The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1897-12-21

pended over a game Trail, Dy
thongs attached to poles set in
the ground at each side of the
trail. The thongs came down
the length of the pole and was
connected to trip, or trigger
like the contrivance used by
small boys to capture rabbits and
small birds. The deer or other
game coming along the trail
sprung the trigger which releas-
ed the thongs and the boulder
fell with crushing weight upon
the unfortunate victim beneath,
killing, or crippling it. In which
latter case, the hunter lying in
ambush, near by, rushed out
upon it and finished it with either
bow or spear.
Their religion of rock worship
was most peculiar-hence their
name Stone and Sacer-sac-
red), and every column of stone
was a god; every stream, spring
or waterfall an evil or good spir-
it, which in either case was to
be propitiated, and feared, and
many were the burnt offerings
these simple. hearted savages
laid at the feet of the tall spires
of columnar basalt that is so
common along the canyon walls
of Snake river. There is one
tall column of synclinial basalt
Standing to by itself, about sixty
feet from the main bluff, which
was at one time worspiped, and
around it's base is a raised circle,
composed of the bones of birds,
small animals, rings made of
clay, large mussel shells and &C.
cassionly mems bones, but they
are very rare. | do not think
that the Geosacerii ever made
human sacrifices, for none of
their drawings show any such
custom. | think it most likely
the human bones spoken of were
those of one of the worshipers
overcome by the excitement of
the walk-around, he fell, and
was trampled to death by his
frenzied brethren, and his body
was left to remain at the foot of
the silent stone-god, who tower
ed above the purifying carcass
in stone-hearted indifference.
Gradually the bones were cover
ed up, and there they lie, until
the archoelogist with curious
eyes, and lawless hand, disturbs
them in their resting place.
The spirits that were supposed
to inhabit springs and waterfalls
were propitiated in like manner,
though a fire was built and the
birds and animals burned on the
spot, while the worshipers circl-
ed around the fire.
Poor, supplemented creatures.
Every falling meator must have
been frought with dire signifi-
cence. Every whirlwind crowd
of warning spirits, and every
thunderstorm a battle of the
gods-the lightening-what did
the tightening mean ? Ignorant
of all the laws of Nature, except
ing the few that were required
to establish the very limited
physical comforts that were nee
essary to an animal-like exis-
tence. Those atmospheric phen-
omona must have filled their
hearts with terror and panic, and
they would creep away to some
cave or crevice and hide until
the frightful uproar of demons
and spirits had quoted.
A friend of mine showed me a
few arrow heads, that were
picked up in Round valley, that
were made by this tribe. I have
no doubt that they have been up
here on hunting expeditions, and
there may be extensive remains
here, but I have not as yet saw
many.
The end of the Geosacerii is a
mystery, deep and unpenetrable.
They disappeared, and for years,
and it may have been for ages,
the country that had been their
home was an uninhabited desert.
Then in the river silt, above
their last trace can be found
again, the evidence of man. But
when this meolithic man came
upon the scene the Mammoth
and Cave Bear had followed the
footsteps of the Gecsacerii, and
their last remains were also bur-
led deep down in the soil.
The new tribe that took pos
session of the land are a few
steps removed from the modern
Shoshone. They left many in
teresting remains behind them,
which it will be my great pleas
ure to describe in future ar.
tio1a Gr,o,