Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1847-10-14

Spec'e. CHtZen OF me place, Judge
GARNER. The following extract from
a letter exhibits calmness and de!ib-
Grafton in the purpose of the deceased,
which is perhaps without parallel:
PENSACOLA, Sept. II, lS47.
Our old friend, Judge GARNER, COM
mitled suicide last night, (Sept. Is,
by drowning himself. l have always
been under the impression that he was
about one Of the happiest men in this
city; but suchwas no'the case. From
letters he wrote to several ofhis friends,
and which were dated some time back,
it appears he had been for some time
past been making his arrangements to
commit the deed. He assigns as his
reason, "pover,y"-that he had but
$40, which was in Mr.. Hyef's chest
and that it would take all tina: to bu-
ny him decenily. He wrote few lines
at midnight to DR.. Smith, which he
gave to black boy, and told him to
hand it to Dr.. Smith early in the
morning, which was TO inform him
where his body might be found. He
had every thing arranged. He directed
notes to all 10 whom he was indebted,
even to his washer woman. He laid
his clothes in which to be buried on
his bed, and directed where every
thing might be found. He sewed two
large bricks in towel and tied them
to his sack, and pinned towel over
his breast and back, and walked down
to the end of the wharf with his cloak
around him and cap on. When Ire
got to the place, he laid his cloak
down, placed his cap on it. put brick
in his cap, and tying one end of a
rope to the end of the wharf, and the
other end around his waist, threw him.
self into tie water, where he was found
this morning. Last night, at dusk,
he walked down on the wharf as was
his custom every evening, with Mr..
Hyer, Mr.. Mitchell, Mr.. Kelley and
Ahrens; and was perfectly cool, speak,
ing of the Mexican war, etc.,
and his letters and the note writ
ten at midnight were very neatly ex-
ecuted. He will be buried this morn
ing.
The Mounds Of the West.-The
Smithsonian Institute is at last at
work. l will shortly publish, as its
contribution towards the "Difusion of
Knowledge" work on American
Archaeology, a narrative of researches
and discoveries IN the mounds of the
West, made by E. G. Squier and DR..
E. H. Davis of Ohio. The iabors of
these gentlemen embrace the opening
and examination of more than two
hundred mounds, of every variety of
size and character. Their discoveries
consist of implements and ornaments
in silver, copper, lead, stone, ivory, and
pottery, fashioned into a variety of
forms, and exhibiting skill which, in
some instances, modern art cannot sur
pass. The sculpture of birds, animals
and reptiles, constitute large class of
these ancient relies. They are cut
from various kinds Of stone, and in
many instances of porphyry. Several
highly finished sculptures of the hu-
man head are deserving of notice, and
probably convey an idea of the phys
ical character of the people. The rel
les show that an intercourse existed at
the time the mounds were erected be-
tween the most distan: parts of the
continent: thus obsidian from Mexico,
copper and lead from Lake Superior;
shells and pearls from the sea have
been found.
Messrs. Squier and Smith have not
only opened this large number of
mounds, but surveyed the works,
or presumed Notifications, which a.
bound in the West. They are fire.
quently miles IN extent. Some in he
shape Of enclosures, contain space of
ground larger than Philadelphia occu-
pies. Many analogies have been dis
covered between the redics and similar
ones belonging to the primitive nations
Of the old world.
Thus the serpen! and egg, which
has promlnen. place in the mythoI
ogy ofEgypt and India, typifying a
universal principle, has actually been
found in Ohio, in well defined SER
pent 1900 feet in length, formed of
earth in the act of swallowing an egg.
Some striking analogies with the Dru
Eical rites are also discovered. The
Pballlc worship, too, so universal
throughout the ancient world, may
be traced in the remains of The Mis-
sissippi Valley.
ThesrSult # these discoveries will
be setsorihI q q volume TO be publish
~ ~