Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1841-04-20

GEOLOGICAL REMAINS IN THE WEST


GEOLOGICAL REMAINS IN THE WEST.
We have had the pleasure Of conversation with one
Of the most intelligent gentlemen OF the West upon
Of the striking and ancient remains OF Mis-
souri and Wisconsin Most fwhot he informs US he
had actually seen and examined for himself with all
the facts and history OF curious remains either OF men
or animals IN the West We thought it would not be
undressing describe, in brief terms, of these
remains, especially we have been rather slcptcal
IN respect to some OF the accounts.
lsi The MSSOurian, or the vast and unknown AMI
NAL recently discovered ia Missouri This he has seen
and examined The man who discovered this animal
did II consequence OF an Indian tradition, which said
at that place there was buried great animal, and
whose remains they were anxious to protect aud TO
keep the whites of. On digging, the romains
found IS described. With them were found arrow
heads much larger than the usual size. The animal IS
put together and OF vast size. \ band of music is
seated between his ribs, and AT height of 10 or II
feet, his length 90 TO 30 feet, and he belongs with
out doubt to the amphibous class His tusks are of
/ an enormous size, and notwithstanding they
ed in and partly broken 10 feet from tip TO tip
The most singular part of his formation shat the Joint
Of his hind leg turns edwards This creature is
much larger than the mammoth, as the latter IS larger
than
% 1t is fact that on one Of the highest hills of
Missouri, are found great quantity of the mammoth
bones or skeletons, indicating that at the deluge
other great flood, these animals had rereate1 10
the tops Of the hills, and there persisted.
3D. The Petrifcd Forest. OF this we had some doubt
Il
considerable space Of ground, parts OF trunks Of trees
/ and fragments Of limbs, found perfectly perihel.
4th, THE CHV Of stefan, which year two since
was announced as existing on one Of the branches of
Rock River, IN Wisconsin, Is a reality far relates
to the remains Of ancient works. Our informant exa-
mined this work thoroughly. IL consists Of parape's
Of earth, like the Indian Qualifications Of Ohio with
some things peculiar TO itself, covering - Of
ground. No evidences OF a higher civilization than
that which exists in the Ohoworks, was found except
it may be brck burnt in the ancient ru lie way
These found in certain projections from the para
pets. They were evidently brick, but made with
in the old mode, and rudely formed II is sad, howev
er, that the Indians of the Rocky Mountains do now
make brick.
Within twoanglcs of,his work are foundtwo towers
and mound, intended, informant believes, for
watch towers, and also burial places Through one he
dug butt found nothing In the other he found regular
vault about the size OF common ROOM but much larger
one way than the other Here he found many bones Of
human beings. 1t was evidently a tomb lie says that
the Indians Of the far northwest say that they have
the common Indian mound built and that the process
Is, first an iustous chief IS buried and that in mark OF
their respect, others they 20 10y, dcposte add-
ona earth, and thus they grow their present size.
There IS undoubtedly much evidence to show that a
more civilized race once inhabited North America, but
on tracing out the links Of that evidence, there one
yet wanng-the ancient remains IN the west have rot
yet shown evidence OF arts science superior 10 what
the Indians OF this day might have had.
The existence however Of these remains, and even
ofthe people themselves still involves an inscu,abc
problem; a problem upon which the iorth-c0m work
Of Mr. Stevens may throw some light.
In the Clinton Republican ONilmingtou) We md an
article on the Geology OF tho Miami country which has
much oliutercst The writer IS speaking OF the Geo
logical remains on Told's Fork ,le Iittle Miami
Alter speaking of fragments ~ primitive rocks, still
found iu tins region, tuc write .,lcceds 10 say
Ia digging wells and excaya.ug the earth near VII
mnC..n, ofPcat have been dis,ovcret althe depth
of twenty let from the surface. and charcd wood and
parts OF vegetables AT mU~i UrCajrr depth, furnishing
Iudubltaalc evidence that r superintendent soil has
been made by the convl,iaps fihc elements 10 that
great change produced ia ihe oidcr o.! things, boy ihc
deiucc. The country through which Iodds Fork rum.
Is formed from the duyia dcpositc but In many places
the aluyIm collected 10 peat beds and furnishes tic
richest and most productive bottom lands in Ou0.-
Mineral, are buried far beneath the surface, and ,ae
land is much better adapted for flaming than for min
ing
Along the banks fTodd's Fork northwest. and wcs
Wilmington, may Dc found the human skeleton de-
posted stony vaults. made Of lat limestone These
stony graves are built on elevated ground. and bear
Hc0cc Ualiac design n iIrir construction was % OK
clude water from entering The earth does NOT uurcai
10 have been excay5led 10 depose the dead bui then
tomas are luilt on level with tlo cJuu'- surface
Comparing human skull taken from one ofrhcee s,on,
arches vl ono taken from mound that bad been neal
zen feet over the skeleton u seems that the changes that
have been wrought them, boy time. are very similar
The skull taken from these rocky touHs presents 90 hr
the appearance of bone that has beoa c1cined b,
s.o" and continued heat, cisspa'iue the flic aad gel
a'ne, and leaving nothing 20 preserve ibe identity ofih,
A-man form tlt t.c phosphate ~ une. Il has beer
supposed Hy those who have examined bc contents o.
c mounds that are found 20 various places betwccpi h6
~rlo'a aud Miami rivers that they have been tie dep0s
.;,ncs of hom-n remains iof many ages