Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-10-29
From the Memphis Appeal
A Giant Race.


From the Memphis Appeal
A Giant Race.
THE INDIAN MOUND CHICKAsAWBA-
HUMAN SKELETONS EIGHT AND TEN
FEET IN HEIGHT-RELICs OF FORMER
AGE.
Two miles west of Dar6eld Point, in
Arkansas county, Ark, on the east bank
of the lovely stream called Pemescott
River, stands an Indian mound, some
twenty-five feet high, aud about an acre in
area at the top. This mound is called
Chiekasawba, and from it the high and
beautiful country surrounding it, some
twelve square miles in area, derives its
ame-Chickasawba. The mound derives
its name form Chickasawba, a chief Of the
Shawnee tribe, who lived, died, and was
buried there. This chief was one Of the
last of the race of hunters who lived in
that beautiful region, and who once peopled
it quite thickly-for Indians we mean.
From 1920 to 1881 he and his hunters as.
sembled annually at Bar6eld Point, then
as now the principal shipping place Of the
surrounding country, and bartered Oft
their furs, peltries, buffalo robes, and
honey to the white settlers and the trad.
ing boats on the river, receiving in return
powder, shot, lead, blankets, money, &c.
Aunt Kitty Williams, who now resides
there, relates that Chickasawba would fire..
queutly bring in for sale at one time as
much as twenty gallons Of pure honey in
deerskin bags slung to his back: He was
always firm friond Of thes whites, man
Of gigantic stature and herculean strength.
In his nineteenth year he took young
wife, and by her had two children. In
1881 she died, and the old chief did not
long survive her, dying in the same year,
aged 80 or 81 years. Mr.. W. Fitzgerald,
who moved in that country in 1872, says
that up to the time of his death, Chicka-
sawba supplied him with game. He was
buried at the foot of the mound on which
he had lived, by his tribe, most OF whom
departed for the Nation Immediately after
performing his funeral rites. A few, how
ever, fingered there up to a late date, the
last of them, we believe, being John East,
who, 10 1860, at the breaking out Of the
war, joined Captain Charley Bowcn's COM
pany Of the late so.called," aud fought
tho war through, as gallant "reb" as
any of them, coming back home in 1850
to return to the arts Of peace: Chieka.
sawba was perfectly honest, and the best
informed chief of his tribe. His contem.
porary chiefs were Long Knife, Sunshine,
Corn Meal, Moonshine, (Mike Brennan,
&c. Mike Brennan and Quill buried him.
He left a son named John Pemescott.
A number of years ago, in making an ex-
cavaticn into or near the foot Of Chicka-
sawba's mound, portion ofa
GIGANTIC HUMAN SKELETON
was found. The men who were digging
becoming interested, uuearthed the entire
skeleton, and from measurements given us
by reliable parties the frame Of the man to
whom it belonged coald not have been
less than eight or nine feet in height
Under the skull, which easily slipped owe!
the head of our informant (who, We will
here state, is one of our best citizens, J
was found peculiarly shaped earthen jar,
resembling nothing in the way Of Indian
pottery which had before been seen BY
them. It was exactly the shape Of the
round bodied, long-necked caraffes or water
decanters, a specimen Of which may be
seen on Gaston's dining-table. The mate
rial of which the vase was made was pc
culiar kind Of clay, and the workmanship
was very fine. The belly or body OF it was
oruamentcd with figures or hieroglyphics
consisting of correct delineatiOn of hu
man hands, parallel to each other, open
palms outward, and running up and down
the vase, the wrists to the base and the
fingers towards the neck. On.either side
Of the hands were tib@ or thigh bones
also correctly delineated, running around
the vase. There were other things found
with the skeleton, but this is all that ou'
informant remembers. Since that time
wherever an excavation has been made IN
the Chickasawba country in the neighbor
hood of tho mound. .-... d..
l. SIMILAR SKELETONS
have been found, aud under the skull o.
every one were found similar funera
vases, almost exactly like the ono de-
scribed. There are now in this city sew
eral of the vases and portions Of the huge
skeletons. One of the editors Of the DIP
peal yesterday measured thigh bone
which is fully three feet long. The thst