The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-01-29

A Singular DIscOvery-The Bones OF an
Indian Warrior Found In a Floating
LOgs
1t is a matter of doubt whether Macaulay's
New Zealander will ever muse over the ruins OF
London, but so rapidly has change folio we'd
change in the history OF this Western country,
that the philosopher of to-day may ponder over
the disappearance, we may say extinction, of a
savage race that once occupied the land, and
but a few score OF years ago campeI on the
ground now covered by the houses of teeming
city. 1t would be almost impossible for the
students oil Western annals to realize the strange
changes that have followed each other so last,
were it not that occasionally history is authen-
liCated by the discovery OF traces and evidences
OF a race and customs that have vanished for
eyer. A discovery OF this character was de-
ve!Oped yesterday, which is not without
interest and historic value.
The facts respecting the Tatl6f are reported
to be as follows:-TWQ men we're engaged haul
ing out DRIFT wood on the Illinois Shore nearly
opposite the Arsenal. Some distance from the
bank OF the river they observed a large trunk
OF a tree, Which, as it appeared sound, tney de
termined to gain possession OF it possible, aud,
after some difficulty they succeeded in bringing
II 10 sn0re, On examining the large log, tn2y
hoticed one eud was partly split open. and that
Itappeared as if it had been stuffed or filled up
with moss or leaves, or some substance OF that
character The curiosity.Of the men was excited,
and they went to work, and by inserting wedges
in the crack succeeded in splitting the log open,
]
and that the cavity was partially titled up with
what, at first sight, appeared the full form OF
| man wrapped in a buffalo robe. This singular
sight as might be expected, at first excited their
intense SurpIise, and one man looked at the
! other in mute amazement.
They at length sufficiently recovered them
| selves TO prosecute the examination. They
removed the buffalo robe, which, although
bearing indications of great age, was still un-
/ broken, and discovered inside the skeleton of a
man, the flesh entirely wasted away, but the
bones still adheriue together, and preserving
the form and outline complete. Beside the
bones of this departed Indian brave were found,
! it is said, a tomahawk, Quiver full of arrows,
and "A bow, all exhibiting marks OF great age,
and doubtless having been preserved from decay
! by the exclusion of the air. We are not exactly
! informed as TO what course the men pursued on
making this singular discovery. 1t Is to be
/ hoped and presumed they buried deCantly the
remains of this defunct Indian warrior, and
! carefully collected the various articles found,
as they are full of interest to the antiquarY and
sdUunt.
We do not profess to be very we'll versed in
Indian lore, but we never recollect having heard
that 1t was customary for the red aboriglnes to
bury their dead in this way. 1t may be, how
ever, that this was an exceptional case, and its
development may furnish clue to some missing
! link in the chain of history.
Were it not that it is unusual for BODIES tC
| float up stream, we might venture to suggest
that the bones thus brought to light are the re
mains OF the great discoverer of the Mississippi
! whom history records 10 have been buried il
this way, some hundreds of miles south of thi
city, in order to save the body from mutilatioI
! by the Indians.
We leave the matter, however, in the hand
of the wise and learned to determine its histor
significance aud importance.-S. Louis RepuL
tjcGn, 25th.