Toxaway was killed by Oconee, chief of the brown viper standard bearers, one of Jocassee's brothers. According to tradition, the Indian maiden disappeared from a canoe while crossing the river when she saw the image of her lover with outstretched arms entreating her from the deep waters. "She rose not once to the surface. The stream, from that moment, lost the name of Sarratay, . . . know it only as the river of Jocassee." Of course, now we call it the Thompson. (Quoted from Jim Bob Tinsley, The Land of Waterfalls, 1988, quoted in turn from 1845 writings by William Gilmore Simms.)
The Thompson is perhaps the least explored of the rivers in the
area. The Thompson basin probably has the most waterfalls of
any of the rivers, if you include the various forks that join
the river near the NC 281 crossing. Many of the falls are
on private property. The dirt road that cuts through the
mountains from NC 281 north to the US 64 at Sapphire crosses
two of these falls right at their brinks, including
Twin Falls.
There's another picturesque waterfall, White Owl Falls, just
below the NC 281 crossing. This waterfall is accessed by
climbing down the riprap next to the road and following the
trail at the bottom through the rhodendron.
The logging road that parallels the Thompson River leads to a
ford, upstream from which one can find High Falls, one of the
more picturesque waterfalls in the area.
Downstream from the logging road's ford the road passes a long series of cascades. These are reputed to be both impressive and, in some cases, completely inaccessible.
Just before the road begins to descend to the Foothills Trail and
Lake Jocassee, a faint path diverges into the Gorge. At the
bottom of this trail is one of the wonders of the Gorges region,
Big Falls on the Thompson and the pool at its bottom, "Seyantooga."
This idyllic setting was once a Cherokee swimming hole.
A few words of caution here - if you try to get to this waterfall, the rocks everywhere are exceedingly slippery. And the climb out of the gorge is as strenuous as any hike in Transylvania County.
I believe this final picture is of Rocky Knobs, viewed from the
logging road not far from the departure point from NC 281.