Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-12-04

opened, in which skeleton OF un'
usaI size was discOvered,(a)
Mr.. +. Paget informed the au'
thor, that on Flint run, a small
rivulet of the South river, in the
county of Shenandoah, a skeleton
was found by his father, the thigh
bone of which measured three feet
in length, and the under jaw bone
of which would pass over any com
mon mans face with ease.
Near the Indian village describ-
ed on a preceding page, on Capt.
divers land, few years ago,
some hands in removing the stone
covering an Indian grave, discover
ed a skeleton, whose great size at
tracted their attention. The stones
we're carefully taken OF without
disturbing the frame, when 1t was
discovered, that the body had been
laid at full length on the ground,
and broad fat stones set around
the corpse in the shape of a collin
Capt. Oliver measured the skeleton
as it lay, which was nearly seven
feet along. [bl
In the further progress OF TINS
work the author will occasionally
advert to the subject Of Indian an
tiouities and traits Of the Indian
character. This chapter will now
| be concluded with some general re-
| Aections on the seemingly hard
| fate of this unfortunate race OF peo'
pie. 1t appears to the author that
no rejecting man can view so many
burying places broken up-thelr
bones torn up with the plow-re'
duced to dust, and scattered to the
winds-without feeling some de-
| gree of melancholy regret. 1t is
| to be lamented for another reason.
| If those mounds and places OF
| burial bad been permitted to re-
| main undisturbed, they would have
stood as lasting monuments in the
history of our country. Many ol
them were doubtless the work oil
ages, and future generations would
have contemplated them with great
interest and curiosity. But these
memorials are rapidly disappear
ling, and the time perhaps VIII
come, when not a trace OF then
will remain. The author has haC
| the curiosity to open several In
dian graves, in one Of which III
found a pipe, OF different form from
any he has ever seen. 1t is made
of a hard black stone, and elazeC
or rather painted with a substance
of reddish cast. In all the grave
he has examined, the bones ar
found in a great state Of decay ex
cept the teeth, which are generally
in perfect state of preservation.
Ii is no way wonderful that TIN
unfortunate race Of people reluct
antly yielded their rightinl an'
Just possession of this fine country
It is no way wonderful that they
resisted with all their force the IN
trusion of the white people wine
were strangers to them, from
foreign country, upon their right
full Inheritance. But perhaps thI'
was the fiat of Heaven. Whel
God created this globe, he prob
ably intended it should sustain th'
greatest possible number OF hi
creatures. And as the humal
family, in state Of civil life, IN
creases with vastly more rapldlt'
than a people in state of na;ur
or savage life, the law of force ha
been generally resorted to, and IN
weaker compelled to give way L
the stronger. That part OF on
, country has been acquired by TN
law of force, is undeniable. 1t Is
however, matter Of consoling re
flection, that there are some honor
able exceptions TO this arbitrar
rule. The great and wise William
Penn set the example of purcha'
ing the Indian lands. Several r'
> spectacle individuals Ofthe Quake
>, society thought it unjust to tax
possession of this Valley withou
= making the Indians some compe'
sation for their right. Measure
were adopted to effect tins grea
:, object. But upon inquiry, no pa
ticular tribe could be found VIII
= pretended to have any prior clalI
, to the soil. 1t was considered I'll
J. common hunting ground Of varlot
y tribes, and not claimed by an
" particular nation who had authorl'
4 to sell.
This information was commur
Gated to the author by two age
} and highly respectable men OF Il
Friends society, Isaac Brown al
Lewis Neill, each of them upwaI'
> Of ei. 'hty years of age, and DO
y, residen is of the county of Frederic
Il In co, 1frmation Of this stat
. . mcnt, a let ter written by Thorn
u Chaukley to thcmonthly meeting
u Opeouon, on he 2lst of 9th mont
1888, is strong circumStantlaI e'
e dence of which lie tier the ioIlowll
+, is copy;
!, "yIRGINIA, at Jno. Cheagies,
d 2lst 9th month, l'5o'
b "7o the friends Of the monthly ~e'h"g
# OpequoH
Dear friends who iIlha'
Shenandoah and Opeqnon:--iii
c. ing Il concern for your welfare a
is prosperity, both now and hereal1