Journey to the Overhill country Henry Timberlake

the holston valley

on november 19, 1761, fort robinson nearing completion, 400-man cherokee force led chief kanagatucko (or old hop ) arrived @ camp , asked peace, granted col. stephen. kanagatucko asked officer accompany him overhill towns proof hostilities had ended. stephen reluctant allow it, granted request when timberlake volunteered. timberlake accompanied sergeant thomas sumter, interpreter named john mccormack, , unnamed servant. group purchased canoe , ten days worth of provisions money sumter had borrowed. plan follow holston river confluence french broad river, , proceed little tennessee river, overhill towns situated.

timberlake s party left long island on november 28, 1761. holston river s unusually low water levels stalled journey, party forced drag canoe on exposed shoals , sandbars. party ran out of provisions after several days, mccormack managed shoot bear, supplying them several days worth of meat. around december 7, party explored stalactite-filled cave situated approximately 50 feet above river. timberlake described incident in sumter swam half-mile in near-freezing river waters retrieve canoe, had somehow drifted away while exploring cave.

on december 13, expedition reached series of treacherous cascades timberlake called great falls. party spent whole day maneuvering way down cascades find holston frozen on downstream. ice slowed expedition s progress, rains on night of december 14 thawed ice, , party passed through mouth of holston (in modern knoxville) tennessee river on december 15.

the overhill country

timberlake s draught of cherokee country

the deeper waters of tennessee river allowed timberlake expedition proceed more quickly. hunting party led cherokee chief slave catcher met timberlake expedition near mouth of little tennessee river, , supplied weary expedition provisions of dried venison, homminy, , boiled corn. following day, slave catcher guided expedition canoe little tennessee, although timberlake party struggled keep up. timberlake recalled, hands galled, blood trickled them, , when set out next morning scarce able handle pole. timberlake party arrived in overhill town of tomotley on december 20, greeted town s head man, chief ostenaco.

after spending several days in tomotley guests of ostenaco, timberlake , mccormack proceeded overhill mother town of chota, number of chiefs had gathered in town s large councilhouse. ostenaco gave speech , ceremoniously buried hatchet in ground, symbolizing state of peace between english , cherokee. afterward, timberlake partook in peace ceremony in smoked several ceremonial pipes gathered chiefs, practice timberlake found disagreeable, participated in without openly complaining.

timberlake , ostenaco continued southward citico, timberlake greeted ceremonial dance involving 400 cherokee. timberlake recalled dancers painted on in hideous manner , danced in uncommon figure. town s chief, cheulah, presented timberlake string of beads , held pipe-smoking ceremony. non-stop pipe smoking made timberlake sick not stir several hours. following day, timberlake , ostenaco traveled chilhowee, second southernmost of overhill towns on timberlake s map, town s chief, yachtino, held peace procession similar @ citico.

return virginia

his assignment largely completed, timberlake returned tomotley ostenaco on january 2, 1762. spent next few weeks studying cherokee habits , making notes map of overhill country. @ end of january, rumors began trickling in cherokee scouts of renewed hostilities rival tribes north. although rumors turned out based on misunderstanding, timberlake grew anxious , begged ostenaco guide him virginia. ostenaco reluctantly agreed, , party set out on march 10, 1762. before departure, timberlake witnessed ceremonial return of war party led chief willinawaw. party sang war-song , planted scalp-filled pole next councilhouse door.

the timberlake party had decided make return trip overland, having purchased horses cherokee. ostenaco, accompanied several hundred cherokee warriors, guided timberlake group northward across known great indian warpath, follows western base of appalachian mountains. on march 11, party arrived @ abandoned village of elajoy along little river in maryville, tennessee, , crossed french broad river following day. week later, reached fort robinson, stephen garrison had abandoned stashed large supply of flour. expedition left long island on march 22, continuing northward army camp timberlake had left belongings. disappointed find trunk had been looted , of goods had been stolen. party reached williamsburg, virginia in april.