The record-union., 1894-07-07
ANCIENT RACES.
Traces of Them Evident in the
Florida Peninsula.
A Promising Field for Anthropologists
AN Older Race Than the
Mound Builders.

He very interesting artlCl0 III ID(
Cleveland Sunday Leader directs atten-
ton to subject that is ever new, or, pre-.
senting some new item of interest. the
unknown history of the occupants of this
continent in the long. long ago.
How much of this ancient lore might
be obtained by studying the picture
writing. or methods of record of the pres
ent Indian races, is a problem worthy O
attention.
Our Indian races may not be descend.
ants of the ancient occupants, writes j
Boyle of Port Tampa City, Fla. but they
have some remnants of the science anC
skill exhibited in ancient remains which
might be useful as clews to the unrayel
ing of some of the ancient records so pro-
fusely made in different parts of the
country.
1t does not appear to be generally
known that our present Indians make on
trees records which are quite intelligible
to them, even giving directions for special
action, yet conveying no information te
and rarely attracting the attention Of the
white man.
Here is promising field for investiga-
ton, and know by experience that 1t is
very interesting one.
fnd 1t almost impossible to walk q
mile through the woods here without
finding some evidence of the Indians
skill In recording on the trees informa-
ton for the guidance of the traveller and
for other purposes. Much of it / do not
understand, but as much as L do know
/ find to be ample evidence OF a definite
system well adapted to its purposes.
The system of marking used by the
Indians on boundary line or trail is far
superior IN every way to that employed
by the United States Land Office. 1t is
more easily found and verified, and has
this particular advantage-it can be dis
tinctly recognized beyond a doubt. when
numerous other marks are on the same
tree. and when all trees and other visible
signs are destroyed, the Indians mark is
in the ground.
1t is often said that the grass never
grows on an Indian trail; that is not
quite correct. The grass never hides an
Indian trail, is strictly true; the trail is
marked in the ground and is imperish-
able.
The Indians have their scientists and
specialists, and carefully guard their
knowledge; how well one secret has been
mines that were closed against the white
man SO long ago. The trails to these mines
are. ! am informed, perfectly clear to the
Indians to-day, and on trees and rocks are
the records giving the information for
guidance to'the Indian expert whenever
they determine to open them.
This marking lines in the ground is
remnant OF the science of a race of people
that long ago occupied this country; prob
ably long previous TO the mound build
ers, as / find these lines dividing the land
into squares where the mounds are, some
times without any regard to the position
of the mounds, yet the mound builders
used part OF the same system to lay off
the mounds and mark their special points
in the mounds, and all the trails from
mound to mound.
Some recent developments indicate the
possibility that a race of people previous
to the mound builders lived here and
that the country was densely populated
by people who recognized the propriety
of well identified separate holdings of
land, and accordingly divided this entire
peninsula into squares, and the marks of
the divisions are there distinct to-day, a
testimony to high grade of mathemati
cal skill, and differentiation of marks
and numbers for easy Identification of
subdivisions on the land itself, such as
has no equal in any modern system of
lane surveying.
But beyond this race existed probably
another. / find trails leading to places
where are marks associate with subter-
ranean chambers, down in the water
now, here, but SO are many of the subdi-
visions of the land, which [ have fol-
lowed out as far as the tide would per-
NIT without losing the lines. Farther
north, where the land is higher, the SUBJ
terranean tunnels and chambers are so
common as to attract but little attentio OH.
/ have often looked into the natural
wells'' and thought that natures work
rarely looks so much like mans work as
this work does. To find that an ancient
race of people wrought them would be
no violence to reason; race of little peo-
pie probably occupied these tunnels and
chambers.
Anthropology in Florida followed by
the help Of one versed in Indian ways
ought to yield very interesting results.
l believe that the reason why researches
in this State have been so barren is be-
cause the evidence sought is under
ground, in ancient caches. Cache marks
are very numerous in some places, and
these marks arc kept distinct by Indians
who revisit them at stated periods.
The information that could be given by
Indian experts would probably, migh
perhaps say certainly, be OF very great
value in deciphering the picture writing
of the ancients and in disclosing the
series of races that have in succession oc-
cupied this country of which the present
occupants are so justly proud.
Leader.
Young Lady-pm tired of living on my
relatives and want to be independent
Employment Agent might get you {
place in store. THAT won't do. I'd be
under some ones orders continually.
want to he indapendeut of everything