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| Westward from the hardwaters of the Oconaliuftee river, in the wildest depts of the Great Smokey Mountains, which forms a line between North Carolina and Tennessee, is the enchanted lake of Atagahi, "Gall Place." Although all the Cherokee know that it is there, no one has ever seen it, for the way is difficult and only animals know how to reach it. It is a place of renewal for the wounded ones. Should a stray hunter come near the place he would know it by the whirling noise made by thousands of wild ducks flying about the lake, but on reaching the spot, he would find only flat land, without bird or animals or blade of grass, unless he had first sharpened his spiritual vision by prayer and fasting and an all night vigil. Because it is not seen, some people think that the lake has dried up long ago, but htis is not true. To one who had kept watch and fast through the night it would appear at daybreak as a wide extending but shallow sheet of purple water, fed by springs sprouting from high cliffs around. In the water are all kinds of fish and reptiles, and swimming upon the surface or flying overhead are great flocks or ducks and pigeons, while all about the shores are bear tracks crossing in every direction. It is the medicine lake of birds and animals, and whenever a bear is wounded by hunters he makes his way through the woods to this lake and plunges into the water, and when he comes out upon the other side his wounds are healed. For this reason the lake is invisible to the hunter. Have i seen this mystical lake of my ancestors legends? No, but i believe it still exist out there, somewhere..... |