The Portland daily press., 1888-12-08
A VIKINGS CRAFT.
Scientists Much Interested In some
Ancient Nova Scotia Inscriptions.


Halifax Herald, Nov. Ia, I8ss.l.-,.
The first meeting of the historical society
OF the season was held 10 the legislative
council chamber last night. Sir Adams
Archibald presided. Messrs. w. A. Lyons,
Rev. E. I. Miller, r. Clarke, Judge John
stone and b. II. Eaton were proposed for
membership. Along the wall were suspend-
ed large number ofillustrations Of the won
derful engrayings on the rocks at Fairy lake,
Queens county. The only man in Nova
Scotia who has any extensive knowledge Of
these rock pictures In George Greed. of Raw
don, HantS, and he Is an enthusiast on the
question. These photographs are exciting
interest all over the continent and Sir Adams
Archibald happily invited Mr.. Greed to read
a paper on the subject at the first meeting of
the society this winter. "In the extreme
northern part Of Queens county, there ex-
ists, said the lecturer, numerous curious
etchlngs on rocks, which, although known to
the European inhabitants since their earliest
advent to the country, have only recently at
tracted the attention Of antiquarians and
ethnologists. They appear chiefly ON the
Fairy rocks, series of reefs or lodges of
Schistose slate near Fairy lake, a Charming
lakelet or arm of lake Kejimkooiik, the latter
Deing the fourth in the chain through which
tne Liverpool river finds its course, and lay
ing to 10 miles above Rossignol, orthe "big
lake; The. Fairy rocks lie Immediately
south Of the boundary line between Queens
and Annapolis. These petroglyphs TO the
number of 1000 are scattered over various
rocks, covering a superficial area of 5000
feet. Others are found in the Port Medway
river. The surface on which the greater
pait OF these inscriptions occur, is glacier
polished, fine grained, or rather grainless
slate These surfaces lie in an almost hori-
ed during large portion of each year" :
Mr.. Greed has made exact copies OF no less
than 800, specimens OF which he exhibited.
These are divided into sixteen classes. They
include various kinds of animals, birds, hn-
man beings. ships, marine animals, etc, etc :.
decorative designs, parts of plants, hetiro,
gliphics, alphabetical inscriptions.F Roman
crosses etc. Many of the rocks and inscrip-
tions have been destroyed by vandals. The
rocks Of most texture and most favorably
situated for inscribing have been repeatedly
used-eaeh successive engraver entirely ig-
norlng the work of his predecessors.
until such an effect is produced as
was shown on some of the intricate
which were copied with the the greatest diff
feulty. Mr.. Greed has visited the place sey-
eral times and spent five weeks there this
summer. The different ages Of the various
cuttings are detected by the action of the at
mosphere, water, and frost. The most an
cient of these engrayings were doubtless
done by sharp stones. The most important
question regarding these etchings Is this:
'Will their study add anything to our knowl-
edge OF the origin, history, habits and leg
ENDS H Oh the former Inhabitants of the local
ity?" So far as is now apparent this ques-
tion must remain unanswered. But careful
enquiries among the few survivors Of the
older Micmacs aud comparison with similar
discoveries in other parts of the continent
may lead to interesting results. Many Of the
curious engravings are supposed to illus
strate or relate to the numerous legends and
tales which have passed orally down sue.
ceeding generations. Sailing vessels were a
favorite subject for depletion. There are
more than forty Of these. T.
A curious circumstance in connection with
one OF the largest Of these in that when IL
was drawn, say $50 to 500 years ago, there was
already on the spot chosen by the engrayer,
the remains Of pictured vessel OF much
older date SO indistinct were the lines that
the artist failed to observe them, or was
quite indifferent to their presence Perhaps
twenty generations had passed away since
SO antique a craft had been aioat. Mr.
Greed exhibited tracing Of the two vessels
tion of one in which the Norsmen visited the
coast OF Nova Scotia 900 or 1000 years ago.
Visitors to the rocks have inscribed their
names in all styles and sizes of chirography
and have thus sadly destroyed the ancient
work. A Mr. Hull records his presence In
1853. On June 9Th, 1886, Rev. S. j. Ritchie
visited the place and inscribed his name on
the rocks, but Mr.. @. had been unable to OBJ
tain from that gentleman any "reminiscences
of his visit. =
Mr.. Creeds paper was an exceedingly in
teresting one, and his efforts to obtain the
results presented to the society led to many
thrilling experiences. These he related at
length. For six years he had been devoting
his attention to this matter. Extraordinary
obstacles were encountered; but they were
all overcome, and success in obtaining exact
copies of $50 of the 1900 OF these wonderful
engravings had at last rewarded his efforts.
Two years ago Col. Mallory, of the ethnol-
ogical department at Washington, after cor
respondence with Mr.. Greed, came to Nova
Scotia to visit the rocks. He saw a man in
Halifax who thought he knew every thing
about antiquities, but knew nothing about
these inscriptions, nor could he find any one
that did. and he returned to Washington
without seeing the rocks or even the man he
had been corresponding with. But mean
while interest in the spot increased, and this
summer Col. Mallory again came to Nova
Scotia and spent several weeks at Fairy
Lake with Mr.. Greed. A Mrs Wallace
Brown also took a very deep interest in
photographs. Many Americans had theory
that they were representations of Indian
medicine men. But that was not Mr.. Creed's
theory. He had a theory, but was more anx-
ious to get copies of the engravings Just now
than to expound a theory.