NORTH AMERICA. 
357 
CHAP. IV. 
After waiting two days at Cowe expe&lng a 
guide and protedor to the Overhill towns, and at laft 
being di. appointed, I refolved to purfuethe journey 
alone, though againft the advice of the traders ; the 
Overhill Indians being in an ill humour with the 
whites, in confequence of fome late Ikirmifhes be- 
tween rhem and the frontier Virginians, mo ft of the 
Overhill traders having left the nation. 
Early in the morning I fat off attended by my 
worthy old friend Mr. Gallahan, who obligingly ac- 
companied me near fifteen miles. We paired through 
the jore village, which is pleafmgly fituated in a 
little vale on- the fide of the mountain ; a pretty ri- 
vulet or creek winds about through the vale, juft 
under the village : here I obferved a little grove 
of the Cafine yapon, which was the only place where 
1 had feen it grow in the Cherokee country ; the In- 
dians call it the beloved tree, and are very careful 
to keep it primed and cultivated : they drink a 
yery ftrong infufion of the leaves, buds and tender 
branches of this plant, which is fo celebrated, in- 
deed venerated by the Creeks and all the Southern 
maritime nations of Indians. We then continued 
travelling down the vale about two miles, the road 
deviating, turning and winding about the hills, and 
through groves in lawns, watered by brooks and 
rivulets, rapidly rufning from the towering hill on 
every 
