Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-11-29

Hussars now slack the rein-now give the
heel,
Think of the insulted wife, the murdered sire,
On, comrades, on !! in thunder on them wheel.
ms hour to Europe's fate shall set the triumph
seal!
10 TIKI EDIToRs OF THE NATIONAL 1vrr1rIerssEn.
The Indian Mummy now exhibited at New.
York, is certainly great curiosity According
TO Doctor Mitchelrs statement twas found near
Glasgow, in the state of Kentucky, in limestone
cave. Two human bodies, in similar state of
preservation, and Creased in similar garments.
were discovered, says Mr.. Breckenridge, in his
sketches OF Louisiana, in a cobber0s care in Ten.
nessee. Both these gentlemen consider the dis.
coyery of those bodies a. important facts in the
establishment of . fayorite theory, viz That the
american spHsrness once inhabited 6y boh1l-
lofss ciEed nations, 1Sfo haue been srvebt from
the face Of this globe by some dreadful caianifv--
That conclusion is founded on the assumed posi-.
ton, that no race OF Indians on the North Ameri-
car continent, with whom we are acquainted
manufacture such articles as formed the envelope
OF the bodies referred to, and which are particu-
larly described by Dr. Mitchell in his Letter. 10 he
Historical Society Of .HGssdchusette After an at
tentive examination Of the 6ooy, now in New-York,
and of the texture and fabric ofthe erGue clothes
] presume that it is nothing more than the dried
century. The preservation of this skeleton, with
It's skin entire, has been altogether accidental sr
sing from the qualities of the strasnn ON which It
reposed, and the consequent notifications of the
atmosphere in its house of death. Certainly no
artificial means, other than its external cover
have been used to preserve it. Il is, in fact not
sH'tning, but Gas DIR. Mitchell CORRECTLY names
an Ersication. To shew you, that the clothes,
which, though not common, are vet TO be found
among the Choctaw Indians of the present day.
have copied the following from .qdair, p 49,,
Formerly, the Indians made very handsome
carpets. They have wild hemp, which grows
aDout SIX ieet high, m open, rich level lands, and
rpes usually in July. II is plenty on our frontier
When ut for use they pull, steep and beat it, and
the old women spin it oft distafF, with wooden
machines, having some Clay in the middle of them
TO hasten the motion. When the coarse thread
Is prepared, they put it into a frame about six
teet square, and instead Of siuttle, they thrust,
tlro' The thread with long cane having large
string, through the web, which they shift every
second course of tie thread, y &C. &c.
Tins extract, although It does not convey a very
clear idea ofthe mode of fsbricstng the carpet.
sufrtcieptiy explains the Melted covering OF the
dead body Another extract viii account for the
greater curiosity, the feathersd mantle. do not
Know how Tar our learned friends will relish the
degradation OF their favorte garment. but take
1t 10 be Chocta1v 6hankrt
The Choctaws weave shot-pouches. which
have raised work inside and outside. Tbev ike
wise make TURKEY feather JLcfkets with The LONG
feathers of the neck and breast ofthat large bird
They twist the inner end Of the feather very fast
INTO strong double thread Of hemp, or the inner
bsfk OF the mulberry tree, ofthe size & strength
OF coarse twne as Gle fbres are sufficiently fine.
They work it in the manner Of netting As the
feathers are long and glittering this sort Of ban
het Is not only very warm, but pleasing to the
eyen ~ Wv
very intelligent and respectable gentleman
tMr 60 saw in the year 1862, in the Choctaw
naton, cloak made in the manner described by
quar- between Pearl River and Tombglee, no.
Iar nom Chekashavoy, in tie neighbcrI,ood of
the Blk Towns. lie rested at the house of a white
man. named Hall Hall's wife, an Indian wo
man OF the Chactaw nation, had a sort of cloak
made of brown feathers. Mr.. G.. supposed tLern
70 be the feathers Of the wild goose, or of some
other aquatic bird. They were worked INTO
KIND oftwine, st the ends, and lay, to use his ex
preston, s1anghng, as upon the bird. The Choc.
taw woman said such fabrics were common a.
Inong her people, it was worn on the shoulders.
and reached as low as the hips
The dressed deer skins found with the n,gnuy.
are not difficult to account for, without resortine
10 remote ages. The drying or dressing Of skins
has bern, at times, known to the southern and
western Indians. They use for that purpose q
substancenot used by the whites, until they learn.
Ell the practice from their red neghbors mean
the dried and pulyerised brain Of the deer. The
skin from which the hair had been cut, as ifbv
tuTier, is more difficult to explain satisfactorily
:.idair mentions one fact, which will afford. al
least, probable solution, lie says, in the page,
already quoted, that clol is sometimes made with
buiiaio's hair, by The Indian women. lie does moi
describe The mode Of separating the hair from tie
niue uut IL was cut with q sfone knife, the
same marks would belief upon it as if cut with
a knife OF seeL Il may be objected. TIA. this
skin IS not Of the buffalo am not sufficiently
acduat,t,r ,,,;fl, ,..,.,..t -. 49, rtt.'tsy I