The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-04-23

the red pipe-stone or catlinite from Min
nesota, and absidian from the more dis
tant northwest found on the Atlantic
coast, and ocean shells picked up in the
far interior, all testify. There was also
periodical journeying from the inland to
the sea coast in autumn to gather sup
plies OF oysters, CLAIMS and other ''sea
food, - which was dried by smoking and
then s'Strung as beads and carried as
great coils of rope' back to the hills to
be consumed during the winter.
Many small colonies, too, passed the
winter on the coast in the shelter of the
great pine forests that extended to the
very ocean beach. 1t was no haphazard
threading of a wilderness to reach these
fined, well used. For how. long we can
only conjecture, but the vast accumula-
tons of shells on the coast, often now
beneath the water, point to q time so dis
tant that the country wore q different
aspect from what it now does; 8 time
when the land roee far higher above the
tide and extended seward where now the
ocean rolls resistlessly.
ANCIENT JASPER MINING.
Returning inland, let US trace another
of these old time paths from the river
shore whereon the Indians had long
dWelt, over hill and dale until we reach
1t is pretty spot still, although marred
by white mans work; but why was it the
goal of many a weary journey2
Here is found the coveted jasper, varied
in hue as autumn leaves or a summer sun
set. The quick eye of some wandering
hunter, it may be, found a chance frag-
ment, and, looking closer, saw that the
ground on which he stood was filed with
it; or freshet may have washed the soil
from an out-cropping of the mineral.
Who can tell? 1t must suffice to know
that the discovery was made in time, and
a new industry arose. No other material
so admirably met the Indians need for
arrow points, for the blades OF speers, Tor
knives, drills, ScraperS, and the whole
range of tools and weapons in daily use.
So it came that mining camps were es-
tablished. To this day, In these lonely
hills, we can trace out the great pits the
Indians dug, find the tools with which
they worked and even the ashes of their
camp-fres, where they slept by night. So
deeply did the Indian work the land
Wheresover he worked that not even the
paths that led from the mines to the dis
tant village have been wholly biotted out.
LITTLE REALLY KNOWN OF THE PRINT
TIVE INDIAN.
The story of the jasper mines has yet TO
be told, and it may be long before the full
details are learned concerning the various
processes through which the mineral
passed before it came into use as finished
product. Much vain speculation has been
INDUCED in; the fancied method of re-
ducing thick blade to q thin one has
been deliberately described, although the
Dlan by no human being was ever carried
out; in short, the impossible has been
boldly asserted as a fact beyond question.
The Indians history can be read but in
hon orb hat ha
has left behind.
One phase of it, in the valley OF the
Delaware, is more clearly told than all
else-the advance from q primitive to
more cultured status. There were GEN.
turtles when jasper was known only as
river pebbles, and its discovery in abund
ance had an influence upon the Indians
people when they discovered the use OF
metals. At least, here In the valley OF
the Delaware, this was true.
1t is in vain to ask for the beginning
OF mans career in this region; what we
find but hints at it. But he came when
he had no trails over the hills, no path
but the lev rivers edge; only as the CEN
veIoped to the extent of knowing every
nook and corner of the land, and high
ways and by-Ways became common, like
the roads that now reach out in every di-
rection.
A sstrail, +" then, has wealth of mean
| ing, and those who made it were no
ssmere savages,'' as we so glibly speak OF
the Indians, thanks to the average school
| books.
The naughty Delawares had fields and
orchards; they had permanent towns;
| they mined such minerals as were valu-
able to them; they had weapons Of many
patterns; were jewelers. in a crude way,
| and finished many stone ornament in q
manner that still excites admiration.
They were travellers and tradesmen as
well as hunters and warriors
Although my days search for relics OF
these people had yielded but a few arrow
points, potsherds and a stone axe, when
saw the Indian on his way from school,
walking in the very path his people had
made long centuries ago, the story OF
their ancient soiourn here came wildly to
mind in the dim light of an autumn af-
ternoon, when a golden mist wrapped
the hills and yelled the valleys beyond
and 1 had glimpse of pre-Colu1nbian
America.
No other Sarsaparilla has the merit By which
Hoods Sarsaparilla has won such firm hol
} upon the confidence OF tbs people. Oh