On the southern slope of the ridge, along the trail from Robbinsville
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
every Cherokee who passed added a stone. According to the tradition
these piles marked the graves of a number of women and children of
the tribe 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 Tâle'danigi'ski, "Hemp-carrier,"
to follow and take vengeance on the enemy. Among others of the party
was the father of the noted chief Tsunu'lahûñ'ski, or Junaluska, who
(Junaluska) died on Cheowa about 1855.
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 men?" "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 off and
away. There was a hot pursuit in the darkness, but the Cherokee knew
the trails and were light and active runners, and managed to get
away with the loss of only a single man. The rest got home safely,
and the people were so well pleased with Hemp-carrier's bravery and
success that they gave him seven wives.