Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-02
HOME OF A VANISHED RACE.
Interesting Relics FOund q" u"
Island on the California Co"r''

the coast OF Southern California am -
| ports some interesting finds. The UP
was organized by j. Neale FUND u
! New York. who chartered steam
I yacht and took with MIN
number Of guests. guides, boatmen'
/ and all the facilities for weeks
I stay. The object was to Try
/ the fishing and excavate in some OF the
localities where ancient stone implements
are still buried. Camp was loriheH
about two miles above what is known
as the isthmus. on the east side OF the
,siand The latter is about twenty-five
miles long. and differs entirely from
santa Catalina In being level on the sum
nit SO much So that apparently a Carl
age could be driven almost the ehtire
length. ,.,
1T was "A very curious looking place
said one Of the party on his return anu
| should Judge the island Is 10 great
extent volcanic. and while barren
had in the past supported large popuia
ton. We found a number OF ancient
camp sites. and in all probability could
have discovered many more. A hlgh
cliff rose over our camp, and In lis sld.s
were large deep caves, inhabited by the
sheen kent on the island, hundreds
using them as a Tetrtab uuIlhb inc
night In some of the caves were blts
~ balone shell. showing that the natives
had been there. making them their homes
perhaps. during the winter months.
"Our first excavations were made among
the sand dunes near the isthmus'
Here were evidences 90 occupa-
lion In every direction-abadones
nlled in a heap. and other shells
IN such masses that they were the ac-
cu,nulation Of years. We set the men To
work here. after prospecting. but found
little to repay the labor. 80 the next cay
We took the yacht around the isiahd' anu
were landed successfully through the SUR
by Mexican Joe. From here we walked
more than Two miles down the coast 70
remarkable series Of sand hills that COW
cred several miles The sand WAS al
most white. and was evidently moving
inland. covering everything as 1t went
an irsilous sand river The lower pipe
had in places a peculiar coating. ana AT
intervals were stony trees and tWigs'
,uIa1eutlv covered With lime. But the
most singular feature was the sheis'
As far as one could see the surface was
dotted with white snail shells. all empty,
and 50 closely placed that al every step
q number were crushed There must
have been millions.
an walking over the dreary waste we
came upon singular scene. The sanl
suddenly dipped down like a Gothic roof
10 a depth of 10 or goo feet. forming a
gigantic pit. looking very much Ike the
crater Of q volcano Of SAND. and 80 deep
that In jumping over the edge You Slld
rauidlv 10 the bottom. Thee Were sew
eral of these remarkable places That we
came upon suddenly
ct was near these vast derressions
that We made our first find. We mad
picked up number Of interesting OBJECTS
on the surface. as mortars, pesues'
rings Of stone &c. when suddenly tht
men who had been digging in hluH
near the shore raised a shout we nut
ried over and there. in shallow excava-
ton. saw the recumbent skeleton or a
.arge man. 1t was lying partly on its
side or on it's 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 instruments. the most
interesting finds we made. They were
nearly foot In length. and made OF
deer's leg bone on the larger portion
was patch OF asphaltum. in which
had been set square Of richly colored
abalone pearl showing that as wild ana
savage as these people were they had
aesthetic tastes and wel-defined IDEAS
Of ornamentatiOn. The flutes had evident
Is been laid in the grave Of their owner.
who may have been the musician Of his
tribe. The skeleton was successfully
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 together with little trouble. Not
far away we discovered a body lying
near the surface In a mass Of charred
wood and shell and in such a curious
condition that some of the party suggest
ed that the natives were cannibals ana
this was a victim. Besides the bones
we found some curious objects: one re-
sembled a bell clapper, and we found
two Of these: another was stone OBJ
feet about three inches in length; an
other a long bone pen-like affair marked
with two ridges its entire length with
nQtches, as though some one had been
keeping tally ~ something. That the
inhabitants had some communication
with the natives Of Santa Catalina was
shown by the mortars and various
articles OF steatite found only on Cata-
lima.
"The great burying-ground extended
over a large area and. as far as we could
see down the coast. similar evidences
were discovered. The natives must have
depended to a great extent upon abalones
for food, as great DEPOSITS Of the shells
were found where they had camped; and
that they were fishermen was apparent
from The flsh-hooks. cut out Of the pearly
abalone, that we discovered. We found
numerous beads or wampum by sitting
the sand through the sleeves carried over
for the purpose. In walking over the sandy
waste that is gradually encroacnlng upoi
the interior of the island some curious
object was seen az short intervals. suS
costing the story of an ancient life. Here
would be mass of bones uncovered by
the winds. that toss the drifting sand
about: there a broken mortar or a number
OF pestles or a stone axe, sinker, or ar
row-head: and in "a big abalone shell lyinc
on the surface were dozens OF beads
placed there perhaps, hundreds OF years
ago. at the head or foot of some body
that had long since disappeared. We spent
several DAYS at this fascinating work. and
then did not begin TO touch upon II.
The island Is a fiat-topped mountain
range, with literally no good harbors. the
only landing-places being little indenta-
tions that are rough or smooth. accord
ing 10 the direction of the wind. The
climate differs from that of Santa Cata-
lima in being harsh; the nights often cold
and raw with hard winds We found the
fishing beyond criticism, and could have
filled the boat with large whitehsh,
shespshead, and rock-bass. while. If live
bait could be secured there. the yellow
tail fishing would be very fine: as IL was
we took numbers OF these fish.
THE island abounds in many natura,
curiosities, 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
10 know. but there Is every evidence that
years. perhaps centuries. ago. the now
almost desert island was inhabited by a