Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1860-07-26

depressions, mounds and all other monu-
mental remains upon map, with accu-
rate descriptions and measurements until
he finally completed the most perfect map
in existence of these interesting relics
during this process he occasionally made
excavations into mounds and embank
ments OF enclosures to find skeletons and
trinkets or implements, which had been
used by the aborigines. many of which
had been exhumed by vagrant explorers
1t had been his uniform practice however
to prosecute his explorations in solitude,
seeming desirous to avoid company lest
some rare discovery which he perchance
might make, would be attended with the
annoyance of division Of honors. 1t
occurred to him that researches had been
generally made into tumuh, on that it
was popularly believed that depressions
in the vicinity of enclosures and mounds
were merely places from which earth had
been burrowed to construct embankments
He conceived however that these might
be caches, or hiding places, perhaps Gem
eteries, or "bone-pits," as they are called
in New York, } and he determined to ex-
anime. He had marked one more srticu-
lalated than others, in McCrary's woods,
and to this point he went with his imple-
ments for digging, on Friday morning
June 29th accompanied only by his SON
a lad of eight or nine years.
HE FINDS A GRANITE BALL.
He opened trench about three by four
feet near the Northeast arc of the depress-
ion-which is a circle-and about the
bottom of the sofia rich black loam-
perhaps twenty inches below the surface,
reddish ouortzose granite ball, which wo'd
weigh about five or six pounds.
1t occurred to me that it was probably a
lusus notar9, or had been worn into it's
spherical form by natural forces, but on
examination it appeared clearly to have
been CIT or pared with some hard, sharp
instrument. Others had previously, as
learned, expressed similar opinion, 1t
seems impossible that attrition with other
strata of equal hardness should have
worn it into its present peculiarpor APP
pearance, The surface is altogether un-
like that Of boulder, or other varieties
of pebbles and stone of that shape, which
are frequently found. But, suppose it
lusus nature, we are obliged to resort to
a still more violent supposition to account
for its isolated lodgment in that obscure
forest location, under a rich loan, miles
distant from geological strata of similar
character, and at least one mile distant
from any known bank of any stream in
that valley. And besides it was upon
the upper terrace of the plateau upon
which the o-called Notifications are chief
ly located, and entirely within circum-
vallated enclosure. A critical scientist
might easily determine the question re-
specting this ball, but | confess it seems
to me artifcially formed.
DISCOVERY OF THE HEBREW KEYSTONE, OR
HOLY STONE.
After excavating few inches further,
little over two feet below the surface,
and Just below the soil embedded in a
thick ball of tough clay-which has been
ascertained to be composition of clay
adobe, or sun-dried brick-Mr. Wyricl1
| found the curious emblematic stone which
is now the object of such intense specula-
ton among those who have seen it. Up
on rubbing off the clay and cleansing the
stone somewhat with silvia, he discovered
the inscriptions, but was totally ignorant
of their nature. 1t is easy to believe that
he was well nigh frantic. He FASTENED
to town, hugging his precious stone ca
gerly, and sent for Col. Charles Whttle-
sey, engineer and geologist, at the Lake
Superior Copper Mnes-who was So
journng at Newark-and for Israel Ollie
Esq, and confded his secret to them
Their astonishment was equal to that of
Mr.. Wyrick, but they quickly determin-
ed the character of the inscriptions, and
afterwards they were translated. But Of
this anon.
| DESCRIPTION OF THE HOLY STONE.
The material is Hone Stone Ga NOyacu-
Me.) Col. Whittlesey said it is precise
ly like that in the Lake Superior regions,
and must have been brought thence. Go
into any carpenter shop and you will find
whetstones corresponding with it. 1t is
very hard, and will take fine polish
The Holy Stone has perfectly smooth sur
faces, and has apparently been polished.
1t has no sharply cut edges, but seems to
have been beveled off at all points. Free
Masons call it a keystone, but it differs
somewhat in shape from the modern Key
stone, in its semi-ovalness, and in having
carved knob-like door knob, though
not round--between the shoulders, on the
top. 1t is five and three quarter inches
long and has two fiat sides, each two
inches and half wide at the top, ovaling
down to taper about an inch and quar-
ter wide at the oval point of the taper
and two edges with square surfaces, about
an inch and a half wide at the shoulders,
perhaps little less, which taper down as
above described. Perhaps if | should de-
scribe it as a blunt wedge with knob on
top, the knob occupying the same relative
position on the wedge that mans head
would to his body if it were twisted or
fixed so as to look in right line over his
shoulder, would be the best popular no.
ton could give Of it. Unfortunately
our columns will not admit cut, or YOU
could present it pictorially.
THE INSCRIPTIONS.
On each surface there is an inscription
in Hebrew, each, according to several ac-
complished Hebraists, forming com
plete sentence, and all susceptible of being