Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-09
A HISTORY IN STONES.
SALE OF a LARGE ARCHIlO-
LOGICAL COLLECTION.


teresting Talk with Young Scientist
en- the Georgia Mounds.
The Smithsonian Institute has just pur-
shased large theological collection
from Mrs. Mary J. McGlashan, OF 1874 Lib
erty street. The purchase was made
through Prof. john p. Rogan, assistant
ethnolOgIst at the institute. Specimens
of all sorts Of pottery, arrow heads, spear
heads, hatchets. pipes and tools used by
the Indians are in the collection. For a
private collection 1t was unusually large
and valuable. It was made by the late
MIR. John McGlashan, who spent
over thirty years in collecting
the specimens. 1t is rich in flint speci-
mems, most Of which came from the upper
part Of Georgia. Nearly all Of the speci-
mems were found in this Stat. The pot
terv collection embraces bowls, vases,
water coolers aud pipes. The aborigines
used a stone pipe and pipe made OF a
composition OF shells and clay baked
in the fire to give necessary hardness.
A lengthy description OF the col
lection was published in the MORNING
NEWS about two years ago. The
price paid could not be obtained
Tor publication. Prof. ROgan says, how
ever, that the figure was moderate. The
collection has been packed and shipped
TO Washington.
In the institute, where the collection Of
archaeological specimens amounts almost
10 carloads. there are hundreds and thou
sands OF duplicates Many Of these are
exchanged with foreign countries for
other specimens. Everything that is in
any way connected with :he abOrigines
Of America ia, OF course, interesting to
the student OF the history of nations.
Prof. ROGan is himself an enthusiast
on etbnologv. He is a young man and
has only been connected with the smith
soniau Institute about four years. Much
of that time he has been engaged In ex-
aiming and studying the works OF he
ancient mound builders. Tonight he will
leave for Gainesville, where he Will re-
sumo the examination of the group of
mounds on Mr. Henry Tumlin's place.
There are seven mounds in the group. one
is very large, being SIXTY feet in perpendc-
ular height. The base covers perhaps ten
acres and the area of the top is about
one acre. 1t is surrounded
by large bitches, which still show depth
OF IA feet.
In an interesting interview yesterday
Prof. ROgan stated that the large mound
was undoubtedly built for place of re-
treat. On one side there is a steep wind
ing roadway almost to the top, but the
summit can only be reached by ladder.
Tue six lesser mounds were burial
mounds. They were all opened by Prof.
Rogan, who found skeletons in each one.
An interesting point which his inyestiga-
tions have demonstrated, almost to a GER
tainty, Is that the mound build
ers OF North America were not
all pre-Columbian tribes. This is quite
evident from the discovery of some COP
1Hssa Vi,,
copper is undoubtedly European. tor there
is none like 1t mined In this country. The
copper was worked into images. and one
is of the shape of the Mexican sun god,
which was always represented with feath-
eTs on its arms. The figures found in the
Tumlin mounds have the feathers on the
shoulders, which is an approach to the
Christian idea OF angels with wings at
-tached TO the shoulders. More than this,
the copper bears marks OF having been
worked with edged tools, some
Of the angles being Scute and the
edges cleanlv and smoothly cut. One
skeleton was found with its head resting
on plate OF copper, which indicated that
the metal had been placed there at the
time OF burial. Some OF the hair, too, had
been preserved from decay by the copper.
1t would perhaps have been a mystery
where toe Shawnees obtained European
copper and edged tools had it not been Tor
the fortunate discovery recently of an old
work which indicated that COrtoz, the
Spanish adyenturer and discOverer, once
passed near where Gainesville now
stands, and probably encamped where the
mounds now are. The large mound may
have been built ages before work was be-
gun on the burial mounds.
Prof. Rogan tells some amusing stories
of his experiences. He was once at work
examining some mounds in the western
part OF North Carolina. The people took
great deal of interest in his business.
Alter he mad been at work some time his
mail became very irregular, and finally
stopped altogether. One day a copy OF
the Philadelp hia Times driited into the
town aud into his banda. In looking it
over he was greatly surprised TO find pub
1lshed in full letter which few days be-
fore he had written to the institute. Even
an error he made in a certain statement
was gwen just as he had written IL. rne
professor hunted up the post Office, or what
passed for the post office, aud he found
a lot OF children overhauling the mali
matter. 1t was evident that mis- letters
had been opened by the curious residents.
and in some way one or his letters had
fallen into the hands of a newspaper cor
respondent. The Post Office Department
started an investigation, and it was dis
covered that the postmaster at LOYeladV,
N, c., had removed to Texas II years be-
fore and had been dead for SIX wears. Dur
ing all that time the community had
been running the Office on the co-opera-
tive plan. Loyelady postoftice was dis
continued.
A. another point the professor ap-
preached farmer and asked permission
10 open some mounds. The owner re-
marked that he would not object as he
supposed the Federal government would
take them anyhow. Upon being inform
ed that the government was willing to
buy but lad no authority to seize his
mounds, the farmer immed lately with
drew the permission to allow them to be
opened. Some months later. when IL was
learned that the farmers objection WAS
based upon tue supposition that the
young scientist was Yankee, the old gem
tIeman was informed That the etbnolo-
gist was Tennessean, the permission
was instantly regranted, and the work of
opening them will soon be begun.
Inspector CurrRn's Position.