USA > Georgia > Jackson County > The early history of Jackson county, Georgia. "The writings of the late G.J.N. Wilson, embracing some of the early history of Jackson county". The first settlers, 1784; formation and boundaries to the present time; records of the Talasee colony > Part 11
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"Bows and arrows-what sort shoot pale-faces?"
"We have none-don't want any," answered Abe, pointing to a crow that was sitting on a tall tree some distance away. "See that crow fall," he continued, and with the crack of his rifle the bird fell to the ground. "That," still continued Abe, "shows the sort of arrows we shoot."
The old man was evidently puzzled, and after a long pause asked, as if in doubt of the propriety of his questions :
"Pale-faces come how many more?"
"Don't know-can not count them."
"Pale-faces here now how many?"
"So many that I can not count them either-so many that we have to leave most of them in a big hole and take them out as we need them."
The old leader looked surprised as well as a little incredulous; but after apparently considering the matter, he shook his head violently, and said as if to himself: "Nodoroc! Nodoroc!" and passed on hurriedly.
If Abe Trent had puzzled the wiley old chief, he was in turn puzzled himself. Though fluent in the use of Greek words, he did not know the meaning of Nodoroc. Somehow the short, jerky way the Indian pronounced the word gave it an ominous sound, and he resolved to apply to Umausauga, the best authority he could think of, for an explanation.
A short time after the chief's visit the country was thrown into confusion by the always dreaded visit of the "WOG." Though his appearance seemed to be familiar to some of the natives in the surrounding country, none of the white people had ever seen him.
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It was a few hours in the night. The half moon hung low, and barely gave light enough to reveal the outlines of an object; just enough to make shadows that swayed back and forth in the pass- ing breeze seem ghostly. As usual there were sentinels in the timbered circle; for now that the friendship of the natives was doubted, the white people, though few in number, managed to know almost everything that was carried on in the country. Looking to the four points of the compass stood the Draper fam- ily and Abe Trent, all heavily armed, Helen's position facing to the east. At her feet, curled up nearly into a ball, was Lion, a huge Egyptian dog as fierce and almost as powerful as a mad tiger. Suddenly the dog unrolled himself. "TOO HOO" broke the reigning silence. It was Helen's signal to the other sentinels that something unusual was on hand. Lion's growl always meant something.
The girl stood looking and listening. Lion was at her side, bristles erect and occasionally giving a low growl; lower than be- fore. Like an apparition emerging from the ground Abe Trent appeared on the other side. She realized that she stood between two powerful friends. Just then her father and mother came near, and Mrs. Draper, pointing across the field whispered, "LOOK." Lion increased his growls, and all plainly saw a wolf enter the field for a short distance, look around, and then hastily retreat. Another and another did the same way until a dozen or more appeared and looked across the field as if in doubt as to what they should do. While thus looking, they suddenly scam- pered away and disappeared in the woods.
While wondering at the unusual actions of the wolves, a dark object that appeared to be carrying a white flag, emerged from the woods and stopped at the outer rim of the field. It was then seen that the white flag was waved from side to side like one motioning to another to get out of the way. This continued for several minutes when at last the dark object moved forward still flourishing its white banner. When little more than half across the field a whizzing sound was heard as the flag went back and forth like a boy cracking his hickory bark whip. Even Lion became uneasy, and turned his growls into low whines. This was
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significant to all. While seeing that their guns were in order Mr. Draper hurriedly whispered-
"The good Lord! It's that infernal wog!" As bad as Lion had seemed to be scared, his courage returned and it required all of the family's efforts to keep him from meeting the still advancing monster. Mr. Draper's rifle carried an ounce ball, and though he had heard that it was best to let the creature alone, and that its hide was impervious to a bullet, he felt sure in the light of past experience, that he could, to use his own words, "send a leaden messenger clean through any part of its body, or plug one of its fiery eyes out either." He was, however, persuaded to wait for further developments, and the party retired to the house, barred the doors, and stood by their guns, axes and knives, awaiting the gage of battle, if need be.
The near approach of the animal was plainly indicated by the whiz of his tail, and when he reached the door he made a noise similar to the long-continued hissing of a goose. Having done this several times, he began his serenade around the house and finding a small opening between the logs, he poked his forked tongue through it as if trying to impale some one between its slimy prongs. Lion saw this and rushed to grap the tongue, but Mr. Draper succeeded in stopping him just in the nick of time. Having thus twice gone around the house, he gave a short shout similar to one made by a wild hog in the woods, and going west, slowly disappeared. Awhile after the animal left, a light tap was heard at the door. It was Mera who said that her father had seen the wog going away, and that she had come to see if her friends were safe, and to offer such assistance as she might be able to give. When asked why she was not afraid to be out at such a time, the noble girl modestly replied that she could out- run anything that carried along one side at a time. Though evi- dently willing to return alone, Abe Trent would not allow her to do so, and shouldering his rifle he accompanied her home "with as much pleasure," he said, "as I ever felt in my life."
It appeared that the Draper family was the only one visited by the monster at Snodon, and that after leaving there he was not heard of until he reached Haitauthuga, a small settlement
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of wigwams that stood on the plain now covered by the fine oak grove east of the residence of Rev. H. N. Rainey at Mulberry. There lived Siloquot, a head man among the Creeks, and a sort of politician. He was one of the signers of the treaty made at Shoulderbone in 1786, and a man of some consequence. When the unscrupulous wog reached his wigwam there were two Lower Creek dignitaries present, perhaps on official business, and as he began to blow and hiss like a monster goose, they ran to the woods as only scared Indians can run, leaving their host to his fate. But Siloquot found safety in the top of a tall tree where the beast, having hoofs instead of claws, could not follow him.
The spring season was now far advanced and Abe Trent's stay at Snodon where he was helping Mr. Draper do some heavy work was drawing to a close. Still he had not advanced one step in his love affair with Helen. They went hunting on horseback by day, and sometimes walked around the wood circle watching for In- dians at night, but she would not talk about anything except "hunting" and "watching." Still she was the same lovely, kind and attentive girl that she was at first. Not one word would she say about loving anybody.
"Why," passionately exclaimed Abe, one night, when on watch "do you refuse to let me tell how much I love you when you know that I am anxious to do so?"
"Dear me, Mr. Trent," she said, stooping low to look under the hanging branches of a tree, "look at that dark spot on the far side of the field. I have been watching it for some time, and it seems to be coming slowly but constantly nearer."
"Yes," was the snappish reply, "you can talk about anything but the one dearest to me, and if-"
"Just look! It comes nearer and nearer," she said, punctua- ting the remark with the click of her rifle.
"Let it come; but before it gets here tell me whether you love me or not. It may be your last chance."
"O Mr. Trent! It's an Indian crawling on the ground! Look at him! He's 'humping it' back to the woods. What does he mean, you reckon ?"
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"What do you mean by-" Just then a well-known "TOO- HOO-HOO" came from a long distance to the left. It was the sig- nal of Ocean Scupeen warning the family that an enemy was lurking in the woods. Abe ceased to press his suit further, and he and Helen listened. The signal was not repeated. If it had been they would have known that the danger was to be met at once. While still listening Mr. and Mrs. Draper appeared, bring- ing Mera and Lion with them. The girl, wholly unexpected at the time, was greatly agitated, and threw herself into Helen's wide open arms, saying in broken language:
"O Helen, I have seen such an awful time this evening! About sundown I went to the big rocks to grind corn. I heard one man tell another that the pale-face girl who lived in the circle must be carried away to-night, and that she would be returned only when all the pale-faces left the country. They did not see me and I hastened away to tell you. I soon met Ocean Scupeen, and we decided that it would be best for him to warn you by a danger signal and for me to come at once and tell you what the danger is. There are watchers all around here and that is the reason why I did not come sooner, and why, I suppose, Ocean is so far away. Did you hear his signal?"
"Yes, darling," softly said Helen, clasping her faithful friend still closer in her arms.
Utter silence prevailed for awhile. Abe or Draper was con- stantly walking around the belt and looking across the field. The object of the crawling Indian as discovered by Helen had been revealed. It was uncertain as to how soon a similar effort might be made by an increased number. When Abe was about half way around his beat, he heard a low growl, and looking saw Lion standing near with one foot off the ground and with bristles erect. "TOO-HOO!" bravely escaped his lips and he was soon joined by his companions. It was quite dark and nothing un- usual was in sight. Yet the dog continued to growl and to show a great desire to rush forward. Mera had in the meantime crawl- ed a little way into the field and discovered four men in a stoop- ing posture a little more than half way across it. Doubtless their presence had caused Lion's growls, and now that they were so
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near they heard him and ran back to the woods on feet and hands like so many animals. An hour or more of silence follow- ed. Even the dog lay quietly at Helen's feet. That was almost a sure sign that no enemy was near.
By and by the long-drawn hooting of an owl was heard, but nearer than before. Was that hoot made by an owl? No, owls do not dwell on their syllables. Was it made by an Indian? No; Indians say "TU-HU." Then it was made by Ocean Scupeen. Yes, listen "TO-HU-O-O."
"That means the Indians are gone from this immediate vicinity, at least for the present," said one.
"What shall we do?" asked another.
"Wait and see," answered the others.
Soon Ocean himself joined the sentinels and reported that he had learned enough to satisfy him that no further attempt to capture Helen would be made that night; but that they would try some other plan in the future when the dog was out of the way.
"So, Helen," concluded the faithful boy, "hereafter look to the welfare of both yourself and your dog. I am indebted to Eto- hautee for most of this information, and he will keep us informed of the movements of the enemy as well as he can. That means very much, for we all know both his fidelity and his consummate ability. I can say the same for the Modin family ; but in no case use one of their names in connection with this matter except to a known friend." Such were the faithful services rendered and the sage advice given by a mere boy. Nor will his shadow grow less.
Sure enough, nothing more of the foiled kidnappers was heard that night. Believing that any further attempt to interfere with the liberties of Helen Draper would result in open war, and ex- pecting other emigrants to arrive at an early day, it was thought good policy for her to go to Fort Strong on the following morn- ing and, with her dog, remain there until such time as circum- stances would justify her return.
Accordingly, Helen, accompanied by Abe Trent and Ocean Scupeen, rode towards Talasee at the appointed time. Ocean was
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a bold and fearless rider, and when on "DART," his well-trained horse, his handsome face and elegant form all combined to give him a fine appearance. Abe, knowing that this dashing young- ster and Helen were close friends, was a little jealous; still he admired the boy for his well-known bravery as well as for his kind, unselfish heart.
There was great joy at Talasee when the trio arrived from Snodon. Ruth, Banna and Helen talked and talked until Abe became nervous and suggested that-
"Mr. Strong and myself be excused for the evening, and that our mutual friend, Mr. Scupeen, be allowed to remain, and if pos- sible, prevent the ladies from talking themselves to death."
Without saying a word, Helen wrote something on a slip of paper and gave it to Abe. It read as follows:
"Please let the boys, Master Josiah Strong and Master Abel Trent, pass up and down the river until midnight, and as much longer as they please. Signed,
"THEIR GUARDIANS."
Several of the neighboring families were present, and led by Mr. Strong, every man selected a "pardner" at random, and all, old and young, large and small, whirled off into the mazes of a giddy dance which turned out to be what they afterwards called, "The Regular Georgia Breakdown." Ocean, who was a sort of musician, snatched a fiddle from the table and stood in the cor- ner and began to play. Tata Nyxter, who was looking in at the door, grabbed one of the long tin bugles that hung on the wall and began to blow it. Round and round, back and forth went the dancers ; some with the "double shuffle," some cut the "pigeon wing," and some "jumped jim crow."
"Squeak ! Squack ! Squeak !" went the rough, discordant notes of the fiddle; "toot-ta-tah-toot," went the blasts of the bugle, and some who were nearly exhausted kept better time by puffing and blowing than they did with their feet.
It was a sure-enough breakdown, and though no rule was fol- lowed nor time observed by either dancers or musicians, they
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shyly congratulated each other for their elegant performances. Once more, such was life in old times!
Though playfully requested, Abe Trent had a real motive for wanting to be absent that evening. He was anxious for an inter- view with Umausauga in regard to the meaning of the strange word, NODOROC; and feeling sure that his friend had more in- fluence over the Indian than any one else, he desired to transfer the interview to Mr. Strong. The friendship between the two was strong indeed. They addressed each other as "father" and "son," and because of these cordial relations Mr. Strong did not hesitate to comply with his friend's request to conduct the inter- view. Accordingly after the dance was over Josiah and Abe shouldered their rifles and crosing the river at the shoals, the former remained there to fish, apparently, and the latter proceed- ed on his mission. He found Umausauga smoking a corn-cob pipe of which he had become very fond, and seemed to be in ex- cellent humor. "Father," asked Mr. Strong, after using some preliminaries, "would it be wrong for you to tell me what Nodoroc means ?"
The Indian appeared to be surprised and a little disconcerted; but after thinking a little, asked :
"That what for you want to know ?"
Mr. Strong proceeded to tell him the suspicious way in which Talitchlechee had used the word by evidently connecting it with Beadland, and then added :
"Father, when you went around the land with us you showed so many signs of uneasiness that we have never been able to un- derstand. Only a very few natives live on it, and the appearance of Snodon shows that it is in a forsaken country. They seldom pass through it, and seem to be actually afraid of the place. And now, as you well know, that the presence of the white man in this part of the country is beginning to give some dissatisfaction, and inasmuch as you and your brother, Etohautee, together with his son, Tata, are already classed with the white people, we must know everything that is going on around us. We have full con-
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fidence in the three mentioned, and in the Modin family also, and when any of you want help come to us for it at once. Now, father, what do you have to say?"
"Yes," said the Indian after a long and thoughtful pause, "Talitehlechee fool. He knows Nodoroc nothing has to do with white man. Nodoroc in Beadland is, Umausauga to sell it want- ed. White man 'fraid of it not. Indian is-scare him to death. Few have seen it ever. 'Fraid to go. To sell it that is why. Devil there lives. It hell is-Great Spirit not there."
"Please," said Mr. Strong mildly, "talk like Banna and I have taught you to speak, and tell me why you use the words devil and hell when speaking of Nodoroc?"
"Oh, Yes, Yes! I forgot ! I'll leave off the old Umausauga and come back to the new man that you and Banna and the grace of God made out of the old one and tell you all important move- ments of the enemy as they occur, and, of the secret which In- dians believe lies hidden in Nodoroc. It is kept a secret only be- cause of the mystery connected with the horrid place.
"As I have already said, Nodoroc is hell, and the wog that passed through Snodon not long ago, is the devil and makes his headquarters there, where no one who gets in ever gets out."
"The Great Scott!" exclaimed Strong excitedly. "I am all anxiety to see the place, and instead of being sorry that it is in Beadland I am glad of it. And now that I know Nodoroc belongs to me and my friends, we will go and see the place very soon. I am sure that all will be glad for you to go with us, show us the way to go, and give us such information as we may need. Will you kindly do so?"
"Yes! Yes ! Now that I am not an Indian because I have placed myself on the side of the white man and of the white man's God, and for these reasons have felt myself at liberty to give away a secret in regard to his place of torment, I therefore consent to go. Will Banna go with us?"
"Certainly."
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"Then see that she does not go near the horrid, boiling, bubbling smoking place. It burns! It burns !"
No man was ever more mystified than Josiah Strong was by Umausauga's description of Nodoroc. He could not even venture to dispute the Indian's word; yet almost every feature described as so unlike anything he had ever heard of before, that he was lost in wonder and amazement.
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CHAPTER IX.
VISIT TO NODOROC-COLUMN OF SMOKE-AT NODOROC-THE BOIL- ING MUD-THE TRIANGULAR HOUSE-THE NOON BREEZE- UMAUSAUGA'S NARRATIVE-THE LIVING VICTIM-THE SHOWER OF ARROWS-THE CONSPIRACY-ITS VICTIMS.
"It burns! It burns!" To the party of men and women, who, led by Umausauga, left Fort Strong on the following morning, these words as used on the previous day by their leader, were a profound mystery. The anxious company consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Josiah Strong, Mr. and Mrs. Leon Shore, Helen Draper, Abel Trent, and Edward Belknap. This, with the dogs, left a comparatively strong force at Talasee, which was always well guarded night and day. They went by the way of Calamit, and there they left the Trail and turning to the right, rode through the dense forest to some point on the high plain upon which Chapel church now stands. There they halted, and looking to the north the leader pointed out a long, slender column of smoke which seemed to pierce the region of the clouds. The sun shone brightly and there was not a passing zephyr to break the reigning stillness, while slowly, silently, solemnly, the curling, twisting, airy wreaths of intensely black smoke, marked the exact location of the mysterious Nodoroc, the Indian's place of torment. Doubt- less it was the first view of an Anglo-Saxon eye, and very im- pressive. Said Mr. Strong in an effort to describe the scene :
"I am utterly unable to describe the scene or to express in words the feelings it produces. When I take into consideration the associations connected with it and with the other more awful one described in the word of God I am so overcome with the comparison suggested that I can think only of St. John's words in Revelation-'And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever.' "
The sky above, the air and the woods around, and the faces of the company, all seemed to be shrouded in a funeral pall. The solemn spell was not broken when the leader again pointed to
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the column of smoke and all moved forward. Having gone a short distance they entered a valley in which all the animals in the country seemed to have collected.
Having never seen men and women on horseback before, and perhaps thinking the horses and their riders were one and the same, they scampered off in every direction as if never before so badly scared. Turning slightly from the little valley to the west, the party passed over a narrow plain and descended a gentle slope until they could see the column of smoke forming on the surface of what appeared be a lake of bluish water. Going a little nearer it was found that not a sprig of vegetation of any kind grew near it and that the timber growing in the vicinity was badly dwarfed. A closer inspection revealed the astonishing fact that the lake was not water, but a body of from three to five acres of smoking, bubbling, bluish mud of about the consistency of molasses, and whose surface ranged from two to three feet be- low the surrounding solid land. The mud near the banks was slightly in motion, but its action gradually increased towards the center until about half an acre had the appearance of a moderately boiling pot of water. The movement of the smoke which arose from the bubbles was sluggish, and uniting in funnel- shaped form a few feet above the surface, formed the imposing column seen from the distant plain. It was perhaps five feet in diameter at the base, and tapering at the height of at least one- fourth of a mile, spread out like the branches of a tree. Now and then a flickering, bluish blaze, like a flame from a smouldering fire, played for a moment over various parts of the boiling area. This made the smoke more dense than when there was no flame, and the boiling was less violent. It was said by those who had witnessed this uncommon phenomenon on a dark night, that it produced such horrid feelings as to cause some people to faint and made others so sick that they had to be led away. These emo- tions were probably produced by the unpleasant stench that arose from the lake when the flames were not flickering over it. The fire fed on the ascending gas that was thrown up by the bubbles and thus destroyed the offensive odor.
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There, amid the dismal solitudes of a primeval forest, where the white man never trod before, unknown races of people, ante- dating the red man, may have stood and wondered over the mysteries of Nodoroc just as did the pioneer company from Tal- asee; for the column of smoke, the lake of boiling mud, and the flames of fire that played over it must have been indescribably grand and awfully suggestive. Who knows that the place did not mark one of the last vestiges of primeval time when "the earth was without form, and void, and darkness moved on the face of/ the deep."
It was evident that work of which even the red man knew noth- ing had been carried on at this curious place during the long gone ages of the past. At the western end of the hot mud lake, and fifty steps from its margin, there was a triangular stone house whose sides were equal, twelve feet long and eight feet high. The stones of which it was built were roughly dressed, but well enough for them to fit closely and remain in place steadily. They were of various dimensions, the largest being heavy enough, perhaps, to require two men to carry them. In the west wall, facing the lake, there was an opening nearly five feet high and thirty-two inches wide, the sides of which were better dressed than any other part of the structure. The stone immediately above this opening or door jutted out from the wall a little more than two feet as if intended for an awning; but a close inspec- tion showed that it had been used for some sort of ceremonial purposes. The upper side and that part of the wall facing it plainly indicated the long-continued action of fire, showing like the more elaborate and artistic altars at Yamacutah or Tumbling Shoals the observance of such sacrificial rites as are attributed to the prehistoric races of this country.
The floor of this equilateral triangle was of the same material as the walls, and in the west corner was a solid, hewn stone altar having three steps, on each of which were the same signs of fire as shown on the projecting stone over the door. Both were probably used in conjunction for the same purpose. In 1837
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Gov. George R. Gilmer purchased this altar,* and in the spring of 1900, it was still where Mr. Gilmer placed it in the front yard of his residence in Lexington, Georgia.
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