Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-01
A VANS H ED ACE
Interesting Relics Pound on an Island off
the California Coast.
1t Is Supposed That They Were o
Tribe of Indians Who Were Marin
ers and Fishcrmen.
From the Troy Times.

teresting finds. The trip was organized by
]. Neale Plumb of New York. who chartered
a steam yacht and took with him a number
of guests, guides, boatmen and all the ia
cilities for weeks stay. The object was to
try the fishing and excavate in some of the
localities where ancient stone implements
are still buried Camp was formed about
two miles above what is known as the 18TH
mus. on the east side of the island. The lat
ter is about twenty-five miles lorg, and diff
fers entirely from Santa Catalina In being
very level on the summit, so much that
apparently carriage could be driven al
most the entire length.
ut was very curious-looking place." said
one of the party on his return, land should
judge the island is to great extent volcanic,
and, while barren, 1t had in the past support
ed a large population. We found a number
OF ancient camp sites, and, in all probability,
could have discovered many more. A high
GIN rose over our camp, and in its sides were
large, deep caves, Inhabited by the sheep
kept on the island, hundreds using them as
retreat during the night. In some Of the
caves were bits of abalone shell, showing
that the natives had been there, making
their homes, perhaps. during the winter
months.
Our first excavations were made among
the sand dunes near the isthmus. Here were
evidences Of occupation in every direction
abalones piled in heaps, and other shells in
such masses that 1t was evident that they
were the accumulation of years. We set
the men to work here, after prospecting,
but found little to repay the labor SO the
next day We took the yacht around the
island. and were landed successfully through
the surf by Mexican Joe. From here we
walked more than two miles down the coast
to remarkable series of sand hills that COW
cred several miles. The sand was almost
white, and was evidently flowing inland,
covering everything as il Went-an insidious
hod in. ,loa
peculiar coating, and at intervals were stony
trees and twigs, apparently covered with
lime: But the most singular feature was the
snelis. AS far as one could see the surface
was dotted with white snail Shells all empty,
and so closely placed that at every step a
number We're crushed. There must have
been millions.
A Gigantic Pit.
I'm walking over the dreary waste We
came upon singular scene. The sand sud-
denly dipped down like a Gothic roof to a
depth of $50 or 200 feet, forming a gigantic
pit looking very much like the crater of
volcano Of sand, and so deep that in Jump
ing over the edge YOU sid rapidly to the
bottom There were several of these re-
markable places that We came upon sud-
denly.
IT was near these vast depressions that
We made our first find. We had picked up
number of interesting objects on the sur
1ace' as mortars. pestles, rings of stone
etc. When suddenly the men who had been
digging in bluff near the shore raised a
shout. We hurried over, and there, in a
swallow excavation, saw the recumbent
s sas.e'. OF large man. It was lying
parity on its side or on its knees, the legs
doubled up and the bands clasped behind
the head. The sand was carefully worked
OUT, leaving the skeleton in high relief
ABOUT two feet behind IL were three flutes
or musical instruments, the most Interest,"
ing finds We made. They were nearly a
loot In length. and made of jeer's leg
oone. on the larger portion was patch Of
asphaitum, In which had been set a square
OF richly colored abalone pearl, showing
-1hat as wild and savage as these people
We're they had aesthetic tastes and WELL
dehned ideas of ornamentation. The flutes
had evidently been laid in the grave Of
their owner. who may have zen the mu-
stefan OF his tribe. The skeleton was sue
cesSfully taken out, and will be mounted
Inis spot was covered with bones and
mortars broken in many pieces broken in
tentionally and the pieces left where thew
were SO that they could be fitted together
with little trouble. Not far away we dis
covered body lying near the surface in a
mass OF charred wood and she'll and in such
curious condition that some of the rarity
suggested that the natives were cannihals
and this was victim. Besides the bones
we found some curious objects; one resem-
pied bell clapper, and we found two OF
tnese; another was stone object about
three inches in length; another a long bore
pen-lfke affair marked with two ridges its
entire length with notches, as though some
one had been keeping tally of something.
ton with the natives Of Santa Catalina v cs
shown by the mortars and various articles
OF steatite found only on Catalina.
In the Place OF Burial.
The great burying ground extended over
large area, and as far as we could see
down the coast similar evidences were dis
covered. The natives must have depended
to a great extent upon abalones for food
as great deposits of shells were found
where they had camped; and that they
were fishermen was apparent from the fish
hooks, cut out of the pearly abalone. that
we discovered. We found numerous heads
or wampum by sitting the SAM through
the sieve carried over for the purpose. In
walking over the sandy waste that is grad
nally encroaching upon the interior of the
island. some curious object was seen at
short intervals. suggesting the story of an
ancient life. Here would be a mass of
bones uncovered by the winds that toss the
drifting sands about; there broken NOR
tar a number of pestles or a stone ak,
sinlSer, or arrow head; and in big abalone
shell lying on the surface were dozens of
beads. placed there perhaps, hundreds Of
years ago at the head or foot of some body
that had sorg since disappeared. We spent
several days at this fascinating work and
then did not begin to touch upon it.
THE island is q fat-topped mountain
range with literally no good harbors. the
only landing PIE ces being little indentations
that are rough or smooth, according to 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 fishing beyond criti-
cism and could have filled the boat with
large whitefish, sheepshead and rock bass,
while. If live bait could be secured there.
the yellowtail fishing would be very fine; as
it was. we took numbers of these fish.
1.-THE island abounds in many natural Gu
cff Il hare rid ora<S
mounds suggestive of some rites and cere-
monies among the ancient Inhabitants Who
these people were and where they disap-
peared and why. no one seems to know, but
there Is every evidence that years. perhaps
centuries, ago the now almost desert island
was inhabited by a large and vigorous race
of Indians. who were mariners and fisher
men and the equal Of airy tribes found on
the mainland"
Photographic Wills.
From the Augusta CMeJ Journal
A will Of the kind known as Photographic"