Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-11-18
INDIAN RELICS.
Interesting Remains of the Extinct Race
of the Befhuks Boethies-

Interesting Remains of the Extinct Race
of the Befhuks Boethies-
Relics of the extinct race OF red In
dams, who were the aboriginal in
habifants of Newfoundland, were It.
Gently discovered on Pilley's island,
Notre Dame Bay. The relics are very
IN teresting. Very few remains of the
vanished race of the Bethuks or Boethies
have been preserved There are few
in private hands, and the Newfoundland
Museum contains a small collection. in
GLIDING a skull and skeleton. some ar
rowheads. axes, gouges and other stone
implements One Of The graves opened
IN the recent excavation contained the
skull of an adult IN an excellent state Of
of preservation 1t has the characters
tics of the skull Of the savage. but it l.
vel shaped and pretty well developed
in the intellectual region-a skull that
proves conclusiyely that the Bethuks
were by no means of a low type Only
three bones of the skeleton were found
with the skull Foxes or wolves had
probably carried Of the others
lie greatest EUI-O>-tA- lbH t. tI- - Lit
other skeleton. which, with the excep-
ton Of the vertebre OF the neck, Is per
feet Apparently il Is the skeleton of 4
Young Boelhie. nine OF ten years of age
The body had been wrapped in birch
bark. doubled together, laid on its side
and covered with a heap Of stones The
form was seen to be perfectly preserved
when the wrappinrs were removed. and
i has somewhat the appearance Of 4
mummy. The skull i detached from
/ the body, the yer!ebrae Of the neck hay
] ing been destroyed or removed 1t i
well shaped, and in q good state OF
preseTv alton In addition there are in
] the collection several specimens Of beau
fiful finished stone arrow heads. hatchets.
various articles made from birch
! bark. such as small models Of canoes.
drinking vessels, &c, and euriously
shaped bone ornaments, all well worthy
of scientific examination These. ac-
cordinE TO the Indian custom, had been
buried with the dead
| The aborigines Of Newfoundland were
a branch of the great and powerful Al
/ ronuu-n tribe Of North American Ia
dams, who once extended from the
Rocky Mountains to Newfoundland,
from Labrador 10 the Carolinas. Here
thev lived for ages before the discovery
of the island by Cabot. hunting and
fishing. but il was a dark day for
these poor sayagas when the palefaces
appeared Quarrels arose- and al
j length Il became war TO the knife be-
tween the two races The savares were
no match for the white men armed with
muskets Brutal cruelties were prac-
ticad BY the whites and these were fol-
lowed bv savage retaljat5Cns- The
whites ST length came 10 regard the
aborigines as vermin 10 be e1termin-
ated. and the unequal contest went On
until not red man survived
Another tribe Of Indians. The Mo
macs, from Nova Scotia aided n tire
work OF determination. having been
deadly foe Of the Be, hnks, and gradu-
ally The ranks Of the latter were thin
ned, they were driven from their best
hunting grounds, and war and disease
lessened Their numbers until to-day not
= single representative OF The red Ind
ans OF Newfoundland is known 10 BE- n
existence Their haunts in the interior
have been explored N the hope Of dis
covering some remnants OF the Inflated
race. bat IN vain Only a few graves
and The molsering renains Of their huts
and deer fences have been discovered.
All this gives mournful interest 10 the
relics Joha's II. p. Cor. n y
/ Times