The herald., 1897-04-25

ty years ago in order to christianize

ty years ago in order to Christianize
them.
Before the Cinnamon left they showed
us where to get fresh water. 1t is within
200 yards of the house, on the beach,
and. strange to say, hardly above high
water mark. There is no stream, just
a hole about eighteen inches in length
by twelve in width, in the sandstone,
and it holds about eight or ten gallons.
1t Is supplied by water seeping through
the rock, and when we fill our five-gallon
can it takes about an hour to fill up
again. The water is clear as crystal,
and pleasant to the taste. What
medicinal qualities it has, If any, we
will have to prove by experience. At
present, we are only too thankful to find
1t is so good. and conveniently near.
1 devoted the afternoon to making a
bedstead out of some lumber and shakes
and succeeded in making quite a pas
SADLY comfortable cot, at any rate, 1t
raises me from the floor which is some
thing.
Although we had not expected to see
any visitors we were pleasantly sur
prised the following day to see a row
boat approaching from the east end,
containing Captain "Alec" Smith of the
yawl Leone" and friend of his from
San Pedro. They told us they had come
for few days on the same errand as we
ourselves, and promised to bring the
yawl up in the morning If the wind was
favorable.
We are getting pretty comfortably set
tied now, and although the hut is of the
most primitive description 1t really looks
quite cosy especially at night after we
get our lantern going. Although we
have to carry QUIZ wood nearly mile,
we have found enough to enable us to
have fire in the hut, which has little
open fireplace, the only drawback being
it makes the place rather smoky, though
we have obviated this a good deal by
knocking a hole In the west end wall,
making a draught through the, room.
We get up at daybreak and sleep and
eat heartily. Indeed, our appetites are
something astonishing. But as we have
enough to supply them, and take plenty
of exercise to assist assimila tion, we find
ourselves in the best of health and spir-
its.
A SKELETON UNEARTHED
We have found some most interesting
things. Today, while digging in mound
near the house, we unearthed the skele-
ton of what had evidently been young
boy. 1t was surmounted by several
pieces of wood, which, on putting to-
S6lutI, Nc lOulQ udu OtCil q COiiiil l. Alo
is especially Interesting, as all the skel-
etons we had previously found had been
buried doubled up. and with no attempt
at anything in the shape of covering. We
have found no trace of clothing and this
might tend to show that the race buried
here did not have much use for clothes.
Because the Indians generally believed
in some future state of existence, in
which everything the deceased found
useful in this world would be needed in
the next, in all cases we find that every
thing else belonging to him has been
buried with him. We can estimate the
standing of the Indian when alive by the
amount and value of the articles we find
with him. If they possessed raiment OF
any kind one would imagine that 1t
also would be numbered among the use
full articles, but all trace of it has dis
appeared. The wood of the coffin Is in
fair state Of preservation, however. We
Judge that the skeleton referred to must
have been boy, from the shape and size
of the skull, and also from the presence
in the grave of dozen balls made Of
wood. which we surmise must have been
his playthings. Besides these, there
were knives made Of wood, fish hooks,
earrings OF shell and arrowheads of flint.
The Indians had very primitive tools
to do their digging, and they apparent
ly chose the west and southwest for their
cemeteries. This may have been on ac-
count of some religious or superstitious
reason. as on all the Islands these seem
TO have been the favorite points of the
compass for their burial grounds Or
it may have been because, on San Mic
olas especially, the soil at this end of
the island is soft, consisting almost en-
tirely of sand. In many places the wind
has blown the sand off, exposing hun
dreds of skeletons to view.
Among the first sights which present.
ed themselves to alr view on landing
were skulls and skeletons. AS this was
our principal object in coming, how
ever, we greeted them as friends rather
than as bugaboos We are fast grow
ing accustomed to them as our constant
companions.
We made an excursion to the south
side again on the 22d, and came across
nice tent, and would have us stay to
dinner, which, in honor of us, they got
up in American style; coffee, fried bacon
and fapjacks. They even produced
knives and spoons; forks they had none,
using chopsticks instead. We were
about six miles from the house and had
to cross a range of sandhills, but my
companion insisted on carrying the
large mortar, Weighing 100 pounds, we
his back.
WORKING" MOUNDS
The next day we prospected, but did
no digging, and were abundantly re-
warded for our labor by finding a guam
tity of trinkets on the surface of the
mounds. near the house. 1t looks to me
as though the Indians had what may
call working mounds, entirely distinct
from the mounds on which they lived