had first been
read to himself. After listening to one or two chapters the old chief
dryly remarked: "Well, it seems to be a good book — strange that the
white people are not better, after having had it so long."
He died, aged about eighty, in April. 1839, within a year after the
Removal. Shortly before the end he had himself carried into the
townhouse on Soeo. of which he had supervised the building, where,
extended on a couch, he made a last talk to his people, commend-
ing Thomas to them as their chief and again warning them earnestly
against ever leaving their own country. Then wrapping his blanket
around him. he quietly lay hack and died. He was buried beside
Soco. about a mile below the old Macedonia mission, with a rude
mound of stones to markthe spot. He left two wives and consid-
erable property, including an old negro slave named Cudjo, who was
devotedly attached to him. One of his daughters. Kata'Ista. still sur-
104 MYTHS OF THE CHEROKEE
vives, and is the last conservator of the potter's art among the East
Cherokee. 1
Yonaguska had succeeded in authority to Yane'gwa, "Big-bear,"
w ho appears to have been of considerable local prominence in his time,
but wlio.se name, even with the oldest of the band, is now but a mem-
ory. He was among the signers of the treaties of 1798 and 1805, and
by the treaty of L819 was confirmed in a reservation of 640 acres as
one of those living within the ceded territory who were "believed to
be persons of industry and callable of managing their property with
discretion," and who had