Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-07-08
A LONG EXTINCT PEOPLE.
JEWELLERS IN THE CAVERNS OF
THE FAR WESTERN CANYONS.

Ute FHh YVES ERN CANYONS.
The Discoveries Made by IA Colorado Ex-
piorer in the Valley of the Mancos
Rivcr-Prehistoric skulls OF Peculiar
Formation-A Remarkable Collection.
from the earliest ages of the past there
speak today in the collection of relics found
within the newly formed county of Montezu-
ma, y ing about fifty five miles southwest of
Durai go, in the state of Colorado. a world
OF knowledge, silent though the objects be,
OF people who there dwelt, more SAYS
MIR. Cushing, than 10000 years ago"
THE CLIFF DwEILERs"
Tn, borders of this wonderland are found
10y TO lowing down the Mancos valley to the
Manc Is river. which for about twenty-five
miles flows through IA vertable city of ruins
From the valley through which this river
flows iiverge six canyons, and all along their
steep and rocky sides for the entire distance
and more especially in the amphitheatre
formed at the terminus of each of them, are
found the curiouSly formed dwellings which
are built in the excavations made in the walls
of the canyons How they were formed
must EVER remain coniectural, save that the
elements have worn them smooth and with a
marvellous degre of uniformity
"One of these dwellings said Mr. Me
Lloyd, was at the front or perpendicular
face four stories in height, gradually sloping
from -opmost point to the rear at an angle of
about 10 degs. This space was once unques-
tionably filled with house constructed of
stone masonry, which was provided with
wooden tmherS much in the usual form used
in modern dwellings. Three stories of the
crude masonry Of this house yet remain
In this house much OF the priceless treasure
secured by Mr.. McLoyd was found In the
rear room, which was terminated by the
wedgc formed of the slanting roof of solid
stone and the level floor of the dwelling. and
sealed complete with masonry work, were
found the perfect skeletons of two infants
wound about with peculiar fabric To which
the name OF feather cloth has been given
owing to the fact that it is formed of feathers
wounl about separate strands of a peculiar
twine formed of some vegetable lint and
these strings OF cords then woven or pleate,l
closelr together 81 as to form perfect piece
of cloth
First a wrapping of this fabric 50 soft and
fine that the down alone is felt when exam
ined, Is flexible piece of silk. \ coarser
wrapping is over this another and another
still until the final and outer one, which is
formed of thin Stats of polished wood and
and held together 10y "A cord in a manner
much resembling the ordinary Venetian win
dow shade. The houses are of all forms aud
sizes, from the one above described down 10
that of one small room.
The collection of skulls is very large and
vary n size and in form, two distinct races
being evidenced by the formation of the
skulls Those found in the elf dwellings in
almost every instance hriug in rooms sealed
up entire with work of masonry, and evi-
dently the "cliff dwellars' had a skull So
shaped that the oval or rear extended portion
Of the head Is totally lacking. the organs of
'phll1 1progentivenesS, as the phrenulogiStS
woulc term 1t, being entirely absent, and this
Is cited by some as "A reason for the extinction
Of the race. In other words, the line is per
fectly straight-pcIpendicui Another class
of ski lis found only on the river bottoms are
fiat on the real and upper portion of the head,
slanting on a uniform line from the upper
portion of the forehead to the rear rs though
some Uniform pressure had been brought to
bear upon them. These skulls are low and
broad, the lateral portions of the head being
full and correspondingly low, showing much
OF the bulldog quality Ia structural form
Hundreds Of bone instruments of almost
every conceivable form possible into which
they could be worked are here exhibited,
most, If not all of them, being edged instru-
ments- perfect drawing knife. knife
blades, avis, needles With eyes, in some of
which the threads for sewing Vet remain. and
many instruments, the probable use of which
could not be ascertaincd from their form
Leather goods of various textures from the
soft and perfectly tanned buckSkin to others
as Zine and plable as 1t would be possible to
produce by any method known today.
Sandals formed of the skins of animals and
woven from the fiber of the soap weed, with
soies so firm aud durable as Ia doubtless he a
perfect protection to the feet in clambering
over the sharp rocks of that country. Others
formed OF corn husss, in perfect a state of
preSeI walton as ii but OF "a seasons growth
while Tuanv ta-.'~ 49,. - s'''' I"N' "
>; un-i task, indeed, never to he finished
Matti1gs, some of them perfect, woven of
the rtshes which were found on the inner
floors baskets of simple designs, but curious
ly wrought in colorings, some with designs
formed of lines in simple combinations, no
figures whatever being made use of. perfect
corn blades, yet green as when plucked from
the growing stalk.
In an earthen jar is yet preserved a quan
tity OF dried corn. This jar has a perfect
fitting lid which prevented vermn from de-
stroylng 1t. Perfect turkey feathers are
shown in the form of dust broom Shields
formed of the bark of trees, one being about
fifteen inches high and about thirty-two
inches around, resembling birch bark, and
evidently worn jacket, as the sides have
holes presumably for the purpose of lacing it
together.
Pottery Of various forms from small mugs
and cups to large vases in the shape of bulg
ing jars, which would possibly hold from five
to eight gallons, some painted in simple and
crude way. Splints almost as suggestive of
use for broken limbs any of the modern
articles for that purpose. Agatized pieces of
polist ed wood, corn cobs squash seed, and
the brown bean with white eye similar to
the product of today. Raw fiber for ropes
sandals etc, ornaments of stone. horn, coal
turkey bone, beads, with nuts between the
beads of bone in form of necklace. No
meta instruments or metal of any kind were
found. A large basin or reservoir appears
ON the mesa about ten feet deep by 80 in
diam ter. \ double wall Is about it. between
which had been tamped stone and gravel
Denver News.
Five Deadly Shots with One BuIIct.
There is an old gentleman in FORSYTH
county who is very fond of hunting When
avnY no u-aIl-s abrpa1 lis N.ifa .Iu-o,-. l,,,x.