-
.

=

ey ee
ee eS ir annenae aeesi
ane -

=

-- = TE NE oy Set “a

   

 

 

24 Chronicles of the Cape Fear River

the remains; but with this one unimportant exception, no men-
tion has been made of implements having been found.

In addition to the above, Mr. D. Sinclair, of Plain View,
Robeson County, has informed me that he has seen four mounds
in the southern portion of this county—two near Brooklyn post
ottice, and two between Leesville and Fair Bluff, about five miles
from the latter place.

In Cumberland County, two mounds are reported by Mr.
McMillan as having been examined. One of these, located
about ten miles south of Fayetteville, was found to contain the
crumbled bones of a single person, lying in an east and west
direction. There was also found in this mound a fragment of
rock rich in silver ore. The other mound, located ten miles
southwest from Fayetteville, near Rockfish Creek, was examined
by Mr. McMillan in 1860, and found to contain a large number
of skeletons, * * * bones were well preserved and, without
exception, those of adults. The mound was located on a high,
sandy ridge, its base about 20 feet in diameter ; height 214 feet.

In Wake County one mound has been reported as being located
on the northeast and several on the southwest side of the Neuse
River, about seven miles east from Raleigh; and from the former
it is stated that a large number of stone implements have been
removed. But I have been unable to examine these or to obtain
any definite information concerning them. One mound in this
county, examined in 1882 by Mr. W. S. Primrose, of Raleigh, is
worthy of mention in this connection, as it resembles in general
character the mounds of Duplin County. This mound is located
about ten miles south of Raleigh, on a small plateau covered
with an original growth of pines. Base of mound circular,
about 14 feet in diameter; height 2 feet. The contents of the
mound consisted of small fragments of charcoal, and the bones
of 10 or 12 human skeletons, much decayed, and arranged, so
far as could be determined, without any reference to order or
regularity. No weapons or implements of any kind were found.

INDIANS OF THE LoweR Caps Far.
By S. A. ASHE.

The Indians along the Pamlico and Albemarle were of North-
ern origin; those on the Cape Fear were of Southern origin.
The Yamassees, who originally lived along the coast east of
Savannah, were driven back into Georgia soon after the settle-

 

Kaploration and Settlement 25

ment. ‘he Indians dwelling on the Santee, the Pee Dee, and
their branches, seem to have been different from the Yamassees,
and offshoots from one tribe or nation—the Old Cheraws. There
was an Indian tradition that before the coming of the English-
men the principal body of that tribe, called Cheraw- (or Chero-)
kees, after a long fight with the Catawbas, removed to the moun-

tains; but the minor offshoots, along the rivers of South Caro-'

lina, were not disturbed.

When the Cape Fear Indians were at war with the settlers at
Old Town, the Indians along the southern Carolina coast knew
of it, but did not take up arms against the English, and were
very friendly with those who, along with Sandford, visited them
in 1665. The Indians on the lower Cape Fear are said to have
been Congarees, a branch of the Old Cheraws. Soon after the
settlement, they were driven away. In 1731, Dr. Brickell, who

made an extended journey to the western part of North Caro-
lina in an embassy to the Indians in the mountains, in his Natu-
ral History of North Carolina, said: “The Saponas live on the

west branch of the Cape Fear River ; the Toteras are neighbors

to them; the Keyawees live on a branch that lies to the north-
west.”

Two or three years

later, Governor Burrington mentioned
that the small tribes th

at had resided near the settlements had

termination was “aw”?

ghaw. The Burghaw Indians occupied what we call Burgaw.

vee
OQ, EE eV

Se
Bb

a

nica eienatstate a
arrestee