River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-08-29
REMARKABLE DISCOVERIES.
Antique Relics.
From the Toledo Commercial


From the Toledo Commercial
During the past three or four DAYS
numerous and remarkable discoveries
have been made at the old Indian burial
ground below Manhattan, where in
Vulnerable relic and treasure hunters
resort every day, actuated by a desire
for knowledge OF antiquity, or a greed
for gain-it is difficult to determine
which. The contractor at work on the
road, which runs through this resting
place of ancient dead, has quite large
force employed, whose ploughshares
daily uncover fresh relics of the past
ages, and who are followed by a band
of greedy treasure hunters, who pounce
upon any little metallic or ossiferous
substance that happens TO be unearth-
ed with an avidity which evinces the
interest they feel in their arch@o-
logical pursuits Yesterday a couple
of dilapidated Canadian Chippe-
was-a sad remnant of that once.
dreaded and powerful nstion-made
their appearance 20 Manhattan. and
solicited work on the road. The con-
tractor, who probably felt compass
sionate throb for these lost evidences
of mighty people, at, once gave them
employment, setting them to blowing
IN this road. An hour or so had been
devoted TO the labor assigned them,
when quick, Snort, quavering whoop
from one of the Chippewas speedily
brought his dusky companion to his
side. The Indian who had uttered the
signal cry had evidently made some
discovery too deep and absttdse for
solution by his scanty stock of brains.
he stood nnotionless as a statue as his
comrade approached, pointing to a
human skull that lay in furrow his
plough had made, while wild startled
look Of mingled awe Ind wonderfhent
was depicted in his swarthy lineaments.
After moments pause both stepped
nearer to the up-tuned earth,
stopped and began scratching in
the loose soil with their hand, taking
scrupulous pains, however, not to touch
the skull. Presently one of them
leaped to his feet, holding up to the
view OF his perpleSel brother, In the
bright rays of the sun, small silver
cross of peculiar and ingenious work
mahship. The two ChiDpewas ifhrhe-
diately held a suppressed consultation
over this mystic relic, their faces obvi.
ously exhibiting the superstitious
dread in their hearts, then slowly and
solemnly, with many furtive chances
behind, they left their teams and
sought their employer. He was shortly
found, their discovery disclosed to
him, and the cross placed In his hands
for examination. It proved to be of
solid silver, about six inches in
length, covered with beautiful
and exquisite carvings, the work
OF none but a master hand. The
contractor quickly recognized in this
most important and interesting relic,
aud once sought to purchase it of the
Indian, who stubbornly refused TO let
1T go out OF his possession, and both
declined to continue their work-un.
questionably deferred by an inherent
fear from approaching what to their
simple minds partook of the super
natural. After performing a series of
incantations over the spot where the
skull was exhumed, the two red skins
took their departure. A few hours
subsequent the white ploughmen turn
ed up another batch of bones, cross
almost an exact counterpart of that the
Chippewa had found, along with num-
Der of cooking utensils and a pair of
silver earrings. After thorough wash
ing and removal of the incrustation of
mould and rust that had accumulated
upon this eros, the following inscription
ton became distinctly visible, cut IN the
horizontal piece, "R. G. Montreal.
This engraving leads to the suppose
tion that this relic was a heraldic de-
vice of an ancient Jesuit Mission.
which history states stood in that very
locality back in the gloomy DAYS of the
eighteenth century, or the crucifix of
some Catholic priest, who, to propagate
the cause of Christ, had penetrated far
into the land of TIE heather, only to
find grave there. These conclusions.
hypothetical as they are, are only to be
taken for what they are worth, hut
reference to the early annals of this
state will show that they are not with
ont foundation