THE CHEROKEE COUNTRY. 61 



West of the imaginary line we have drawn, ihroui^h Rome, the character of 

 the country chaniTes rajiidly. The valloys, wiiile they are generally rich and 

 productive in the highest degree, sometimes fall short of the uniform fertility of 

 those of the eastern part of this division. The sandstones of the carboniferous 

 period begin to be developed in precipitous clilfs along the regular and almost un- 

 broken lines of the mountains, until, reaching the Look-out and Raccoon Mount- 

 ains at the north-west, we have inexhaustible supplies of bituminous coal, with 

 extensive beds of iron ore. The iron ore, however, need not be conhned to these 

 mountains, as it is plentiful in all the intermediate limestone region east of them. 

 All these valleys are highly fertile, beautiful, and inviting. That of the Look-out 

 Creek embraced in the county of Dade, between the two mountains last mention- 

 ed, is a spot of surpassing beauty and loveliness. Standing a thousand feet above 

 the valley, on the clilTs of the mountain — whose broad surface, covered with for- 

 ests of the finest timber, and carpeted with the most luxuriant grasses and deli- 

 cate flowers, is no inconsiderable object in the picture — and looking from its bat- 

 tlements on the quiet valley — which seems to repose in unobtrusive consciousness 

 of its own worth, inviting man to seclusion and happiness, while its more than 

 generous soil offers the richest return for his labors — few men would decline the 

 mute but expressive invitation, or fail to be enraptured with the scene. But I 

 must not discriminate, or justice would lead me back over the whole country, 

 where each little or greater valley or mountain boasts its own peculiar beauty or 

 excellence, until I should find myself viewing the more extensive and scarce less 

 interesting prospects from the wilder and bolder crags of the Coahutta. 



The Look-out and Raccoon Mountains are of very considerable extent, embrac- 

 ing large tracts of level land usually elevated at one or both edges above the cen- 

 tral plains. Look-out is from five to twelve miles Avide. High up toward its 

 northern point. Little River takes its rise, and leaps its cascade course along the 

 whole length of tlie mountain to the valley of the Coosa, of which it is a tribu- 

 tary. Its channel in the southern portion of its course frequently exposes tine 

 beds of coal. These two mountains aflbrd the very best localities we have for 

 the rearing of neat cattle, horses, and mules. Cattle subsist all winter without 

 artificial provision. High expectations were once entertained of the success of 

 sheep husbandry upon the Look-out Mountain; but the only two attempts upon a 

 considerable scale, and which have come particularly under my knowledge, have 

 failed. The sheep have grown poor, dwindled and died, until in each instance 

 the project was abandoned. The smaller streams upon the mountains have low 

 and marshy borders, and this statement applies also to the ponds, which are fre- 

 quent upon it. Whether this may not be one cause that the situation is unhealthy 

 for sheep, your judgment will be better than my conjecture. The soil of these 

 mountains is frequently productive, and would in many instances be considered 

 respectable land, if it lay elsewhere than beside our rich valleys. The water 

 power of the western portion of the limestone region perhaps equals that of the 

 eastern, but it is not so equally distributed. Upon Chattooga River, in the county 

 of Chattooga, a manufactory is just going into operation. By next July, six or 

 seven hundred spindles will be in motion. The character and energy of the com- 

 pany insure the success of this enterprise. 



Lead (Galena) has been found in several places in the limestone division, but 

 no sufficient exploration has been made to determine whether it is in sufficient 

 quantity to justify mining. Mineral springs, chiefly chalybeate, are of frequent 

 occurrence — some of them strongly acidulous to the taste. At Trenton, in Dade 

 county, is an excellent white sulphur spring, containing a small proportion of 

 muriate of soda in its water. 



Amid all this dry matter-of-fact, I may venture the opinion that the valleys of 

 Coosawatee and Oostanalau Rivers embrace a salt region of great extent and 

 value. Gypsum has not been discovered, but little doubt is entertained of its ex- 

 istence. 



Within the whole region east of the Look-out Mountain, sheep have succeeded 

 well, but best farther east in the limestone region. Cotton grows well in the 

 southern portion, while clover and grasses may be considered as reasonably cer- 

 tain crops in the northern parts. But little attention has been given by our farm- 

 ers to this subject. The whole limestone region is so productive of Indian corn, 

 wheat, and other small grain, that I have heretofore denominated it the "gran- 

 ary of Georgia." 



(157) 



