166 CHEROKEE NATION OF INDIANS. 
the running of the line in the interest of certain intruders upon Indian 
land. On the 7th of April the commissioners set out to examine the 
location and direction of the ridge dividing the waters of Little River 
from those of Tennessee, at the same time noting that ‘* we received in- 
formation that the line run between the Indians and white inhabitants 
by the commissioners, mentioned on the 3d instant by Mr. Campbell, 
was by order, for the express purpose of ascertaining a line of accom- 
modation for the white settlers, who were then gver the treaty line.” 
By arrangement they met a number of the interested settlers at the 
house of Mr. Bartlett McGee on the 9th, and by them were advised 
that the ridge between the sources of Nine-Mile, Baker’s, Pistol, and 
Crooked Creeks ‘is that which divides the waters running into Little 
River from those running into the Tennessee.” 
Proceeding with their cbservations, they set out for the point on this 
ridge ‘“ where the experiment line for fixing the court-house of Blount 
County passes the ridge between Pistol Creek and Baker’s Creek, due 
east from a point on the Tennessee 134 miles, and this point on the Ten- 
nessee is 14 miles south from a point from where a line west joins the con- 
fluence of the Holston and Tennessee.” The point on the ridge here 
spoken of was 24 miles north of Bartlett McGee's and 1 mile north of 
the source of Nine-Mile Creck. The commissioners state that in noting 
observations they count distances in minutes, at the rate of 60/ to 3 
miles. From the foregoing point they proceeded west 8’ to a ridge 
dividing Pistol and Baker’s Creeks; turned south 6’ to the top of a 
knoll, having on the right the falling grounds of Gallagher’s Creek. 
This knoll they called “ Iron Hill.” -Continuing south 11’, they crossed 
a small ridge and ascended a hill 4/ SSW., crossing a path from Baker’s 
Creek to the settlements on Holston. From here the ridge bore SSW. 
1 mile, SW. by W. 1 mile, SSW.3 miles, and thence NW., which would 
make it strike the Holston River near the mouth of that stream. This 
corresponded with the observations of the previous commissioners who 
had run the experimental line. ~ 
This inspection convinced the commissioners that a considerable 
number of the white settlers were on the Indian land. The latter were 
quite anxious that some arrangement should be made for their accommo- 
dation in the coming conference with the Indians, but received no 
encouragement from the commissioners further than an assurance that 
they should be permitted to gather their crops of small grain and fruit 
before removal. 
Being asked by the commissioners why the line run by Mr. Campbell 
and his confréres was known by three names, “ that of experience, of 
experiment, and the treaty line with the Indians,” they answered that 
“it was not the treaty line, but a line run to see how the citizens could 
be covered, as they were then settled on the frontier; that they under- 
stood this to be the direction to the commissioners, and that they con- 
formed to it and ran the line as we had noticed in viewing the lands 
