The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-04
NO. u
Our Antiquities Discoveries In
Western North Carolina.
Correspondence Of the Daily NcwsA
ANnEArfr I1nlr
\ .AsHgNII-1.E, July /.

Correspondence Of the Daily Nc~s
AsHgyrtLE, July ].
On Reems creek, county OF Bun
cpmbe, State Of North Carolina. We
found mound covering nearly one
acre of land, circular on the ground
and represented 10 have been At tn.
time OF the first known settlers. nearly
twenty feet high. IL is situated on a
bottom about seventeen feet from a
brook, and has been cultivated over for
NAVY years. The plough aud the ..le-
nients have reduced its height To about
i've feet. No signs can be seen from
what point or place from which the
spil of which Is composed was taken
from, nor are there any evidences hy
what means the dirt was transported
II the immediate vicinity, and on this
mound We found bones Of part of the
human frame III good condition,
also found portions which hal
cen carbonized, also found tho
the leg bone OF dog and various
leces of pottery, on several of the lat
ter we found ornamental work similar
to that we found on II. George island
lorda, III the vicinity Of mound and
i IS our intention 10 give this n criti-
cal comparison with the latter to sae If
formed of the same kind OF materia n and
SO TO see IT the workmanship was
mllar from which We were in I.apes
u deduce and satisfy ourselves if the
builders were the same, or were in in
tlmate connections. Nv particular at
tcntIon was directed To earthern pieces
about one inch in diameter, 3-16 in thick
esS, the edge rounded. on this | could
not perceive an indentation nor marks.
As yet, do not conceive their use i'm no
Ciher locality have ever seen them in
connection with a, or n the vicinity of
mound. We also found conch and
oyster shells and a sea shell similar tn
the first lnstalnent of conch. Mr.. X.
lay dug into this mound
some years since and found
bones carbenized among partly
consumed pure wood, having the ap-
learance that the body had been Gle
mated. Mr.. Pentlan also dug into it
To see if it was built on the level of the
surrounding bottom. and found it was.
We ascrlbe this work no particular
people, and are satisfied that there
record history has not been read Com
lnison with the remains Of others NAV
snow and give us some little light. |
hope some party will thoroughly ex-
anime and note down their conclusions
| was shown what is termed an Indian
arrow head made of beautiful cloud
ell flint
Mr.. Hershell Haskins, of Hominy
Creek, presented me with one Of the
flcst specimen of Indian stone Toma-
hawks that | have ever seen. The
s.iaPe would be a pure model for a steel
one.
Mr. Kelsey Ray exhibited a stone
maui found among the ancient mica
mounds, and he informs me that on
the debris, which they removed, was
found an oak which showed five hun
dred and forty three rings, or different
periods Of growth indicating that mum
Der of years since it started from
the acorn. | should be happy
to acquire specimens Of these
Il anufactures Of the Stone age, that
might more fully study their use and,
rhaps, learn something more Of their
manufactures.
We have heretofore spoken Of crema-
ton. AS we Of this time render. per
b ips 1t could be better expressed by
some other name. From my in vestigatiou
| am led to believe that the bones We
fad in the center of this mound were
those Of prisoners to the Indian who
were brought to these important points,
general notice given, and large assem-
bIage gathered then hole WAS dug
and the prisoner burnt to death and
tie remains covered. ,. /. VI.