The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-11-12

1IlttIIiS mo lue SlueS OF Ine aTIiIlclaI
mounds, ashes, bits of pottery, and bones
OF both human beings aud animals were
found, mixed up III one incongruous con-
glumeration, often with beautiful speci-
mems of vases and shell ornaments. Spe-
cimens of the burned crust of these
mounds, beneath the present soil, were
exhibited. Two large stone idols were
shown, carved out of dark iron-colored
rock, the largest some thirteen inches in
height, and The others perhaps four inches
less in stature. One represented a female,
and has the hair gathered up behind under
diminutive sort of waterfall, while in
the longer specimen, that Of male, the
hair was represented twisted into a sort of
queue, not unlike the style of our fore
fathers in the revolutionary times. The
lecturer, to please the lady hearers, gave
Il short description of the tOut-enSenibie of
/ one Of the female mound-builders. With
hair gathered in graceful knot behind,
ears pierced and filed full of rings of
shell or bone, nose likewise Ornamented
with an enormous balancing weight, she
must have been an enchanting creature.
I Two copper crosses were exhibited, to-
which were divided into three regular
compartments, having three crosses and
three crowns, symbolic, the doctor claim
ed of the christian religion, the Trinity
and the Virgin Mary. The signs Of the
Catholic religion, he stated. were wonder
fully prominent in great many OF the
relics thus far brought to light. On the
great mound near Franklin, two hundred
and thirty feet in diameter, evidently
stood a gigantic temple of the sun. Re
iigious symbols were plentiful there Two
remarkable vases were exbumed, enc not
unlike childs foot, with the opening at
the heel, and The other surmounted with a
carved head with helmet, having re-
markable resemblance 10 that Of a Spanish
cavalier. The speaker inferred from this
that the extinct people were not unfamiliar
with the naughty race whose conquest of
Mexico and Peru read almost like ro-
mancc of the widest character. Here
he found, too, the skeleton of child, the
face of which was covered with a curious
shell bearing occult hieroglyphics, among
which conld be distinguished perfect trl-
angles. This mound was graced with the
stump Of tree, which, wien cut down
twenty years ago, could not have been less
than two centuries old An idol exhumed
from the mouth of Lick Branch, Nash
Vile, was also displayed, and a small fe-
male effigy in white clay, with the marks
of the cross upon the shoulders. The
doctor everywhere found traces that the
Aborigines of the country may have come
IN contact with civilized nations long be
fore the discovery of America by Colum
! bus lie gave a short sketch of some of
the explorations of the ScandiEayians,
Danes, and Icelanders, and the colonies
they founded in the new world. But to
these fearless navigators could not be as
cribed the knowledge the mound builders
/ of Tennessee had of the cross and the
! symbols of religion. 1t was rather TO be
/ referred to a later period, when the early
! Catholic missions were founded upon the
| shores of the new world, some three hun
| dred years ago
! In 1864 the Catholic sovereign of Spain
was attacked with terrible religious zeal,
and he sent out one Francisco with large
body of co-woTkers TO convert and evan
gelize the Indians. They planted them
selves at St. Augustine, on the shores of
Florida, and for twenty-five years the
missionary was very successful He
founded eat many missions, and par
TALLY christIanized a great many of The
savages. Delegates were sent to the pa
rent society of St. Augustine and to the
convent of ST. Helena. The Spaniards
appear to have encouraged marriages be-
tween the youcg people of their own race
and those Of the Indians, and TO have
lived with them on terms of the greatest
inimacV. The mound~buiiders Of Ten
/ nessee, the doctor thought, must certainly
have belonged to the great Natchez tribe,
vino, coming from the South, spread
themselves throughout the valley OF the
Mississippi and the larger branches. When
in the height Of their empire they proba-
bly, numbered five hundred thousand.
The lecturer thought it extremely curious,
the mixture of christianity and idolatry
found among these people. While the
great fundamental principles of the true
religion was so familiar to them, they
worshipped stone effigies and adored the
sun, and were probably gully of human
sacrifices. The doctor exhibited grea!
number of implements of warfare, such
as stone axes, arrow heads, knives, spears,
&c. Also culinary utensils, mortars used
for grinding Indian corn and paint. The
lecturer was listened TO throughout with
the greatest interest, but time fails US for
more than a passing sketch of its riches.
We understand that scientific society OF
the East will soon publish book, from
the pen of DR.. Jones, on the antiquities
of our State, with particular reference tC
the mound builders of Tennessee. We
feel assured that it will prove one of the
most interesting books of the kind ever
published in this country.