Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-09-15
VALUABLE 4
That shOuId be collected and
Preserved in the stale.
Cor. Nashville World.

Cor. Nashville World.
l. is not perhaps generally known
that the South is now and has beer
for some years undergoing a search
not as some would suppose for golG
and silver, neither is it for iron OF
coal to build up this great new South
Of ours" but for..traces Of a race o
people long since swept from the
earth. The arch@Ologists have beer
in this field for many years and Of late
have been very active, especially II
Tennessee. The Smithsonian Institu
ton and other large museums havt
been exploring the State from one enc
to the other, working parties hav,
been in most Of the counties who oper
every mound and grave supposed to
contain relics Of the extinct race
When | say that these relics are sen
away from the South every year by the
ton you can form some idea Of the eE'
tent OF these explorations.
Still there are many mounds and
burial places which have not yet been
explored. think it is about time fol
Tennessee to begin forming a colleo'
ton worthy Of the State. The Tennes.
see Historical Society has been fol
years collecting a museum Of this kind,
but it requires money to carry on these
explorations successfully, and as that
has not been forthcoming the work OF
the society in this department pro.
crosses slowly.
There are many large burial places
near this city, some within the city
limits. Wherever you find G perennial
spring near it you are almost sure to
End a burial place. These when not
on q hill side where they wash and
expose the gravel, remain unknown
to the owners Of the soil for genera
tions. Some years ago | went in the
country to spend the summer. In one
Of my rambles through the woods
came upon a very large spring, which
issued from a hill, the top Of which
was level. | felt sure hat | would
find graves on this hill. Invent to the
house of the gentleman who owned
the farm and asked permission to open
some Of the graves on his place.
why" said he, there is an old
graveyard over yonder in those sassa.
fras trees, but | Am told they were
very poor people, and | am sure there
was nothing Of value buried with
them" When | assured him that il
was not my intention to disturb the
peaceful rcpOse Of the Smith family,
but wanted to open some Of the In
dian graves above the spring, he was
emphatic in his denial Of the exist.
ence Of Indian graves on his place,
and was greatly astonished an hour
afterward to see before him eight
craniums and some pieces Of pottery.
Again last winter | approached one OIL
the Judges of the Supreme Court and
asked permission to open some graves
on his farm. He said: you have
my permission to open tho graves, but
| am OF the opinion the burial place
you speak Of is the old negro grave.
yard. There is on this place one o
the most extensive burial places thai
| know Of. These are the stone graves.
that is, the side, bottom aud top are
made Of stone. They vary in depth
according to locality. AS the soil il
washed away the pillow will lift of the
top stone and thus discover the graves
1t is seldom that you find anything o
value in a grave that has been exposed
to the air. [ generally take with me
on a trip Of this kind a pick, shovel
axe, and also an iron rod about fou.
feet long and one inch in diameter
which is pointed at one end. Ate
selecting the place where
begin to drive the rod into th
ground, 1t sometimes takes hours /
find one, but at last the rod strike
the top stone of q grave. Now di
down 10 the stone and clear ava
the earth until the entire grave is OK
posed. Take off the fiat stones tina
cover it. Underneath you will in
the earth packed very hard. Then i
order TO preserve the Uranium 10 goo
order, use a large knife and pick ava
the earth. This must be done wit.
great care, or the interior maxillar
will be broken. 1t is a very rare thin
to fud a complete skeleton. The bead
aud pottery are generally found nea
the head and shoulders. This d,
ponds upon the position in which III
body is buried l have found ther
laying on the side with a water Jug a
the head, and 4 larger vessel near In
chin, the hands being beat towards
as ifto grasp it. Generally you fin
them on the back, with the head
little on one side. In q grave on Ii
Judges place | found in q V shape
grave q mother and two children. IN
State should take steps at once 10 81
cure these aud other relics and pre-
serve them in the States museum Z
tho capital.