The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-12-26
tion Of n ssemarkab.e image
EiGular Specimens Of Human
Remains ExhumeI.

In connection with the researches made by DR..
Jones, of our city, into the antiquities of Ten
nessee, Mr. McWhirter, of Charleston, East Ten
nessee, has written letter to gentleman in
Franklin, which describes . remarkable image
exhnmed, and also some remarkable mounds
We make the following extract:
In the spring Of 1873, I was in Paris, the
county seat OF Henry county, Tennessee, ard
there saw and purchased sculptured image
found few days before at or near OF the
largest, mounds thought to be in the state, upon
the lands OF one Amos BLilekin aud Solomon
Hsrtsfield Mr.. Hartshsld was cleaning out
what he thought to be = sink-hole of its sur
rounding trees and vines, and struck his hoe
against and then dug up the image. 81 ~, -,
i, There is a wall, rather in the shape of. horse
shoe, a milo or two in circuit--some places 80
high as to be barrier to stock inclosing two
square and eight rectangular mounds. The
main square mound is about 100 feet high, the
other D0Sor 20 with large trees growing over
them, and in all there three mounds eight or
ten feet high and fifteen or twenty across, COM
{ posed Of fragments Of human bopss; the others
seem to be Of clay sand cement two and half or
three feet under, the soil. Tho large square
mound is fiat on the top and you might SEQ il
for miles away if the trees were cut away at its
base, ond has been made to correspond with the
cardinal points exactly. The image sculptured
prismatic Auor spar, the prism being cut smooth
~, having rough appearance from the shod-
ding, though az smooth as glass. took it TO-
Nashville to show it to DR.. Troost, state geolo-
gist; also to Prof. Strickland, architect at the
capital, who examined it thoroughly, and gave
their opinions and certificates of its material and
4 finish. Prof. Strickland said the measure was
perfect as the modern measurement IA by IA in
sitting posture, and that it must have been man.
ufactured by a race far superior to the Indians
DR.. Troost computed the time by geological re-
search, from fneasuring the soilpa The Top of the
main mound to the clay beds, which Is about
three and one-haf feet; and % the one inch
century gives US forty-two centuries. Who was
1t forty-two hundred years ago lived in that
town ?, | have now part Of the relic, tho head
q and part Of the body, and should have had it
entire but for the accident of having my house
burned in 1857, and should have donated it to
the state. had great many curiosities burned
with my cabinet, and now take little interest in
such things. We have an old town site at, or
little above, the mouth Of the Hiawassee river,
made, suppose, by the samo people. The
the island, and long rows of graves, fire pots,
teeth and other relics are foxnd in abundance. /
found a Tibia and Fibula 9 !. inches longer than
the present race, with bones Of tho feet and
akles thrown in, and two superior molar teeth
with four fangs, and six apex, singular thing
ii human and found in the stone box grave must
have been human. have the plan and chart Of
the Abian town, the finders, the nearest family's
certificate, with county Surveyors and clerks
certificates all complete in regard 10 the sculp.
turs, besides good many antiquarian societies
have sent to see the relic.