alachua savanna, [185];
Alatamaha, voyage up the, [47];
—— account of the, [51];
Alligator Hole, [236]
——battle with an, [248];
Alligators, battle between two, [116];
——author attacked by, [117], [123];
——brood of, numerous, [124];
——nests of, [125];
——old, feed on the young, [126];
——described, [ib.];
Amelia island, [63];
Amite river, [423];
Ampelis garrulus, [296];
Angelica lucida, [325];
Animals and vegetables compared, [xiv];
Animals, general observation on, [xvi];
——affections of, [xvii];
——mental faculties of, [xviii];
——remarkable fragility of parts of, [194], [276];
——influence of country on, [214];
Annona, new species of, [18], [169];
Apalachucla, [387];
Arum esculentum cultivated for food in Georgia and Florida, [467];
Arundo gigantea, [408];
Asilus, various species of, [383];
Augusta, journey to, [28];
——described, [32], [314];
Author attacked by a fever, [409];
——violent disorder in the eyes, [416], [418];
Banks of the river St. Juan higher than the adjacent plains, [163];
Battle between cray-fish and gold-fish, [43];
——two alligators, [116];
Bears, [278];
Bees, none in West Florida, though plenty in East, [411];
Birds, observations on, [xxi];
——on the migration of, [280], [295];
——of passage, American, [285];
——change their colour, [296];
——wild, sing only at the time of incubation, [xxii], [299];
Boat, portable, [457];
Bream, golden, [151];
——great black or blue, [174];
——great yellow, or particoloured, [ib.];
Bridge, Indian, [443];
Brunswick, town of, [471];
Buffalo, not now to be found where once numerous, [44];
Bull snake, [272];
Butterflies, [xix];
Cacalia heterophylla, [162];
Cactus opuntia, [161];
Cambelton, [476];
Cancer macrourus, war of the gold-fish on the, [43];
Cane meadows, [424];
Carica papaya, [129];
Cat bird, [297];
Cattle, dreadful disease of, [205];
Cedar bird, [296];
Chactaws, [515];
Chameleon, [276];
Charleston, voyage from Philadelphia to, [1];
Charlotta, [91];
Chat, yellow breasted, [300];
Chicken snake, [271];
Clarendon river, [476];
Clay, fort of, eaten greedily by cattle, [39];
Cleome lupinifolia, [423];
Cliffs, description of the, [433];
Coachwhip snake, [217];
Cochineal insect, [161];
Collinsonia, species of, febrifuge, [409];
Colymbus cauda elongata, [130];
Convolvulus diffectus, [102];
Coolome town, [394];
Cornus florida, [399];
Cowe, [350], [364];
Coweta, [387];
Cow-pen, account of a, [308];
Crane, flight of the, [144];
——nests and eggs of the, [199];
——savanna, [218];
Creeks, Upper, alliance of, with the English, [53];
——account of the [208], [463];
——Lower, or Siminoles, [209]
Cross-Creeks, [475];
Crown bird, [296];
Crying bird, [145];
Cucurbita lagenaria, [477];
Cupressus disticha, [88];
——new species of, [409];
Curlews, Spanish, [146];
Cuscowilla, journey to, [168];
——description of, [189];
Cyprinus coronarius, [151];
Deer, herd of, [198];
Dionæa muscipula, [xiii], [470];
Dog brought up to tend horses, [120];
Dove, ground, [8];
Dyeing, bark of the gordonia lasianthus ufeful in [160];
Eagles, various, [2];
Earth, on the produce of the different zones of , [ix];
——remarks on certain strata of, [433];
Elks only to be found in the Apalachian mountains, [45];
Emberiza oryzivora, [294];
Ephemeræ, [78—81];
Erythryna corallodendrum, [160];
Falco piscatorius, [8];
Falling Creek, [339];
Fascinating power of the rattlesnake, [263];
Febrifuge, virtues of a species of Collinsonia, [409];
Felis cauda truncata, [278];
Fern, curious species of, [476];
Fish, red-belly, [12];
——vast quantity of, in the river St. Juan’s, [121];
——of prey and others living peaceably together in pellucid water, [164], [166], [227];
Fishing, mode of, [106];
Flat-rock, [374];
Flies, various species of, [383];
Florida, journey to, [55];
——East, very good Indigo made in, [75];
——West, journey to, [373];
Fort Moore, [313];
——James, [321];
Fort Prince George, Keowe, [328];
Fox, [278];
——squirrels, [279];
Fragility, extraordinary in animals, [194], [276];
Franklinia Alatamaha, [465];
Frederica, town and fort of, [60];
——voyage to, [303];
French settlement, [431];
——broken up by the Indians, [432];
Frogs, various fpecies of, [272];
Garr, great brown spotted, [173];
Georgia, voyage to, [4];
——islands on the coast of [5], [65];
——why thinly inhabited, [64];
Gerardea flammea, [410];
Glass-snake, [193];
Gold fish, war of, on the cray-fish, [43];
——described, [44];
Gopher, [18], [180];
Gordonia lasianthus, [159];
Gourd, ufeful species of, [477];
Grape vines, [84], [398];
Grapes, Indian mode of preserving, [398];
Grass, peculiar species of, [128];
Graves, Indian, [137];
Green snake, [271];
Grus pratensis, flight of the, [144];
——nests and eggs of the, [199];
——described, [218];
Halesia diptera, variety of, [408];
Half-way pond, [172];
Hawk, fishing, [8];
——engaged with a snake, [216];
Hibiscus, species of [19], [102], [103];
——coccineus, [102];
Hippobosca, [383];
Honesty, advantages of, [351];
Horn snake, [272];
Horses, Siminole, of the Spanish breed, [213];
——kept by a dog, [222];
Horses, large stud of, [353];
——fondnes of, for salt, [354];
——singular mode of taming, [375];
——flies extremely troublesome to, [384];
Hurricane, [139], [384];
Hydrangia quercifolia, [380];
Indian pot, curious, [6];
——interview with an, [21];
——remarks on the moral principle of an, [22];
——people, a peculiar race of, [25];
——towns, remains of [37], [196], [343], [388];
——sagacity, [39];
——mode of killing trout, [44];
——village, [90];
——wife of a white man, misconduct of an, [109];
——deserts the author, [113];
——cemetery, [137];
——chiefs, [183], [235], [350]
——soup, [189];
——towns [189], [327], [348], [384], [394];
——punishment for adultery, [211], [446], [513];
——public buildings, [302], [365], [448], [452];
——antiquities, [322], [365], [370], [455], [519];
——festivals, [233], [367], [449], [507];
——towns and villages, lists of, [371], [461];
——languages, [386], [461], [463], [517];
——wedding, [444], [512];
——chief’s revenge on a trader caught in adultery with his wife, [446];
——standard, [453];
——painting and sculpture, [454];
——canoes, [225];
——jelly, [339];
——music, [243], [503];
——drinking bout, [253];
——women, artifice of, [254];
——games, [506];
Indians, remarks on the, [xxiii], [184], [208];
Indians, treaties with the, [33], [235];
——food of, [38];
——plunder the stores, [61];
——matters accommodated with the, [76];
——virtues of [22], [110], [208], [488];
——veneration of, for the rattlesnake, [258];
——form of salutation amongst, [182];
——visit to the, [ib.];
——manners and customs of the [182], [184], [189], [207], [349], [367], [448];
——habitations of the [189], [365], [386], [395], [444];
——vices of the, [210];
——wars of the, [211], [390];
——migration of the, [378];
——massacre of the whites by, [388] note
——roving disposition of the, [389];
——carry off a party of emigrants, [444];
——murder some white travellers, [235];
——hunting party of, [242];
——party of, in purfuit of an adulterer, [243];
——fondness of, for spirits, [253];
——conference with, [255];
——persons and qualifications of the, [481];
——government and civil society of the, [492];
——dress, feasts, and diversions of, [499];
——property, agriculture, arts, and manufactures of the, [509];
——marriage ceremonies of the, [512];
——funeral ceremonies of the, [513];
Indigo, very good, made in East Florida, [75]
Ipomea, species of, [374];
Iron ore, [221], [376], [401];
Islands on the coast of Georgia, [5], [65]
——why thinly inhabited, [64];
——floating, [86];
——in Lake George, [100];
Ilse of Palms, [155];
Jelly, Indian, [239];
Jore mountains, [360];
Journey to Cuscowilla, [168];
——to Talahasochte, [213];
——from Charleston to the Cherokee country, [306];
——over the Jore mountain, [357];
——from Fort Charlotte to West Florida, [373];
——from Apalachucla to Mobile, [394];
——from Savanna to Philadelphia, [467];
Juglans, manner in which the Indians use the fruit of a species of, [38];
Kalmia, new species of, [18];
Keowe, [328];
Lacerta, species of, [170], [276];
Lake Ouaquaphenogaw, [24];
George, [99];
Lantana camerara, [101];
Laurel magnolia, [83];
Lettuce, Indian, [42];
Liberty, observations on, [184];
Lime, wild, [112];
Lizard, species of, [170], [276];
Lupin, species of, [19];
Lynx, [278];
Magnolia, laurel, [83];
——peculiar species of, [159], [338];
——grandiflora, [169];
——auriculata, [337];
Malva, various species of, [325];
Manate spring, [228];
Meleagris occidentalis, [14], [81];
Mice, white, [277];
Milk, hiccory, [38];
Mimofa sensitiva, new species of, [24];
——virgata, [419];
——pudica, [428];
Mississippi river, [425];
Mobile, journey from Apalachucla to, [394];
——town of, [402];
Moccasin snake, [268], [269];
Moral principle of an Indian, remarks on the, [22];
Motacilla trochilus, [300];
Mount Royal, [96];
Mudfish, [174];
Muscicapa vertice nigro, [297];
Muscle, horned, [431];
Myrica inodora, [403];
Natural productions, observations on, [x];
New-Smyrna, [142];
Nymphæa nelumbo, [407];
Nyssa coccinea, [17];
Oak, black, [37];
live, [82];
Ocean appears to have gained on the land of America, [66];
Oenothera grandiflora, [404];
Oil, sweet, obtained from the fruit of the live oak, [83];
Olive, Indian, [41];
Palm tree, [113];
Palmetto royal, [69];
Panicum hirtellum, [428];
Parakeet, [299];
Pearl Island, [419];
Pelican described, [68];
——wood, [149];
Pensacola, account of, [413];
Petrifactions, [473], [475];
Physic-nut, [41];
Pica glandaria cerulea non cristata, [170];
Picolata, fort, [78];
Pigeons, mode of catching, [467];
Pine snake, [272];
Pistia stratiotes, [86];
Pitch, how made from tar, [417];
Plains, barren, [240];
Plants various, obfervations on, [x];
——new [16], [31], [393], [415], [434], [465], [466];
Plum, new species of, [421];
Pot, Indian, curious, [6];
Prinos, curious species of, [477];
Psittacus Caroliniensis, [299];
Pteris scandens, [476];
Ranæ, various species of, [272];
Rat, large ground, [7];
——wood, [122];
Rattlesnake, veneration of the Indians for the, [258];
——account of the, [262];
——fascinates its prey, [263];
——does no injury unless attacked, [262], [264];
——bastard, or ground, [270];
Rhododendron, species of, [334];
Ribband snake, [271];
Rice, culture of, [11];
Rice bird, [294];
River, remarkably clear, [222];
Robinia, species of, [333];
Rocky point, [166];
Ruins, Indian, [37], [53];
——of a French or Spanish fort, [52];
Sage, tall blue, [410];
Saint John’s, voyage to, [68];
——Juan, Little, river, [221];
——Simon, account of the island of, [56];
Salt, fondness of horses for, [354];
Sarracenia flava, [xii];
lacunosa, [415];
Savanna, journey from, to Augusta, [28];
Sea cow, [230];
Sensitive plant, new species of, [24];
Shells, fossile, hill of, [316];
Silphium, species of, [396];
Siminoles, account of the, [209], [436];
Sinica, town of, [327];
Sink, great, [201];
Slavery, observations on, [184];
Slaves, on the treatment of, [309];
Simiiax pfeudo-china used as food, [239];
Snake, conflift of a, with a hawk, [216];
Snake bird, [130];
Snakes, various kinds of, [193], [217], [262—72];
Soils, observations on, [23], [29], [168], [397], [420], [429];
Standard, Creek, [149];
Stores plundered by the Indians, [61];
Storm, thunder, [13], [139], [341], [384];
advantages of a, [75];
Sun fish, [151];
Taensa, [403];
Taensapao river, [422];
Talahasochte, [224];
Tallow nut, [112];
Tanase, river; [337];
Tantalus pictus, [145];
——albut, [146];
——versicolor, [ib.];
——loculator, [147];
Testudo plyphemus, [18], [180];
——naso cylindraceoelongato, [175];
——various species of, [277];
Thunder storm, [13], [341];
Tillandsia lingulata, [59];
usneoides, [85];
Tortoise, great land, [18], [180];
——soft shelled, [175];
——various species of, [277];
Travelling, mode of, [438];
Trout, American mode of catching, [106];
——described, [107];
Turkey, American, [14], [82];
Uche town, [386];
Verbena, species of, [434];
Vultur sacra, [442];
——aurea, [150];
Wampum snake, [269];
Wars of the Indians, [211], [390];
Water, hot mineral, [143];
——pellucid, curious bason of, [157], [163];
——subterranean channels for, [204], [223], [244], [343];
——great eruption of, [236];
Wax tree, [403];
Whatoga, town of, [348];
White plains, [429];
Wolf, narrow escape from a, [156];
American, [197], [278];
Wrightsborough, [35];
Xanthoxylum clava Herculis, [2];
Yucca gloriosa, [69];
Zamia pumila, [160].