Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1873-05-06

AAlC Sldu III lNO III IilC lllluuit. "A Dlult
of copper, distinctly heart-shaped, and
nearly eighteen inches in its largest
diameter, was found to be imbedded in
the slab. almost exactly in the centre
of it. This plate, carefully, extracted,
was found to be nearly a quarter of an
inch thick, and had two plane surfaces
that must have been quite smooth be-
fore cOrroded. Something in the ap-
pearance of the plate induced DR..
Marsh to scOur it carefully with sand
when it was found to be elaboratelv
engraved with an inscription in char
acters unknown to any of us. a fur
ther cleansing with acid showed that
it was beyond all peradveuture an III
scriptiOn. By Professor Handyside's
direction the remainder of the slab
was broken up with siedges, but no
more plates were sound. On breaking
another slab, however, an exactly sim
liar copper plate was found in the Gems
tire of it, engayed with a new success
sion of similar characters. We broke
all of the nine slabs except one, and
each case with a like result single
inscribed plate in the centre of the
slab, and evidently put into the tenn
pered clay and baked with it. Profes.
or Handyside now, after reserving
three of the slabs in the mound OBJ 10
be transmitted entire to the SmithsO-
nian, directed the other nine to / e
broken up in the same manner. In
the centre of each we found a cooper
plate, very deliberately engraved with
written characters. These plates, how
ever, were not heart-sl1aped, but circu-
lar, and so mathematically correct in
the.r proportions that it vas impossi-
bic they could have been shaped with
out the aid of instruments. On the
reverse of each one was a single hero
sort of totem, the Professor
thOught-representing in one case a
sun, in another a moon. a star, q bear,
4 beaver, a wolf, hand, a beetle, and
a rattleSnake
Professor Handyside now determin-
ed that, as the central column / have
described was too heavy to be moved, he
would break it up also. In it we found
twelve circular disks, each two feet in
diameter and half an inch thick. en-
graved in The ost complicated way,
with written inscriptions upon one
side, and upon the other elaborate hi
of flowers, animals and
men, besides many other Objects
these the most noticeable was
the image of ship, or galley, with
two masts, each with a square sail and
yard, and a bank of ten oars. The
were more rudely engraved but
Professor Handyside and DIR. Marsh
both declared that they were meant
for the horse or ass, and fer the WpS
or wild OK of Northern Eu-
rope. After the column was removed
Professor Handyside had the ground
lug down below it's base for a distance
Of two feet, and was rewarded by the
discovery of a copper urn, the capacity
1f which was at least two gallons. This
vas hermetically sealed with lead & in
'cribed with the totem of the SUI
Opening it with great care we found il
a narrow circlet of thin gold
five ounces, shaped like q
with twelve spikes at equal
intervals upon it, each spike surmOuted
~ pearl. Removing this, we discOv-
red that the bottom of the vase which
vas shaped like an inverted cone, with
ripod feet) was filled with gold. silver
md copper coins. These coins, for
hey could not he anything else, were
If most sigular design The metal was
in each case, and stamp
ID on each side, ahd on the butt of the
wedge with a hier0gIyphic device
Their value must be considerable, bI 8
Professor Handysile did not make any
extended examination at that time.
caring to excite the cupidity of our
negro employees.
After this discovery, our supplies
,eing exhausted, 1t was decided that
DR.. Marsh should go to Wentworth
Ifter more provisions, &C., and should
hip some of the most important
.rticles to the Smithsonian. i came
With him, and assisted him in for
Ey express several barrels of
'oXes and copper and other ornaments.
The disks were put in boxes and left
It the express office until the expedi-
ion completes its examination. The
vase and contents are on deposit at
he Rockingham Bank, in Wentworth
or safe-keeping. DIR. Marsh returned
o Tuscahawsah yesterday with re-
ruits and supplies, and shall go back
here myself tomorrow.
Meantime ! shall not speculate upon
hese discoveries further than to tell |
'Ou the theory in regard to the remains |
Which is held by Professor Handyside |
nd DIR. Marsh. This theory will be |
ToTth but little until the remains have |
een more thoroughly examined, and |
specially until Professor Whitney and |
he other competent philOlogists to |
NhA cV,linnf h,.c al LnaV,
erred shall have pronounced upon the |
Inscriptions. These, comprised upon |
he twenty-seven plates unearthed, are |
ute extensive and much more than |
nough for a thorough comparative |
They embrace two sorts of |
llaracters. One is apparently hero |
Iyphic chatacter. The other is quite |
vidently a written character. In re-
ard to this last both the Professor and |
be Doctor declare that it resembles
he ancient Erse more closely than
ny other, but neither pretended that
here was any approach to certainty
n the matter or that he was a COM
etent judge.
DIR. Marsh, however, who Ia some
hing Of an enthusiast, and has some
cry pure NcillC DlDt)u III his NttilS, Oi
which he is very proud, is quite firmly
'ersuaded that these discoveries will
cad to solution of part at least Of the
exed problem of how our country
vas settled. He is sure that We shall
iscOver proof of a south-westward
migration either from Ireland proper
r from Brittany and the Basque pro-
inces. In a long conversation with
lin last night he told me that there
Fere q great many circumstances,
'artly historical and partly legendary
which pointed in the strongest man
er To settlement of some parts of
america by colonists from Limerick.
he hardy fishermen of which port
Tere fol ages the most venturesOme Of
pa rovers. The Irish missionaries |
rere early in attempting to covert |
Dreign lands. The learned Irish |
monk DIcuiI, whose important geog-
aphical work DE Mesura Orbis Ter
e" was written as early as A ID. S25,
escribes the conversion of the Farce |
stands by these missionaries. Le-
rome, who wrote an elaborate COM |
lentary upon Dicuil. is convinced |
hat these missionaries and fishermen |
iseovered AMI settled in Iceland many |
ears before NadOd the Northman was |