St. Landry democrat., 1889-07-20


of the ancient Natchez Indians He also
found two large mounds near the banks of
Second creek. One was about 40 feet
high, 100 feet in diameter on the summit
and 700 feet in circumference. On one of
these mounds, situated 500 feet from Second
creek, he observed tomb or grave bear
ing the inscription ''To the memory of
William King Wilson, born January 18th,
1897. died June 10Th, 1888, aged Sc years,
3 months and one day"
About 30 PAGES from this was another
larger mound directly on Second creek,
and the summit of this is about rs feet
above the surface of the water, and from
it's top magnificent view of the surround
ing country was obtained.
This mound had evidently been devoted
to religious services by the ancient In
dams and was one of the rude temples
where the sacred fires were kept burning,
for the Natchez were
FIRE AND SUN WORsHIPERs.
This mound offered special inducements to
the doctor, but although he had large
force of negroes who were anxious and
willing to work, he concluded that the
task was too great and too much time
would be required to make thorough in
vestigation, and he reluctantly abandoned
it for the time being. He had the smaller
mound opened and caused trench 90 feet
long to be dug through it. He found at
depth of about two feet below the surface
layer of ashes and a hearth of burnt clay
approaching closely in hardness the brick
of the present day. This had evidently
been the place where human sacrifices had
been offered, for fragments of charred lu
man bones, specimens of well formed pot
terry and remarkably shaped spear or
arrowhead were found. This arrow or
spearhead was so shaped that when pro-
jected through the air it would obtain
rotary motion such as is given to 8 rifle
ball when fred fro,-> a grooved barrel.
This the doctor concluded was the weapon
with which the worshipers administered
the coup de grace to
THE VICTIMS OF THE SACRIFICE.
It was the habit of the Indians to rear a
pole at the place of sacrifice, to which the
victim was bound They then amused
themselves by shooting arrows and hurl-
ing tomahawks at and torturing the victim
after the manner in vogue with all the In
dian tribes in America. These victims
invariably displayed the greatest heroism
and contempt for the pain inflicted upon
them, while they would sing their war
songs and utter the warwhoops of the tribe
to which they belonged. The spear or
arrow by which the death blow was ad-
ministered was then hurled, and death re-
leased the victim from the torture of the
fire which was lit about him.
DR.. Jones found this interesting relic
amidst a lot of charred human bones, and
also number of fine stone hatchets made
of very hard green stone. The spear
and arrowheads, of which he found sew
eral, were fashioned out of red silax,
which is common in the State of Missis-
sippi. Here he also found an iron grape
shot, relic of the wars of the Natchez
with the French in 1890.
DR.. Jones identified the site of the
ANCIENT WHITE APPLE VILLAGE
without q doubt, and this was probably
the dwelling place of one of the ''Suns"
or "Kings" of the Natchez, where he
maintained the sacred fire with all the
pomp of the fire worship and human sac
rifce.
Dr. Jones says nothing could exceed the
beauty of the scene and the peculiar char
acter of the country. The rains had
washed out great ravines or chasms which
in time being overgrown gave it wild,
romantic aspect. In this soil, which at
some time in the dim and distant past was
a great inland fresh water lake, are found
the bones of the mastodon, of the gigantic
sloth (megalonix JeffersoniD, and the fossil
teeth of the prehistoric horse, which was
extinct long before the annals of the Span
iards and of the existence of which no ira
dition remained among the Indians. These
horses must have been of gigantic size,
Judging from the bones and teeth found
by DR.. Jones in his researches in the
Natchez country.
The doctor was also anxious to settle the
question as to whether
MAN WAS CONTEMPORARY WITH THE MAS
TODoN
and other primeval animals, question
which has agitated the biologists and eth
in no slight degree. Many years
ago the remains of a human female were
found on the banks of St. GATHERINGS
creek and with it the remains of a NAM
moth, and they evoked great interest in
the scientific world, for it was held by
many that this went to prove that human
beings existed at the time when the NAM
moth roamed through the earth.
DR.. Jones examined the location which
bears the name of DEVILS Punch Bowl.
He found human bones intermingled with
those of the mastodon and of both the
fossil and the modern horse, and also the
iron shoe of race horse. A careful in
vestigation led the doctor to the conclusion
that these relics of three distinct and sep
arate eras in American historical epochs
had been washed into the chasm or ravine
by freshets and intermingled there.
DR.. Jones also visited an interesting
mound about six miles from Natchez
This mound is of a pyramidal shape, about
40 feet high and $50 feet in diameter,
and on it house owned by Mr.. Erastus
Foster, the descendant of revolutionary
soldier who emigrated thither from South
Carolina some time between 1776 and 1888.
The house was
BUILT IN 1880
about 100 yards from St. GATHERINGS creek
on the mound, and on top of this ancient
Indian temple w. J. Foster, the father of
the present occupant, was born in 1898.
This mound was evidently abandoned by
the Natchez after 1870, the year of their
massacre by the French.
DR.. Jones also explored the great Settler
mound, IA miles from Natchez, and one of
the largest on the North American CONT
nent. 1t is 30 feet high and contains five
acres on the summit, and on top of this
smaller mound about 40 feet in height
overlooking the valley of Coles creek.
Obtaining the services of a force of
laborers, DR.. Jones caused to be dug a
trench 90 feet long and 20 feet deep. He
found a part of an
ANCIENT TEMPLE OF THE SUN
and three logs used for the sacred fires.
The logs were found in bed of ashes in
which were also lot of charred human