The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-28

made in the graves IL the gigantic
soapstone, or steatite, pots, called ollas
In the Southwest, which stand abso-
lutely alone as monuments to the clev-
erness of the early inhabitants Of these
islands. Some of them are fully two
ana one-half feet in diameter, almost
giobular in form, with very thin walls
and carefully polished over their en-
tire inner and outer surfaces.
1t is astounding how these ancient
peoples carved and modelled such SYM
metrical and fragile vases from this
material, but nevertheless fully three
fourths of the vessels used for cooking
and ceremonial purposes were adroitly
fashioned from 1t. For most Of the
pipes, gorgets, mortars, animal figures
pendants, net sinkers and the like the
same stone was utilized
A shudderingly facetious use for
some Of these colossal stone jars was as
headgear for the dead Numbers of
the skeletons were unearthed with
skulls completely incased in the orifices
Of the vases.
Beautiful haliotis shells, with their
inner walls plated with pearly and shin
Ing nacre. were quite common finds
with the burials, and some Of them
have been found partially filed with
bitumen, a substance which seems to
AAoAsO Aoo q NCly WluC IdL6G VI utility
among the natives as a pitch for calk-
ing the wooden boats, as paint for
decorating the body and earthenware
vases, as handles for brushes and as
cement for holding in place arrow and
spear points.
BEADS AND ORNAMENTS
An intensely interesting insight into
the foibles and vain weakness for per-
sonal adornment among these long past
people is exemplified in a large and
varied collection of shell beads, cut
from the central shaft of big conch
shells; shell disks, some slightly en-
graved with designs; shell plates,
carved and pierced for suspension, and,
the most interesting of ALL the paint
cups, of shell and steatite, half filled
with bright red ochres and black shin
ing asphalt, which were used in those
ages, dimmed by time to hideously dec
crate the faces and body Of the shy
and coy maiden, perhaps, as well as
that of her sinister and warlike lover.
Living upon an island home, the in
habitants necessarily obtained much of
their suStenance from the surrounding
waters, and, in evidence of these piSca-
toria1 proclivities, many remnants Of
carelessly constructed canoes have been
unearthed from time to time by the
various parties who have delved in the
burial places, and it appears that many
of these canoes became the last rest
ing places or sepulchres for the dead.
Stone net sinkers have been found in
such profuSion as to leave no doubt as
to the persistent avocation of the fish
ermen, and in the Smithsonian collec-
ton appear numbers Of finely cut shell
fish hooks, carved out Of the sea shells
in almost complete semicircles, with
sharp barbs which would do credit to
some Of more modern manufacture.
Half a dozen hairbrushes. examples
Of which are still to be seen in use
among a few Southwestern tribes, were
unearthed from graves. They are made
from the fibre Of the soap plant, or a
species of yucca, punched together in
the semblance Of a miniature Wh1sk
broom, the top, or handle, formed by
heavily coating one end for several
inches with bitumen.
With such beautiful collections al
ready gained from this garden spot for
archaeologists, it Is apparent that
vast amount of the richest and most
valuable objective evidence obtainable
in the United States must lie waiting
for the hands Of the enthusiastic scien-
tist Prof. Holden is the fortunate
scientist who has awaited himself of the
rich field that has so long awaited
hack with him q wonderland Of GU
riosfties, which he is now engaged in
studying.
A MELANCHOLY SPOT.
San Clemente is the only one Of the
islands that is at all visited. A few
sportsmen go there yearly for the. mag
nifcent bird shooting and unsurpassed
sea fishing The others are rarely ever
approached. San Nicolar Is the most
interesting Of them all. 1t is partly
covered with drifting sand now, but its
x1z<5 0TA6 "a
home Of thousands Of wild sheep.
Hundreds of immense white pelicans
can be seen at almost any season
promenading sedately on the narrow
beach Of Coral Harbor, the only safe
approach to the island. There is one
habitation on the island, dilapidated
shed, built by the Chinese, who come at
intervals to gather the exqulsltely
lovely shells on the shore or TO smear
the wild sheep.
The shell mounds, Of which there are
hundreds, are made up Of astonishing
varieties of mollusks, the bones of in
Vulnerable fish of all the species found
in the neighboring waters and the
bones Of seals, sea elephants, whales,
offers, birds and foxes. There must
have been time when the island was
luXuriantly forested, for very many
Of the animals whose bones are found
there could not live on the island In
it's present desolate condition.
1t is melancholy spot for the visitor,
for every acre Of it has its tale or tales
of an extinct civilization. That the
people that once enlivened it's shores
and cliffs were peaceful is shown by
the absence of weapons Of offence. The
weapons found there are those used
in the household and the chase.
These gentle savages are fishermen
by choice, and they must have been
sturdy and persistent whalers, judging
by the myriad remains Of these deep
sea leviathans that Prof Holden found
upon the islands. The great bones Of
whales were built into rudely artistic
structures so compactly that they have
withstood the ravages Of storm and
sand for centuries.
The only actual record Of this inter-
esting savage race that we have pre-
vious to the disastrous attempt by the
missionaries to remove the remnants
of it, as told above, is the log of Capt.
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the Portu-
guese navigator, who sailed up the
Californian coast in 1912. He stopped
day or two at each Of the Channel is
lands and reported that they were in
habited by a vigorous and lusty race
Of natives, who thronged the shores
Of the bays and headlands," and seemed
mystif1ed by the ship. The islands re-
main, but the natives are no more.
Prehistoric Horse OF the Rockies.
Prof Henry Fairfield Osborn. of the Ameri-