Native Americans: 22 Books on History, Mythology, Culture & Linguistic Studies. James MooneyЧитать онлайн книгу.
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In point of numbers the Cherokee population now considerably exceeds that first enumerated by the early colonial authorities. As early as 1715 the proprietors of the South Carolina Plantation instructed Governor Robert Johnson to cause a census to be taken of all the Indian tribes within that jurisdiction, and from his report it appears that the Cherokee Nation at that time contained thirty towns and an aggregate population of 11,210, of whom 4,000 were warriors. Adair alleges that in 1735, or thereabouts, according to the computation of the traders, their warriors numbered 6,000, but that in 1738 the ravages of the small-pox reduced their population one-half within one year. Indeed, this disaster, coupled with the losses sustained in their conflicts with the whites and with neighboring tribes, had so far wasted their ranks that a half century after the census taken by Governor Johnson they were estimated by the traders to have but 2,300 warriors.10 By the last report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs the total population is estimated to number 22,000.11 It is true that considerable of this increase is attributable to the fact that several other small tribes or bands, within a few years past, have merged their tribal existence in that of the Cherokees. Independent of this fact, however, they have maintained a slow but steady increase in numbers for many years, with the exception of the severe losses sustained during the disastrous period of the late southern rebellion.
Old Cherokee Towns
It is perhaps impossible to give a complete list of the old Cherokee towns and their location; but in 1755 the authorities of South Carolina, in remodeling the old and prescribing new regulations for the government of the Indian trade, divided the whole Cherokee country into six hunting districts, viz:
1. Over Hill Towns.—Great Tellico, Chatugee, Tennessee, Chote, Toqua, Sittiquo, and Talassee.
2. Valley Towns.—Euforsee, Conastee, Little Telliquo, Cotocanahut, Nayowee, Tomatly, and Chewohe.
3. Middle Towns.—Joree, Watoge, Nuckasee.
4. Keowee Towns.—Keowee, Tricentee, Echoee, Torsee, Cowee, Torsalla, Coweeshee, and Elejoy.
5. Out Towns.—Tucharechee, Kittowa, Conontoroy, Steecoy, Oustanale, and Tuckasegee.
6. Lower Towns.—Tomassee, Oustestee, Cheowie, Estatoie, Tosawa, Keowee, and Oustanalle.
About twenty years later, Bartram,12 who traversed the country, gives the names of forty-three Cherokee towns and villages then existing and inhabited as follows:
| No. | Name. | Where situated. |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Echoe | On the Tanase east of Jore Mountains. |
| 2 | Nucasse | |
| 3 | Whatoga | |
| 4 | Cowe | |
| 5 | Ticoloosa | Inland, on the branches of the Tanase. |
| 6 | Jore | |
| 7 | Conisca | |
| 8 | Nowe | |
| 9 | Tomothle | On the Tanase over the Jore Mountains. |
| 10 | Noewe | |
| 11 | Tellico | |
| 12 | Clennuse | |
| 13 | Occunolufte | |
| 14 | Chewe | |
| 15 | Quanuse | |
| 16 | Tellowe | |
| 17 | Tellico | Inland towns on the branches of the Tanase and other waters over the Jore Mountains. |
| 18 | Chatuga | |
| 19 | Hiwasse | |
| 20 | Chewase | |
| 21 | Nuanba | |
| 22 | Tallase | Overhill towns on the Tanase or Cherokee River. |
| 23 | Chelowe | |
| 24 | Sette | |
| 25 | Chote, great | |
| 26 | Joco | |
| 27 | Tahasse | |
| 28 | Tamahle | |
| 29 | Tuskege | |
| 30 | — — Big Island | |
| 31 | Nilaque | |
| 32 | Niowe | |
| 33 | Sinica | Lower towns east of the mountains on the Savanna or Keowe River. |
| 34 | Keowe | |
| 35 | Kulsage | |
| 36 | Tugilo | Lower towns east of the mountains on Tugilo River. |
| 37 | Estotowe | |
| 38 | Qualatche | Lower towns on Flint River. |
| 39 | Chote | |
| 40 | Estotewe, great | Towns on waters of other rivers. |
| 41 | Allagae | |
| 42 | Jore | |
| 43 | Naeoche |
Mouzon's map of 1771 gives the names of several Lower Cherokee towns not already mentioned. Among these may be enumerated, on the Tugalco River and its branches, Turruraw, Nayowee, Tetohe, Chagee, Tussee, Chicherohe, Echay, and Takwashnaw; on the Keowee, New Keowee, and Quacoretche; and on the Seneca, Acounee.
In subsequent years, through frequent and long continued conflicts with the ever advancing white settlements and the successive treaties whereby the Cherokees gradually yielded portions of their domain, the location and names of their towns were continually changing until the final