The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-09-13

,lnQuceQ 10 nave MS CLASSIC leaGureS cast.
The operation is thus described: An
elastic cap isfrst drawn tightly over the
head, completely covering the hair, but
leaving the forehead entirely exposed.
On this is poured plaster of Paris, which
quickly hardens and thus gives the exact
shape Of the skull. The new preparation
is then laid upon the face with soft
brush, the nostrils being left free. In
three minutes this preparation hardens,
and is very easily and rapidly removed,
and a fac s;nsik likeness of the person
is obtained. This cast shows all the
wrinkles, pimples, eyelashes and eye
brows clearly and distinctly, and not q
hair on the face is removed. When the
cast of "Long Wolf was taken ten of
the other chiefs were admitted to see the
operation, in order that they might be
convinced no harm was intended them.
They were exceedingly curious, and
watched the process with great interest.
When the cast had been secured he ex.
posed it to them aud their astonishment
was great. They looked at the cast, then
at the countenanee of "Long Wolf"
again and again, and seemed quite ex-
cited, and finally laughed as heartily as
an Indian can laugh, and seemed much
amused. he inquired of the interpreter
what amused them so, and was informed
that they were laughing at the "White
Indian" the cast Of "Long VOLTS" fea-
lures being perfectly white.
After this there was no trouble in TAX
ing the casts Of all the sixty-four chiefs
representing the four different tribes.
These casts are intended for the Ethno.
logical Department of the Smithsonian
Institute, it being the intention of the
managers of that institution to obtain
the casts of representatives of every race
in the world. A number have already
been obtained, among them casts of two
Esquimaux, man and woman, which
were taken by him some time since.
The casts of the Indians are all neatly
packed and boxed, and brought along by
him, together with number of other
curiosities, the principal of which is a
large word-6sh, measuring eighteen feet
in length and two and half feet across
the middle. This fish was caught by
some persons fishing for turtles near st.
Augustine, and was purchased by Lieut..
Pratt, of the United States Army, in
charge of the fort at that place, and by
him presented to the Smithsonian Insti-
tute. This mammoth fish was skinned
and prepared for the museum by an old
Frenchman at St. Augustine. He has
also secured singular species of fish
known as the wharf rat" a monster
clam cracker, which resembles somewhat
q devil fish, and a flying fish, which lat
ter is put mp in alcohol, the others being
stuffed.
We were also informed that while he
was in st. Augustine several of the In.
dian chiefs received letters from their
wives, which were forwarded by the off,
GERS of the posts in the West. he de-
scribes these letters as very peculiar, and
succeeded, after much difficulty, in Sc.
curing one from "White Horse" and a
copy of another. The Indians have no
letters, their communications on paper
being entirely by objects, such as house,
horse, field of corn, buffalo huat, etc.
Each one of these objects signifies some
thing, and the Indian reads it Auently
and rapidly. One instance was mem
toned to US which will, in measure,
explain this peculiar mode of commune
cation, that it is rather difficult of expla-
nation. One Of the chiefs, some time
since, sent his squaw parasol and fan.
He received q "letter," in which the re-
ception of the articles was thus made
known: In the centre of the paper was
the figure of a squaw; above the figure a
representation Of yellow bird. This
denoted that her name was "Yellow
Bird" In her hand was drawing of a
parasol, and an open fan, and above this
. sketch of bald eagle, signifying that
yellow Bird" had received a parasol
and q fan from her husband, "Bald Ea-
gle."-iSuunnndh Mems.