Smyrna times., 1892-08-31
EASTERN SHORE INDIANS.
NE NANTICOKEs AND THEIR HUNTING
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES IN
MARYLAND.

, historic archaeology of the tide-wate
regions of Maryland and Virginia ba
recently made some interesting discoy
cries on the Eastern Shore. He ba
located all the principal Indian vilIap
sites that exist along the shores, a puh
lcatlon OF which will likely be mad
at the main office. He has located tw,
Indian village sites on the ATanoki,
River, and found many Indian relic
on Maddox Island. For the last few
weeks he has been making interestin,
discoveries along the Nauticoke river
revealing some interesting pre-histori,
facts.
lie encamped (he has first,clas.
camping outfit and is accompanied b,
captain and a steward first at Vienna
where on the upper banks of Chicone
creek he discovered signs of an exten.
siVe Indian village, familiarity known
as Indian Town" to the people OF
dorchester. The name and local esti.
nation, however, give it more prestige
than professors research warrant.
ed.
In 1897, according to an act of the
General Assembly of Maryland. and
renewed in 17O5, a grant of land in
Dorchester was made to the Indians
including the above site, and extend
ing perhaps, from Delaware on the
northeast to the mouth of the Narti-
coHe--that IS the land adjacent the
river on the West side, and according
to Bosman's history of Maryland. con.
tanning about fifty square miles. Out
OF this extensive grant three small
tracts were subsequently granted to
the whites by the Indians. In this
extensive grant however, the Indians
were not allowed to dispose of the
lumber OF the forest or the products of
the soil. The grants of the Indians to
the whites, and their abridged privi.
leges in the first grant, placed them in
unpleasant relations with the whites
whose encroachments caused the sons
and daughters of the forests to dimin-
ish in numbers and influence, leaving
nothing special to mark these ancient
hunting grounds.
In I'LL another grant was made |
them OF three thousand acres, for the
special use Of the Nanticokes CNapta-
quacks). The Nanticokes were a now
ertuI tribe, and the last to leave the
hunting grounds of the Eastern Shore.
This grant was laid out by a commiss-
ion who supposed Broad Creek to be-
long to Maryland, then Somerset
county, but resurvey in 1862 placed
the land in Delaware. At this survey
all provincial records cease. The Del.
aware tribe, Lena Lenape, occupying
the northern border lands of this grant
were closely related to the Nanticokes
in the linguistic stock.
John Smith locates three large Indian
villages on the Nanticoke river. in his
map Of Maryland, made in 1906. The
hrst he called Nause, located probably
about ten miles from the month of the
river. The second or next has been
actually located at Red Banks, on the
northeastern side of the northwestern
branch of the Nanticoke. This was
the village of the celebrated Nanu-
2okes. The third and perhaps the
largest was that of the Kuscarawaocks,
about five miles above Seaford
Delaware. Here was the residence of
he great chief. The Nanticokes were
part OF that immense tribe, and had. ,
according to John Smith, eighty war
Tors, representing population of 500 ,
indians, in the one village at the Red :
6anks. Just below this village at the !
Red Banks exists a hillock of about =,
wo acres in area, entirely surrounded 6
~ wooded mirage, which answers ;
exactly to the description given by 7
BOSNIAN of the great burial grounds of y
he Nanticokes. Extensive excava- \
ions disclose tho fact that the earth =
las been redistributed to a depth of =
It least three feet, and contains quan- -
tiles of bark and charcoal, pointing to y
he fact that this had been the actual ..
'urying ground of their illustrious |,
lead. But their bones have all been =,
arried away by their offspring in their h
many wanderings. 1t is we'll known p
act that they were in the habit of f
arrying their dead with them in their is
ligrations. A clergyman, who is :,
uOted by Bosnian, speaks of the Nan q.
Icokes as making periodical visits ..
etween the years 1850 and l760, from oI
heir new home in Wyoming Valley, in
a., to their ancient burial grounds on 10
he Eastern Shore, with the intention =,
f taking the bones of their dead an .,
estors to their new hunting grounds. h,
Besides the above villages Professor he
'inwiddie has found several small h,
illages or lodging sites, which were 81
o doubt formed after the advent of 90
ne white man. At Riverton he -
'enched most interesting village site 81
nd obtained immense quantities of 81
Ottery fragments, bone implements M
nd broken deer and bird bones-all ho
he remains of a prehistoric feast. A ~
Ieleton was found here, evidently he
lat of an Indian squaw. The skele. ~
N indicated in its position the burial -.
ethods of the whites, which no doubt a.
I'D been adopted by the last remnants ~.
the Indians. The skeleton was in M
'od state of preservation, a large tuft a.,
hair remaining on the back of the n,
sad,
It seems evident that from the high
art exhibited in the pottery products
the NanticOkes, as compared with
at of the Powhatan Confederacy of wh
Ie Western Shore of Maryland and COT
irginia, that this tribe had reached Bo
gher state of culture than that enjoy goI
by their neighbors on the opposite an
de of the ChesaDeake This ia due tbs