Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-02-11

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| Cugiors DIscovEay. The American
Monthly Magazine contains very inter.
esting article on the subject Of the anti.
qaliies Of North America. in which Is de.
tailed an account OF an exceedingly inter.
csiing discovery of human skeleton in
the town Of Fall River. Mass. about Is
! rnonths since. The skeleton was armed
with La'ast plate. . species Of mail, and
arrows Of brass. and is supposed 10 have
been either one of the race who inhabited
this country for n time anterior to The so
called aborigsnes, aud afterwards settled
in Mexico, or Ganiimala. or 10 one OF The
crew OF a Phonecian vessel. that, blown
out Of her course, thus discovered the
Western world long before the Christian
era. Tie following IA the account giren
OF the discovery OF this interesting relic Of
antiquity.
sln digging down bill near the village
large mass OF earth slid off, leaving IN
the bank. s. partially uncovered, huuan
skull. which on examination was found 10
ture The head beingaboat one foot below
what has been for many years the spriace
Of the ground. The surrounding earth
Was carefully removed, and the body found
to be enyeloped IN covering OF coarse
cloth, made Of iinc bark aud about tie
texture of a Manila cuifee bag On the
breast was a plate OF brass. ihiiiecn inch.
es long, six broad a, Tie upper end and s
at the lever This plate appears 10 have
been east. and is from one eighth 10 Thirty
seconds Of an inch in ta.ckaess Il Is 50
much corroded that whether or not any
thing was engraved upon il, has mol yet
been asceriained. Il is oval IN sorm--the
edges being irregular, apparently made
so by corrosion.
below the hreas, plate. and entirely en-.
encirchng the body, was belt composed
Of brass tubes, each four aud hail inch
es ia leng;h, and three sixitenlbs u an
inch 10 diameter, arranged iongi,udinalIy
and close together. the length Of tube
being the width Of the belt. The tabes
are OF tim brass. cast upon holow reeds,
and were fastened together by pieces 81
VI sinew. Tbs belt was so plsc.d as 10
pfoiectihe lower parts Of the budy bclow
the breast plate Iae arrows are Of brass,
thin, fat aud Triangular in shape. with a
round hole cut through near the hase--
The shaft was fastened to the head hy in
seriipg the latter in an opening at the end
Of tue wood. aud then tying II with lin
ew through the round hole,---a. mode OF
constructing the weapon never pFa.iised
by the Indians, not even with their ar.
rows ofthin shell Parts OF the shaft dilI
remain on some of them. When first dis.
covered. The arrows were IN sort fquI.
yer Of bark, which fell in pieces when OK
posed TO the air
The skull Is much decayed. but the teeth
are sound, and apparently those OF a young
man. The pelvs is muc b decayed, and
the smaller hoGes OF he lower extrcmiiies
are gone. The iutegnnent Of The right
knee, four OF FIVE inches below OF above
are in good preservation. apparently The
size aud shape Of life. though quite ilack
Considerable flesh Is still preserved on
the bands ana arms. but mons on The
shoulders and elbows. On The back under
the belt. and for two inches above ard
below. the skin and flesh ARE IN good pfa
servation, and have The appearance Of
being tanned, The chest 10 very much
compressed, but tho upper viseera are
probably entire The arms are bent ~.
not crossed 80 that the hands ,urned in
wards touch the shoulders The stature
IS about five feet and a half high. Mich
OF The exterior envelope was deeayed, and
the inner one appeared 10 be preserved
only where il had been in contact with
the bones.
The preservation Of this body may he
The result Of some en- lining process s.
this hypoihesis is s,fenghene BY The fsel
that the skin has The appearance of hauing
been tanned; or il may be the accidental
result OF the action Of The salts ofihe brass
during oxidation; and ibis Hypothesis is
supported by the fact that tie skin and
flesh have been pIesefvedSnly where they
have been in contact with, or quite near.
the brass, or we may account for the pre-
seryaton Of the whole by surprising the
sslipeiFe 10 The soil at the time Of the de-
post. 10 either way the preservation OF
The remains is fully accounted Cor, and
pom known chemical principles
| That the body was not one Of the In
dams. we think needs no Argument. We
have seen some Of the drawings taken
from the sculptures found vi palenque, s.
| in these figures are with The breast plates,
although smaller than the plates found at
Fail River On the figures at Pslenqse,
the bracelet and anklels appear 70 be Of a
manufacture precisely similar to the belt
OF tubes just described. The figures also
have heilnets precisely answering the des
cription uf the helmet OF Homer's.
DarAnrrI. AcclnEKr. --T,xn engineers