The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-13

suddenly dipped down like Gothic roof
10 a depth of $50 or 200 feet, forming a
gigantic pit, looking very much Ike the
crater Of a volcano of sand, ana so deep
that In jumping over the edge you slld
rapidly TO the bottom. There were sew
eral OF these remarkable places that we
came upon suddenly.
1T was near these vast depressions
that we made our first find. We had pick
ed up a number of interesting objects on
the surface, as mortars pestles, rings or
stone, &C., when suddenly the men who
had been digging in a bluff near the
shore raised a shout. We hurried over,
and there. in a shallow excavation, saw
the recumbent skeleton of a large man.
Ii was lying partly on its side or OF
its knees, the legs doubled up and the
hands clasped behind the head. The sand
was carefully worked out, leaving the
skeleton IN high relief. About two feet
behind it were three flutes or musical IN
struments. the most interesting finds We
made. They were nearly foot in length
and made Of a deers leg bone. On the
larger portion was a patch OF asphaltum,
IN which had been set a square of richly
colored abalOne pearl, showing that as
wild ana savage as these people were
they had aesthetic tastes ar d well ietned
lltd1 Dl NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ne lso1 +i'+'
evidently been laid in the grad ~ their
owner, who may have been the physician
of his tribe. The skeleton was ,stcess-
fully taken out. and will be mounted.
This spot was covered with bones and
mortars. broken in many pieces. broken
Intentionally and the pieces left where
they were, so that they could be fitted to-
gether with little trouble. Not far away
VIC discovered body lying near the sur
face In mass of charred wood and shell
anC I'm such q curious condition that some
OF The party suggested that the natives
were canniosis All this was a victim
Besides the bones, we found some curious
objects; one rcsem1lel bell clappcr. and
we found two of these; another was a
stone object about three inches in length;
another a lOag bone oen.llke affair mark
ed with TWO ridges its entire length with
notches. as though some one had been
keeping tally of something. That he
inhabitants had some communication
with the natives Of santa Catalina was
shown By the mortars ana various ar
t.clcs Of steatite found only on Catalina.
"'The great buryimg ground extended
over q large area, and as FAR as we could
see down the coast similar evidences were
discovered. The natives must have de-
pended 70 a great extent upon abalones
for i0od. as great deposits OF the shells
were found where they had camped, and
that they were fishermen was apparent
from the hshhooks. cut out OF the pcariy
abalOnc, that VIC discovered We found
numerous beads or wampum by sitting
the sand through the sieyes carried over
fof tic purpose. IN waikirS over the sandy
vase that is gradually crcr0aching upon
the interior OF tic island, solre curious
object was seen at snort intervals. gue-
gcstiug tho story OF an incleat life Here
would be q mass OF Aoucs uncovered by
thc winds that toss lle drifting san4s
about. there q broken mortar or NUM-
Der Of pcstles or stone axe, sinkcr, or
arrow head; and IN a big abalone shell
lying on the surface were dozens or
pearls. placed there. perhaps, hundreds
OF years ago al the head or foot OF some
body thgt had long since disappeared
We spent several days al this fascinat-
ing work and then did not besin 20 touch
upon X.
"I'he island is n nat-topped mountain
range with literally 20 good harbors. the
only landing places being little indenta-
tions that are rough or smooth, according
70 the direction Of the wind The climate
differs from that OF Santa Catalina in
being harsh; the nights often cold and
raw, with hard winds. We found the fish
ing beyond criticism and could have fill
ca the boat with large whitefish. sheeps-
head and rock bass. while. IL live halt
could be secured there. the yellowtail
fishing would be very fine: as II was. we
took numbers OF these fish.
'''rho island abounds in many natural
curiositles, and there are peculiar ridges
and mounds suggestive OF some rites and
ceremonies among the ancient inhabi-
tants. Who these people were and where
they disappeared and why, no one seems
to know, but there 10 every evidence that