New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-05-26
indian Antiquities.

We received yesterday, from Mr.. John Henderson,
OF this county, sundry Indian antiquities which have
recently been exhumed on his plantation about eleven
miles below this city. Mr.. Henderson has, on his
plantation a large mound, situated about mile and
a quarter from the river, which is about twelve feet
high, and some ninety yards in circumference. In
this mound he has recently been digging cistern,
and in the course of his suberanean explorations he
has stumbled upon a city Of the dead,' and dis
turbe the bones of hundreds of the departed of some
by-gone age AT distance of from one to threeaud-
a-half feet below the surface of the mound Mr. Hen
derson informs us he has found nnumerable skeletons
OF the dusky warriors, statesmen and poets, of
OF whose name and lineage all traces have faded
from the memory of man. Some Of them Of colos-
sal proportions One huge warrior measured, as he
lay in the bosom of mother earth seven feet three
inches in length while his arms and legs gave uner-
ring token that his size was in due proportion to his
Anak height That he was a warrior we take Tor
granted, for the arrowhead still remaining in the
cleft of his skull, indicates that he "dicd no felco
death that a warriors weapon freed warri 3 &
SOUL Grim and CHASTITY as he lay with the barbalic
ornaments of his race upon his neck and arms and
ankes-with the hideous war-paint upon his face
on that last day, when with wall and song he was
consigned to his forest tomb so looked he, when
race of which he never dreamed a few days since te
enombed him from his silent resting place near tam
mighty river which, when he died, perchance pale
| face " had ever seen. The beads and ornaments
which Indians SO fondy cherish, still hung about his
skeleton forn and the sreakings of the war paint
were still freshly visible upon that tawny face which
mas SO long been the tenant of grave.
FROM the under jaw now in possession, we
doubt not that he was man of might who lowered
proudly above his fellows. From the top of the
mound in which this old forest king SO long leposed
tere was cut four years ago. giant oak, the rings
| OF whose trunk indicated growth of one hundred
and thirtytwo years! Some idea of its age NAV be
inferred from ME fact that the trunk measured seven
leet in diaeter and that the body of the tree made
some 500 rails.
Accompanying the jaw-bone of which we have
spoken, is another of scarcely less giant proportions
together with two vases and two bowls of the same
Workmanship, one very small, and all in good state
OF preservation. The vases are about the size and
have something of the shape of globe amp.shade of
the present day. There are also stone chisel several
arroW-heads of stone, some minor traps that we
heilnefHknoW the names uses Of and couple of
neads also couple of copper arrow-points, con-
siuefaDly corroded, and strangest of ALL piece of
tWlle with which these arrow points were tied to-
gether The piece of Irvine in possession is about
Iour inches long, appears to be made of some species
of grass, and is in wonderful state of preservation
what the name race of these ancient manufacture
ers was, we stop not to inquire. We are merely
statlng facts, and leave those who have more time
10 investigate the mystery.
Someselght feet below the surface of the mound
MI henderson informs that he came to strata of
ashes, so firmly lmbedded that it was work of diff
Guilty to press spade through it. He had sometimes
to resort to the aasS0ek and the pick.
; we omitted stQ5say above that, among the curl
Ilosltes for indebted to the kindness of
Mr.. Henderson, is about handful of Indian paint,
the same witiIgs the Indian braves were wont to
beautify their countenaree wien going to make
love, and to render them deous when preparing for
the warputh.-[Vi cksburg Wing, 14th.