Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-30
THE woNDERFUn MOUNDS.
Numerous Ancient Articles Washed Up
by the Late Freshet.
From the Carterspiile tGa.) Courant,

b1 Ene LALo rGHuSts
From the CdrtersUiHe tGa,l Conrdnt,
Since the Etowah has subsidized within
its banks, from its late devastating flood
and inundation in this vicinity, much
talk has been engaged In and many eX-
aggerated reports spread as to the marvel
Gus finds in unearthed graves, of man.
moth skeletons and FOSSILS as the remote
ages, and numerous were the reports also
of the splendid and wonderful products
of the mounds on the Tumln farm, about
two miles east of the city. To discover
the truth of this report, a couple OF C0Ur-
ant representatives visited these mounds
last Monday, and after a charming ride
in the fresh morning air, they reached the
house OF Mr.. q. II. rumlln, the owner of
the plantation on which the mounds are
situated. Beng told the nature OF their
visit, Mr.. Tumlin cOurteOusly invited the
embryo archaeological investigators into
his house, aud submitted to their inspec-
ton many objects of antiquity, curious in
formation, unique in design and strangely
at variance with objects OF to-day, APP
parently designed for similar uses. These,
Mr.. Tumlin stated, had been washed up by
the waters and were picked up by himself
and his hands on his place.
AS yet but little if any excavations have
been made into the mounds, but the sur
face finds were of sufficient Importance
to indicate the valuable contents covered
by these mounds, almost eternal in their
silence for unnumbered years.
A table in Mr.. Tumlin's parlOr is liter
ally packed with his rare collections,
found at the base of his mounds. The
first relic that attracts attention is pot
terry water bottle, with heavy and hulg
ing base surmounted by graceful and
slender stem-like neck. Around this ves-
sci are quaint and singularly original
lines of adOrnment. The dark and green
cOlOring of these embellishments are won
derully preserved, evidencing an art lost
to this century TOR the preservation of dye
or paint. There were cooking utensils of
pottery, and bowls symmetrically fash
Toned, each having around 1t scroll or
fret-work. There are also in the eOllee-
tion stone and flint implements OF various
callings, Tor peace and war; stone and
earthen tobacco pipes. Perhaps these
pipes, which bore evidence of use, had, In
the dead unknown past, lulled into
quietude and passiveness the nerves OF the
creature, portion OF whose bones lie
hardly. Small, well preserved images OF
the deities and fragmentary portions OF
larger clay gods were displayed. A
singular set of teeth were exhibited, the
long jaw bones Of which were petrified by
the process of time and the elements to
which il had been subjected. The teeth
were as sharp as daggers and double
roWed, not envelOping or overlapping or
Overhanging, but the outer row was some
what higher than the inner. The teeth
had evidently belonged to some tlesh-eat-
ing animal, extinct now. Mr.. Tumlln
bad strung together a number of pearl
seeds he had found, the enamel of which
had nearly all worn OF, still upon some
was the bright gloss of the mother of
a H. ana in
the present day, to adorn the necks and
breasts of the bellies who spOrted their
beauty and their charms in prehistoric
times. The pestles and mortars, used by
the great medicine men, showed that re-
NEEDLES were compounded to offset the ills
that flesh is heir to. Large, fiat, smooth
baking rocks, on which the original 1n-
habitants OF this land baked their hoe
cakes or ash-cakes, were pointed out and
examined. A small piece of beautiful
iigree worked copper, of paper tbinness.
was found near a skull in one of the
washed out graves. There were numer-
Gus copper implements, such as an axe, a
cross-shaped dagger or knife and an
oblOng piece OF copper about I'VE inches
long, perfectly made in exact proportion.
Besides these mentioned. there were a
considerable number of small circular
pieces of stone and earthenware moulded
or cut, used perhaps as a medium of eX-
change or money, or for games OF some
kind. The collection of antiquities, OF
which the above is but an imperfect des-
cripuOn, was an exceedingly interesting
one.
A drive to the mounds, which is barely
a quarter of mile from the house, well
paid the visit. AT the base of the hllOcks
the rushing waters had deeply SCARED
the earth in many places, and several
perfectly defined graves were visible.
These graves were not so long, but about
| the width of an ordinary grave, on each
inner side of them were large fat pieces
o. stone, by which they were walled up.
| After much time was spent at the bottom
of the mounds, where quantities of brOk-
en- antique pottery and bones were seen,
visit to the top Of the highest mounds
was proposed. and after some exertion-
sufficient exertion at least to add addi-
tiOnal momentum to the hearts action,
and to cause one Of the party of Fallstaf-
fean proportions to blow like porpOise-
the mound was scaled, and one Of the
loVeliest views imaginable was presented
to the spectator. The mound rises about
! 10 feet from it's base ana covers an area Of
about three acres of ground, while it
measures nearly an acre on top. From
this elevated position, as far the eye
can reach, the rich and inviting plain Is
seen all around, through which flows
the Etowah between its green-fringed
branches. Mr.. Tumlin stated that he had
made a bale of cotton on top OF this
mound, and expected to do 80 again.
The other mounds were not so large
perhaps by half-as this one, but beyond
doubt in the bowels Of each of them are
rare and magnificent relics OF ancient
times that only await the developing pro-
cess Of energetic exploration TO present
to the ordinary gaze the varied wonders
Of the past. Doubtless there are works
OF art and rare genius buried beneath
these massive piles Of earth that would
awake the admiration of all lovers OF the
antiquary, and perhaps furnish a link to
the broken chain OF history and show us
Of the nineteenth century something OF
who these mysterious jewellers OF the land
| In bygOne times were-whether they were
identified with the Indians as known in
history, whether contem pOraries with the
Aztecs Of New Mexico and Arizona. the
cliff jewellers OF the West or whether they
were OF a race utterly unto themselves,
and Of which uOt shadow OF history re-
mains. There is one thing certain,
enough has been developed from these
mounds. and others OF like character in
this county, to demonstrate that these
people, whoever they were. were geniuses
in tueir way. This is practically demon
strated in the study OF the varied forms
and graces Of their arts and mechanical
| ingenuity and construction OF their de.
/ signs, none. OF which were clumsy or