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14 GEOBGIA AND GEORGIANS
who largely shaped the future history of these tribes. But, having
brought the narrative down to this point, we will now revert somewhat
more in detail to the explorations of the two renowned Spaniards, Juan
Ponce de Leon and Hernando de Soto.
PORT MOUNTAIN — Six miles and a half to the northeast of Spring Place looms a
peak of the Cohutta Mountains, near the summit of which can still be seen the ruins
of an old fort, the origin of which is shrouded in a thick veil of traditions. This
ancient landmark of a region famed for its great natural beauty is known as Fort
Mountain, so called from the remnants of this old fort, some of the legends connected
with which reach back over a stretch of four centuries to the romantic days of De Soto.
But no one who thoughtfully examines what is left of the old fort can accept readily
the account which credits its erection to De Soto. There were originally not less
than twelve walls in this defensive stronghold. Its erection required time; and,
according to the Spanish narratives, less than two weeks were spent in this region,
after which the gold seekers proceeded to what is now the City of Rome. Two
stopping-places of De Soto have been identified as towns included within the original
limits of Murray County, viz., Gauxule and Conasauga ; but since in both of these
towns he was. accorded friendly receptions there existed no occasion for hostile
maneuvers, such as the building of a fort would lead us to infer. The rules of
historical criticism forbid an assumption that the ruins on Fort Mountain date back
to De Soto, but a former occupancy of this region by Europeans is strongly intimated,
if not unmistakably proven, by these remains. We are indebted to Prof. S. W.
McCallie, State Geologist, for a table of measurements, showing how each of the
twelve walls of the old fort ran. This table is given below, as follows:
SE. 40 feet to pit; 160 to gate at spring.
N. 60 "
E. 70
N. 20
S. 80° E. 60
(2 towers)
NE. 100
S. 80° E. 70
E. 20
N. 120
NE. 90
N. 10° E.
NE.
30
80
Says Professor McCallie: "The old fort is located just a short distance from
the highest point of the mountain. Some 250 yards from the main gateway to the
fort is a spring. The walls are nowhere more than two feet high, but have a base
of more than twelve feet. The masonry about the gateway is somewhat massive.
All the stones in the wall can be removed by two men, except for a few boulders in
a section over which the wall passes. There are many loose fragments on top of the
mountain, from which the fort was no doubt constructed."
L. L. Knight, in "Georgia's Landmarks, Memorials and Legends," Vol. II,
pp. 896-7.