A Legend of Lost Mountain
By ESCROTAIKE
Many years ago before the feet of the snow faced man trod the peaceful forest of Cherokee Georgia , there de=welt near the northern banks of the Chattahoochee river an old Indian chief and only daughter Wileo, the favorite daughter of the powerful Cherokees.
Wileo from her infancy was beautiful and wise, and the sweet thoughtfulness of womanhood crowned her tender years; she ceased to come to her father’s call, but wandering far away in the forest dells would linger for ours unsought for and alone.
Such waywardness vexed old Silgoa who had always indulged his child in herself will til this, as this change of mind he resolved to ascertain the cause if within his power.
In a playful manner he reproached her for this wandering, but she replied not. Fearful of some dire result, the old chiefs eyes, and ere the days had climbed the eastern hills, he detected her in the act of departure; allowing her to leave the wigwam, unperceived as she thought, he followed her.
Soon the old chiefs wakeful ears detects the sound of footsteps , and the next moment a little form springs in the path by Wileos side, and reveals the form of the hated tribe, the rival Creeks.
The old Silgoa’s eyes gleamed and he quickly withdrew and returned to camp. Summoning his warriors, who was gathering as thick as the sprit eyes which look down from heaven at night, the perused them and seen the dark forests resounded with the battle cry of vengeful Cherokee’s.
To the steep ascent of the hills nearby, the willy creek lead Wileo, and as she bends her eager hear to return the sound of her pursuers an arrow pierces the dense foliage of the mountain oak tree strikes the flying Creek, springing high into the air, he falls dead at the feet of Wileo, at that same moment her father springs through the crevices of the mountain rocks. Wileo turns to flee perused by her old father, who calls again for her to return. up the steep ascent she runs with Silgoa in pursuit.
The daring warriors attempt to follow but in vain. Leaving Silgoa in pursuit of his child, they will return to camp and await his return.
Days pass by and he comes not, and the disheartened warriors start in search. O’er the mountain the journey, and after the first days heat they find the find them, but their souls have been unmoored the phantom bark, that bears their souls to the happy hunting grounds, and they both lie dead ‘neath a sheltering oak, that seemed to stretch its sheltering arms o’er the loved and lost. Lost among the dense foliage, the thickly growing oaks, that cover this lonesome hill, they wandered for many days unable to return, an at least their hearts grown heavy, their spirits dull and sluggish, their courage departed and they lain down to die. and when weary warriors after long search had found them .their sprits just fled.
Today the happy maidens of our sunny land, gambol on the mountain side and houses sprang up where the once beautiful Wileo pined. Almost all traces of the legend have departed, but old settlers and hearty mountaineers of Cherokee Georgia will persist in calling the beautiful hill the name of “Lost Mountain”
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta Journal
January 29th, 1869
The Camak Stone 