Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-04-07

The following interesting letter from 6
friend at Payson, Utah Territory:
SIR Your letter requesting me tt
furnish you information and a descrip
ton of the Payson mounds and the
Late discoveries made therein, l have
received, and l herewith forward tt
you such knowledge of these ancien,
mounds as / possess. The mounds
are situated on what is known as the
Payson Farm, and are six in number
covering about twenty acres of ground
They are from ten to eighteen feet in
height and from five hundred to one
thousand feet in circumference. Fol
years farming was conducted on the
land, and fields of grain were planted
grew and were harvested to the very
base OF the homes of the mound build.
ers, the busy, Woodworking toilers OF
the field apparently caring little how
or when they came here. About two
years z several of the residents
whose curiosity had been arrested re-
garding the mounds,
CONCLUDED TIC EXPLORE
found in the way of relics and perhaps
to find the glittering treasure that sew
eral spiritual mediums had said was
hidden in one Of the mounds. The
explorations have divulged no hidden
treasure SO far, but have proven to us
that there once undoubtedly existed
here a more enlightened race of hui
man beings than that of the Indian
who inhabited this country and whose
record has been traced back hundreds
Of years. Last year. while engaged in
~excavating n of the larger mounds,
we discovered the feet of
A LARGE SKELETON,
And carefully removing the hardened
earth in which il was imbedded, we
succeeded in unearthing an entire
skeleton without injury. The human
framework measured 6 feet and 6 inches
in length, and from appearances it was
undoubtedly of the male gender. In
the right hand was a huge iron or
steel weapon which had been buried
with the body, but which crunbled to
pieces OH handling. Near the skeleton
we also found pieces of cedar wood, cut
in various fantastic shapes and in a
perfect state of preservation, the carv-
ings showing that the people of this
unknown race were acquainted with
the use of edged tools. We also found a
large stone pipe, the stem of which
was inserted between the teeth of the
skeleton. The bowl of the pipe weighs
five ounces made of sandstone, ald
the aperture for the tobacco had the
appearance of being drilled out. The
inhabitants here say "a race OF people
existed here fourteen hundred years
ago and belonged to "a tribe known as
THE NEPHITEs,
Who are often referred to in the Book
of Mormon, which also speaks OF ter.
rible encounters these people had with
their ancient enemy, the Lamonites.
We found another skeleton near that
OF the n above mentioned, which
was not quite as large, and must be
that OF a Woman. There VAS a neatly
carved tombstone at the head OF this
skeleton. Close by the floor was COW
erei with a hard cement, to all appear
ances a part of the solid rock, which,
after patient labor and exhaustive
work, we succeeded in penetrating and
found it was but the corner of a box
similarly constructed, in which we
found about three pints of wheat kerr
nels, most of which dissolved when
brought in contact with the light
and air. A few of the kernels found
in The center of the heap looked
bright ana retained their freshness on
being exposed. These were carefully
preserved and last spring planted and
grew nicely, though the field insects
seemed determined to devour it. We
raised four and a half pounds of heads
from these few grains. The wheat is
unlike any other raised in this country
and produces "A large yield. 1t is of
the club variety-the heads are very
long, and hold very large grains. We
have been written TO from all parts OF
the United States for samples. We
have found many curiosities in the
mounds belonging to
THIS ANCIENT RACE
Once inhabiting this section. We find
houses in all the mounds, the rooms
of which are as perfect as the day
they were built. All the apartments
are nicely plastered, some in white
others in a red color; crockery ware,
cooking utensils, vases-many of a
pattern s similar to the present age-are
also found. Upon one large stone jug
or vase can be traced a perfect delinea-
ton of the mountains near here for a
distance of 20 miles. We have found
several millstones used in grinding
corn and plenty of charred corn-cobs,
with kernels not unlike what we know
as yellow dent corn. We judge from
our observations that these ancient
jewellers of vi country followed agri-
culture for a livelihood, and had many
of the arts and sciences known to us,
as we found molds made of clay for
casting of different implements, needles
made of deer horns and lasts made of
stone, and which were in good shape,
We also find many trinkets, such as
white stone beads and marbles as good
as made now. Also small squares of
polished stones resembling dominoes.
but for what use intended we can not
determine. ] have endeavored to give
you a full description Of the explora-
tons so far, and as we continue will
keep you informed.
AMAsA POTTER.
Payson, April 3, 1877.