The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-11-14
Alleged Singular Discovery of HistOr.
ical Records i'm an Indian Mound.

Alleged Singular Discovery of Histor.
! ical Records i'm an Indian Mound.
! LLeayenworth Times.I
short time ago discovery of several
mounds, evidently arti6cially con-
| strufcted and not the handiwork of ma
ture, was made at what is known as
Sheridan's Drive, on range of his i'm
mediately TO the west of Fort Leaven-
worth Within these mounds was OBJ
rserved traces of stOnewOrk, to all ap-
pearances as artistic and perfect as that
of the present day, which led to the be-
| lief that the race or races which had in
| habi:ed this portion of the country an
terror to the advent of the white man
were advanced in civilization and knew
more about the arts and sciences than
the egOtistical beings of the present CEN
tury give them credit for. These mounds
bear evidence of superior workmanship,
and display an intelligence and know
| ledge far beyond that which could be ex-
pected from the most intelligent savage
No attempts have yet been made to fully
| explore these mounds, but investigations
| which have already been made have
brought to light developments which
tend to throw some light upon the former
Inhabitants of this great American des-
ert, who are now almost wholly extinct.
Some days ago party proceeded to the
mounds, and during the course of their
investigations came across sort of book
| of records, written, or transcribed rather,
upon pieces of bark, and placed together
like the leaves of book, and tied with
smaller pieces of bark. Among the ex-
ploring party was a gentleman from
Boston, who had made the language of
Mexico study, and who, upon examina-
tion of the records found in the mounds,
found similarity between the writings
in the records and the ancient language
of Mexico during the time of the Mon
tezumas. The record was history, a
chronicle of events happening long ago
analogy it is to be inferred that it must
have been about 1920. during the reign
of the MOntezumas in Mexico, when the
Emperors of that name had it all their
own way in not only their own section OF
the country, but up this way as well.
The records give the details of a bloody
fight, a great battle which occurred in
this vicinity, and in all probability upon
the very spot where the metropolis Of
Kansas now stands-and here the an
clients showed their good sense in mill.
tary matters, for a more favored spot
could not have been pitched upon. The
lovely amphitheater inclosed by the semi
circle of hills which engirdle the city is
fairer pit than that in which the old
gladiators fought, and while the records
do not state definitely that this is the
spot, it might have been, or else the
scene of the carnage was either upon the
hills themselves, or in what is now the
fertile and blooming Saltcreek Valley
But be that as it may, the records state
that battle was fought between the
tribes then inhabiting this country ant
an immense force sent out from Mexico
by the blood thirsty, ambitious and ad
venturous Montezuma, and that tn,
tribes were vanquished, their primitiv,
mode of warfare and unskilled weapon
:, forming but comparatively small resist
ancc to the we'll drilled legions and i'm
proved weapons of the Mexican monarch
The records further state that the battl,
ragged for three days, land that the grounc
; was strewn with slain, thick as the leave
in the valley, and that after the confiic
was over the victors, with the prisoner
they had taken, reversed their step
and went back to Mexico, where th
, captives were to be offered upupon tn,
altars as sacrifice to their god of war
, The records were evidently written b,
the victors and placed by them in tn
mounds where they were found. Th
records deal in the most extravagan
praises of Mexican prowess, togethe
with fervent thanks to their god of wa
who aided them in securing the victory
The names of the tribes are not given
they being spoken of throughout in tn
; records as the enemy" According t.
! the statement of the records, forty grea
chiefs of the tribes were slain, togethe
with thousands of their warriors, Will
Mexicans lost twenty-three of their lead
! ing men, among them the nephew of tn
Emperor Montezuma, who was in com
mand of the expedition. The record
chronicle the fact of the burning ant
destruction of the great village of th
, tribes, and the capture of the women
!, who were to be taken to Mexico to serv
Z as slaves in the families of their cor
! querors, together with a large numbe
: of children. A great many of the wome
of the tribes were slain, they havin
, taken part in the battle and helping t
beat back the invaders. A portion G
the records had become almost entirel
obliterated, having lain in the pIac
|, where they were found for period Q
over three hundred and fifty years, bu
, several pieces of the bark were almost a
3 fresh as the day they were buried. Tn
: records consist of ten large pieces G
: bark, flattened out, about ten by twelv
: inches in size, and bound tightly t.
+ gether by thongs of bark cut into Ion
. strips and pressed. They have bee
q sent to Boston, and will be placed in tn
= State Historical Museum there