Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-10-22

In diameter, with it's crown decorated
with two or or three small oak trees Of
tho variety known as scrub, and one,
even If acquainted with the signs" as
miners say, would have been at loss
to discover other indications Of the use
OF the place. had expected some
thing more.
There's two rows of graves-one
yonder by that wall, an tother right
here to the left. They're hid, the little
OF 'em that's above ground, by the
brush" MY companion had perhaps
seen my expression Of disappointment,
and dismounting he led the way to one
of the places he had indicated, and
thrusting back the growth OF vines and
bushes he disclosed the edges OF a few
rough slabs OF gray limestone set in
rude box shape in the earth. Some curl
Gus native had used the sacrilegious
spade In clearing awoy the soil from one
of the queer graves.
There's two rows of EN-" my guide
repeated. "They run e pole into the
earth over there an made sure they're
there, but nobody amt done no diggin'.
They want nothin' but jest a few bones
In this one"
Nothing but few bones. told him
that l would dig willingly until the
sun turned cold, If l only had q spade.
We were without an implement of any
kind.
"That's easy enough" he said.
''Theres O cabin about mile straight
south from here. can get a spade
there IL you want it," or course /
wanted it, and in half an hour he was
back, stretched out upon the grass in
the shade, while toiled with the spade.
There were indeed two rows OF shall
low graves. one along either OF the long
walls OF the Enclosure. Altogether
there must have been nearly hundred
of them, although only few were I'M
covered.
The process of lnterment had evident
" been very simple. hole had been
| dug and the coffin OF stone slabs built
within Ii and the body let down, with
or without grave wrappings, and COW
cred with a stone lid, the whole being
then buried with earth. These were
apparently the graves Of the common
! folk. for almost without an exception
the narrow stone collins contained moth
ing but the crumoing skeletons, with
an occasional stone implement or weap-
ON or piece OF rude pottery. II was
easy TO see how the "pygmy" idea came
about. for the tombS were truly OF d.
! ,ninutive size, the bodies, with knees
doubled I'D to the chin, only requiring
a snace of four feet or so in length.
1t was when tia work Of uncovering
the low mound was begun that interest
/ was really awakened. for here was
plainly getting into the company OF the
maenates OF the ''pigmy" society. Here
were regular mummy cases, some made
Of skins and some of woven hempen
fabric. and In some cases so we'll pre-
served as TO suggest that that strange
people must have been possessed OF the
secrets OF the embalmer's art.
The mounds had been built up from
the ground with one tier after another
OF these graves until they were four
stories high. The beginning bad been
made by the construction OF what
seemed to be a small stone alter rest
ing upon the natural surface OF the
ground, and around this were buiit half
q dozen OF the cofIin-Shaped receptacles
for the dead, these all lying with the
feet resting against the altar, that no
space might be lost. Then when the
frst tier OF tomhs was filed q layer OF
earth was constructed IN the same fash
ion. These were evidently resting
places Of the more important person
ages Of the race, as could be
/ Judged both from the mode OF burial
and from the greater wealth Of the