152 ANTIQUITIES IN TENNESSEE. 



River. The country lying between the Ohio and Wabash Rivers is called " Lower 

 Shawano," and the " Shuanos " are represented as extending up to the headwaters 

 of the Ohio River between the "Alleghany " mountanis and Lake Erie. 



The series of maps to which we have alluded possesses interest and weight in 

 settling the question of the occupation of portions of Tennessee and Kentucky 

 in former times by the Chaouanons (Shawnees). 



The ancient maps of Captain John Smitli, in his " Travels, Adventures, and 

 Observations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, beginning about the year 

 1593, and continued to the present, 1629," are interesting, not only for the infor- 

 mation which they give, as to the names and location of the tribes of Indians 

 inhabiting Virginia at the time of its discovery, but also for the light which the 

 accompanying illustrations throw on the dress, manners, and weapons of the North 

 American Indians, at the time of the early settlements. It will also be seen from 

 these illustrations that the Indians of that day worshipped idols. 



As the destruction of the Adirondacks took place more than two centuries 

 ago, and as the Shawnees removed from the banks of the Savannah before this 

 event, upon careful consideration we have been disposed to place the time of their 

 war with the Chcrokces as early as 161:0, But we have seen that at this time, 

 and at a later period, they were a powerful and numerous people, inhabiting the 

 Cumberland and Ohio River valleys. These facts also indicate that this people 

 once inhabited or roamed over an immense tract of country extending from the 

 shores of Lake Erie to the mouth of the Savannah River, and even beyond, to 

 the banks of the Sewauee River in Florida; and that pressed on all sides by 

 powerful combinations of various Indian tribes, a portion of the nation, driven 

 from the banks of the Savannah (Showanon) River by the Cherokees, moved 

 northward. This body may have eventually united with their brethren of Ten- 

 nessee and Kentucky, though they were not the original inhabitants of these 

 States, but only a branch of the nation which extended into Georgia and Florida. 

 Another portion was incorporated into the Creek or Muscogulgee Confederacy ; 

 which, according to Bernard Romans,^ was composed of the remains of the 

 Cawittas, Taleposas, Coosas, Appalachians, Coushacs or Coosades, Oakmulgces, 

 Oconis, Ockbuoys, Alibamons, Natchez, Wcetumkees, Pakanas, Taensas, Chacsi- 

 boomas, Abekas, and some other tribes ; and which, from the testimony of Le 

 Clerc Milford,^ was formed a considerable time after the invasion of De Soto. 



Tradition* assigns Florida, and more especially the banks of the Sewanee River, 

 as the former abode of the Chaouanons ; and it is well established that from an 

 early date, even before 1638, the Appalachian Indians occupied tlic neighborhood 

 of this river. The Appalachian Indians appear to have been closely allied to the 

 Uchees, who were once a jjowerful nation, claiming to be tlie oldest inhabitants of 



• Concise Natural History of East and West Florida, ITTO, pp. 00-91. 



' Mcmoire ou Coup d' CEil rapide sur mcs differens^Yoyages, et mon sgour dans la nation Creeek. 

 Paris, 1802. 



' Transactions of the American Antiquarian Society, vol. i, pp. 2'r3-2Y4. Sclioolcraft's Notes on 

 tbo Iroquois, pp. ICO-lGl. 



Natural History of East aud West Florida, Bernard Romans, lITr,, pp. 59, Co, G6, 69. 



