West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1883-09-08

| Iuiotiy IeNuIueu o JOllet. lnls
time the party were thoroughly y
equipped with all the appliances aud
they made straight for the Indian
mound. On the 81 Of August they
encamped and proceeded to business.
They remained there just one week
without seeing the monster. But
they found indnbitible evidence OF
bic work. The bones Of the large
mammalia were strewn about the
bsse OF the mound, and hey found
what they believed to be the en-
trance TO his lair in circular open
ing worn smooth, OF about two feet
in diameter, at the south base OF the
mound.
Alter vainly endesvoriug to coax
his !ordship out they came to the
conclusion that they would have to
dig into the mound to get him. aud
finally gave up the hunt In despair,
returning to Chicago, with the ex-
ception OF one, Ira Flemmings, who
lived in Joliet. This man returned
the oext day aud renewed the watch.
1t is mis- remarkable statement tha;
led to the exploration of the mound
on the 10Th. Professor Baird Lau-
son, OF Ottew and Colonel John
HemmiDgway, Professor of Biology
in the Michigan Ontollogical Insti-
tute, feeling convinced that the re-
ports were based on something more
than the fanciful fears OF the men,
Instituted a thorough exploration Of
the mound.
Colone John Hemingway re-
port is one Of the most remarkable
that has ever been made in relation
to Tins interesting branch of natural
history.
He Gays that the base OF this
mould ia OF pre- historic drift and
tbat in the cut which was made they
discovered a complete cast OF SER
pent 10 what appeared to be detri-
tns OF Plutonic sione aItifoiaiiy com.
pact. The inference was inevitable
ttat the builders Of this mound were
prehistoric men aud were serpent
worshipers, conclusion that accords
with all the theological aud antigua
risn researches 80 far on this conti-
nent. But careful examination Of
the cast with the microscope also
convinced them thatit had been made
by the form Of living serpent.
This cast is exactly fifteen feet
long and bears the marks Of the con-
strictive and annuls movements Of
the imprisoned snake. That the an
imal had been imprisoned in some
ietish ceremony no one doubted, es-
pecially as the symbolic markings
ehowed only too plainly such GER
emony in operation, and one rude
drawing made by flint in red sand.
stone portrayed serpent and a wo-
man in conversation.
Colonel Hammingwsy in brief gives
it as his deliberate belief from all the
facts collected that the original snake
was buried while in torpid conditi-
ton, aud with that amazing def
snoe Of conditions which is OCCASION
ally observed 10 toads that have been
buried in rocks, 1t survived the race
that bad imprisoned it and at some
time escaped.
The incredibility Of the subsequent
statement, bat the original snake
that was buried and The present mon.
ster are one and the seme, disap-
pears under cool, scientific ezarnina-
ton. It Is shown that serpent live
to enormous and incalculable ages
when the conditions are favorable,
and that their eSes can be calculated
by the musCulsc nuge Of their body
aud its leug,h ia feet. Ths growth
is 20 amaz.ogly slow that IL il be-
lieved that the forty foot boat in the
London Zoo is over 1000 years old
The estimates based on ibe reported
length b Of the Illinois snake the sae
a tnhe over COCO years.
These facts taken together have
Jed Coionei Hemmiogwsy 10 The hy-
polbesis that tbis serpent may in
deed be the original fellow who
caused % much mischief according 10