408 MYTHS OF THK CHEROKEE lErH.ANN.l9 



the enem_v, and their fate M'as unknown until, long afterward, their 

 friends found their bones scattered about in the ravine. 



Nantahala: A river and ridge of very steep mountains in Macon 

 count}^ the name being a corruption of Nuii'diiye''!!, applied to a for- 

 mer settlement about the mouth of Briertown creek, the townhouse 

 being on the west side of the river, about the present Jarretts. The 

 word means "middle sun," i. e., "midday sun," from nundd', "sun," 

 and ay/ll, "middle," and refers to the fact that in places along the 

 stream the high cliffs shut out the direct light of the sun until nearly 

 noon. From a false idea that it is derived from ununti, "milk," it 

 has been fancifully rendered, "Center of a woman's breast," "Maiden's 

 bosom," etc. The valley was the legendarj' haunt of the Uw'tsun'ta 

 (see number 45). As illustrating the steepness of the cliffs along the 

 stream it was said of a noted hunter, Tsasta'wi, who lived in the old 

 town, that he used to stand on the top of the bluff' overlooking the 

 settlement and throw down upon the roof of his house the liver of 

 the freshly killed deer, so that his wife would have it cooked and 

 waiting for him b}' the time he got down the mountain. 



Nugatsa'ni: A ridge below Yellow Hill (Cherokee), on Oconaluftee 

 river, in Swain county, said to l)e a resort of the Nuiine'hi faiiies. 

 The word is an archaic form denoting a high ridge with a long, grad- 

 ual slope. 



Qualla: A post-office and former trading station in Jackson county, 

 on the border of the present East Cherokee reservation, hence some- 

 times called the Qualla reservation. The Cherokee form is Kwali, or 

 Kwalunj'i in the locative. According to Captain Terrell, the former 

 trader at that place, it was named from Kwall, i. e., P0II3', an old 

 Indian woman who lived there some sixty years ago. 



Saligu'gi: "Turtle place," a deep hole in Oconaluftee river, about 

 half a mile below Adams creek, near Whittier, in Swain county, said 

 to be the resort of a monster turtle. 



Skwan'-digu'gun'yi: For Askwan'-digu'giin'yi, "AVhere the Span- 

 iard is in the water," on Soco creek, just above the entrance of Wright's 

 creek, in Jackson county. According to tradition a party of Span- 

 iards advancing into the mountains was attacked here b_v the Chero- 

 kee, who threw one of them (dead^) into the stream. 



Soco gap: Ahalu'na, A'halunuii'yi, or Uni'halu'na, "Ambush," or 

 "Where they ambushed"; at the head of Soco creek, on the line 

 between Swain and Haywood counties. The trail from Pigeon river 

 crosses this gap, and in the old times the Cherokee were accustomed 

 to keep a lookout here for the approach of enemies from the north. 

 On the occasion which gave it the name, they ambushed here, just 

 below the gap, on the Haywood side, a large party of invading Sha- 

 wano, and killed all but one, whose ears they cut off', after which. 



