364 MYTHS OB' THE CHKROKEE [eth.ann.19 



After that he strptclied and ])aiiit('(l Ihc three scalps and lay down by 

 the tire to sleep. In the iiiorniiii"- he took what pi-ovision lie could 

 carry and traveled in a great ciivle until he found the road by which 

 he and his waiTiors had come. He found fresh tracks and followed 

 them until he saw smoke ahead. He listened until he heard men 

 speaking Seneca, and knew that it was his party. Then he gave the 

 Seneca shout — Gowe' .' — three times and his friends ran out to meet 

 him. They had been afraid that he was killed, but were glad now 

 that they had waited for him. They went home together. This is 

 their story. — Arranged from C'urtin, Seneca manuscript. 



95. HEMP-CARRIER 



On the southern slope of the ridge, along the trail from Robbins- 

 ville to Valley river, in Cherokee county, North Carolina, are the 

 remains of a number of stone cairns. The piles are leveled now, but 

 thirty years ago the stones were still heaped up into pyramids, to which 

 ever}' Cherokee who passed added a stone. According to the tradition 

 these piles marked the graves of a number of women and children of 

 the trilie who were surprised and killed on the spot by a raiding party 

 of the Iroquois shortly before the final peace between the two Nations. 

 As soon as the news was brought to the settlements on Hiwassee and 

 Cheowa a party was made under Tale'tanigi'ski, "Hemp-carrier," to 

 follow and take vengeance on the enemy. Among others of the party 

 was the father of the noted chief Tsunu'lahuii'ski, or Junaluska, who 

 (Junaluska) died on Cheowa about 18.5.5. 



For days they followed the trail of the Iroquois across the Great 

 Smoky mountains, through forests and over rivers, until they finally 

 tracked them to their very town in the far northern Seneca country. 

 On the way they met another war party headed for the south, and the 

 Cherokee killed them all and took their scalps. When they came 

 near the Seneca town it was almost night, and they heard shouts in the 

 townhouse, where the women were dancing over the fresh Cherokee 

 scalps. The avengers hid themselves near the spring, and as the dancers 

 came down to drink the Cherokee silently killed one and another until 

 they had counted as many scalps as had been taken on Cheowa, and 

 still the dancers in the townhouse never thought that enemies were 

 near. Then said the Cherokee leader, "We have covered the scalps 

 of our women and children. Shall we go home now like cowards, or 

 shall we raise the war whoop and let the Seneca know that we are 

 menT' "Let them come, if they will," said his men; and they raised 

 the scalp yell of the Cherokee. At once there was an answering shout 

 from the townhouse, and the dance came to a sudden stop. The Seneca 

 warriors swarmed out with ready gun and hatchet, but the nimble 

 Cherokee were oft" and away. There was a hot pursuit in the dark- 

 ness, but the Cherokee knew the trails and were light and active 



