[Illustration: VALLEY OF THE NOON-DAY SUN. (See page 98.)] THE HEART OF THE ALLEGHANIES OR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA COMPRISING ITS TOPOGRAPHY, HISTORY, RESOURCES, PEOPLE, NARRATIVES, INCIDENTS, AND PICTURES OF TRAVEL, ADVENTURES IN HUNTING AND FISHING. AND LEGENDS OF ITS WILDERNESSES. BY WILBUR G. ZEIGLER AND BEN S. GROSSCUP _WITH MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS_ RALEIGH, N. C. ALFRED WILLIAMS & CO. CLEVELAND, O. WILLIAM W. WILLIAMS Copyright, 1883 By WILBUR G. ZEIGLER AND BEN S. GROSSCUP CONTENTS. _INTRODUCTION._ The Culmination of the Alleghanies--Area--The Grand Portal--The Blue Ridge--The Smokies--Transverse Ranges of the Central Plateau--Ancient Mountains.....7 _THE NATIVE MOUNTAINEERS._ The “Moon-eyed” People--Ottari and Erati--Musical Names--Legendary Superstitions--The Devil’s Footprints--His Judgment Seat--A Sacred Domain--Cherokee’s Paradise Gained--Aboriginal Geography--Sevier’s Expedition--Decline of the Tribe--Younaguska--A White Chief--The Qualla Boundary--A Ride Through the Reservation--Yellow Hill--Constitution and Faith of the Band--Characteristics--An Indian Maiden--Soco Scenery.....15 _IN THE HAUNTS OF THE BLACK BEAR._ Bruin’s “Usin’-Places”--Pointers--A Hunting Party--Stately Forests--Wid Medford--Sticking a Bear--Trials of Camping-Out--A Picture--Frosted Mountains--Amid the Firs--Natural History--In Close Quarters--Scenic Features--The Drive Begins--An Ebon Mountain--Judyculla Old Field--Calling In the Drivers--A Snow Storm--The Vale of Pigeon--A Picturesque Party--Through Laurel Thickets--At Bay--The Death Shot--Sam’s Knob--Bear Traps--An Old Hunter’s Observation.....45 _THE VALLEY OF THE NOON-DAY SUN._ The Nantihala--Woodland Scenes--Monday’s--Franklin--Evening on the Little Tennessee--The Alleghanies’ Grandest Highway--The Valley River Range--Lonely Wilds--The Prince of Sluggards--Murphy--A Swiss Landscape--An Animated Guide-post--At the “Hoe-Down”--Apprehensions of Harm--A Jug in My Hands--Pine Torches--The Shooting Match--“Hoss-Swoppers”--Discouraging Comments--The Fawning Politician--Cat-Stairs--The Anderson Roughs--Campbell’s Cabin--No Wash-Basin--The Devil’s Chin--Soapstone and Marble Quarries--A Stinging Reception--Deer--A “Corn-cracker”--Robbinsville.....79 _WITH ROD AND LINE._