Morris tribune., 1893-05-03
DWARF AMERICANS.
THE REMAINS OF A RACE OF LILLl-
PUTlANS UNEARTHED.


Graves and Skeletons of an Almost For
gotten People-A Legend That Deals
With the Mexican Aztecs.
The Smithsonian institution has I'M
dertaken peculiar work in this locality.
Those people Of the world who have paid
lengthy visits to that hilly country
known as east Tennessee have always
been impressed with the sublimity and
beauty of the mountains, the simplicity
and superstition of the inhabitants and
the general air of sleepy myster1ousness
surrounding everything. Ask. one of
these people where they would most ex-
poet to find q race of dwarfs or giants
and the reply will be, SIN. east Tennes-
see" And recent developments seem to
bear them out, for in the last few years
tho remains of people less than three
feet in height have been discovered in
this country.
On the eastern slope Of one of the
peaks Of the Great Smoky mountains,
where the first rays Of the morning sun
strike, is an ancient burying ground, and
such another burying place could not be
found, though the world be searched, for
not one grave is more than three feet long.
The tombs are two feet beneath the sur
face and are formed of cement and fiat
stones, and have defied the ravages Of
time to cause them to be destroyed.
Most of those examined contained vase,
few beads and human skeleton, which
was never more than SO inches long and
was that of a full grown person.
The natives have beautiful legend OF
the place and say none were inferred
here except Indian children, while natu-
ralists claim the skulls to have reached
their full growth.
But the most interesting account is
that of the red men who held that coun-
try when first settled by whites. They
claim that when they came to that Sec
ton of country it was peopled by a race
Of small, fierce men, with red hair; that
these dwarfs waged q long and bloody
war with the Indians, but were finally
all killed; that this burying ground was
used long before they came into the coun-
try, and that those killed in the war
were never buried.
In some parts Of the adjacent noun
tains, high up on the cliffs, are to be seen
rude drawings of combats between fully
grown men and number Of dwarfs. On
account of the superstitions of the east
Tennesseeans, it is difficult to reach this
pigmy cemetery, and almost as much as
life is worth to attempt to dig into the
o.,,o11oz of 41o ,ooo,a1a
In the mountainous district Of one Of
the southern states, in bend Of one Of
the great rivers, is situated a natural
fort, known to the surrounding 1nhabit-
ants as ''Indian Fort" Surrounded on
three sides by perpendicular cliffs, at
the bottom Of which flows the river,
wide and deep, the only way Of approach
is by ascending a stiff declivity from the
open side, near the summit Of which are
still to be seen traces Of an ancient en-
bankment, almost obliterated by time.
Within the space inclosed by the river
and embankment have been found
great many stone and flint implements
of Indian warfare and a few bronze
axes. There are also number Of tombs,
formed of large fat stones, containing
nothing but dust and dirt at the present.
In the time Of the early settlers the
native Indians had tradition Of great
battle having been fought at this place
years previous to their own time, in
which an entire race was exterminated
The legend is: The exterminated race,
who were called "Worshipers of the
Sum-" had been gradually driven south
ward from the far north by the Indians
Before reaching the "Great river" (the
Ohio they separated into two divisions,
one going to the southwest, the other go
ing directly south. What became of the
first part is not told in the legend.
After innumerabie battles the fleeing
race made final stand at Indian Fort,
and after siege of many months, dur
ing which time the besieged subsisted on
provisions previously gathered, they
were conquered, and every man, woman
and child was killed. The legend says
these people came from the vicinity of
the great lakes, and the few bronze i'm
plements discovered seem to give some
truth to that part Of the story.
It is supposed that these people were
the ancestors of the Mexican. Aztecs, and
that that portion which escaped when the
tribe divided wandered toward the south
west and entered Mexico from the north
At the time of the conquest of Mexico by
Cortez the AEteos claimed that they
came from the north, and sun worship
was the national religion.
To investigate these relics of depart
ed race the Smithsonian officials sent
Professor Snow and corps Of assistants
To the SCENE -Tennessca Cor. St. Lo11is