Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-03-06
FROM A PAsr AGE.
LATE DISCOVERIES OF AN EXTINCT
RACE ON SAN NICHOLAS ISLAND

antiquities has been brought to Avalon
, Santa Catalina island, from San Nicho-
las-the extreme outer island OF the
group. Three months ago A b. Chap
pelie determined to make a systematic
study OF San Nicholas. The island is
about seven miles long by three or four
wide, composed Of low hills cut by deep
canyons and aoounding in scenery that
is grand and picturesque in its dGsola
ton, as the island is Almost destitute OF
vegetation. 1t was in the past, judging
from recent discoveries, one OF the mos t
populous OF all the wonderful islands OF
Southern California IN proportion 10 It's
size. The evidence oil this, which also
points 10 great {, lies ia the size and
proportions OF the kitchen middens and
mounds. There are upon the island
several elevations or mounds, one OF
which is halt a mil. long, others OF
smaller size, varying from four TO ten
feet or more in height
The investigators established them
selves in stone house built by Chinese
absl1n fishermen, and made system-
attic attack upon the mCunds the ex-
porers soon struck NINE oil archaic
illogical wealth. which was followed up
with rare good fortune. The collection,
which is now being arranged and classi
fed, consists OF several thousand speci-
mems, and from an educational and
scientific standpoint is OF great value, as
IL 50 well tells the story OF early man on
the islands. The arIiclessare almost en-
tirely Vi bone, wood, ivory, pear and shell,
very few pieces Of copper and iron
being found, showing that the islanders
had very little communication, II any.
with the Spanish, and that the majority
OF the graves opened were, in all lkel'
hood pre-Columbian,
The collection is particularly interest
ing in that it shows the artistic tastes
Of the people, illustrated by the
characterization OF various vessels and the
specimens OF Jewclry cut from the peagy
shell OF the abalone and other Lea1
bearing shells. A set OF earrings is cut
in lines as perfect and graceful as would
be attempted by any i.weer OF today.
Some OF these are large, being two or
three inches across, others are very
small and show that initiate care was
necessary in forming them with the rude
tools at the makers command. The
series OF lshhooks is equally interesting
and seemingly formed OF selected pearl.
Many small BITS OF asphaltum attached
to them show how the line IVES
secured In TACT asphaltum, which
drlited ashore here, was an important
factor in the domestic economy OF tie
natives, being used for a variety OF
purposes.
The most ornamental pieces in the
collection consist OF squares and bands
OF pearl in variety oi shapes. Some
were evidently amulets, cut in circular
shape, the eugeS carefully serrated. The
series OF pestles or grinders is very rich
and some snow the artistic taste oil The
owner, as IN the sides OF the blus-iint, d
stone bit Of asphaltum was placed,
which, in turn, was covered by a pate
of pearly abalone, giving an attractive
appearance to the article. Some oil ire
mortars had evidently been ornamented
in this way, The edges being covered
with asphaltum in which bits oil pearl
were inlaid.
The islanders we're carvers and
sculptors Of no mean order One mortar
OF hard, fine sandstone is ornamented
with delicate carving showing Tadiat.
ing lines from the RIM which Join in
single line as it extends TO the bottom.
Images of whales were perfectly cut out
OF steatite; fishes about the size OF sar.
dine and evidently used as bait, and
seals of steatite were others. The
greatest prize secured by the party was
found underground. They were digging
trench when what appeared to be
wooden collins were found. This was
novelty in Indian excavations at San
Nicholas. Investigation showed that a
number OF bodies had been buried in a
circle. The bones were punched to-
gether, the head between the knees,
then placed in a rude box about third
as long as ordinary cotiins. The wood
was very Old and full of holes, which
had been stopped with asphaltum. In
each OF these graves much material was
found, and one skull found is OF aston
ishlng proportions, being noticeable
larger than many others found and
evidently belonging 10 man OF colossal
build. The forehead is very nigh and
bullying, the skull flat on top and the
region over the eyes remarkably heavy
and thick. over this skeleton was
found fine mortar aud several slabs OF
stealite, and in the box several objects
entirely unique. They were delicately
modelled spears or lances OF hone.
ranging from one to two and half ieet
in length and rom one to two inches in
diameter, polished aud colored by ag
or use mahogany hue. Whether these
singular objects were really spears OF
barpoon points, or had {, me especial
function as a part Of the equipment OF a
great chief Is, OF course, unEnown. In
the same grave was stone object,
evidently war club, about eighteen
inches in length, the larger end ilsring
INTO something like a scimiiar then
grading down 20 a convenient hancl S
showing by its dark color no little use,
A series OF clubs found in other grave.
about two leet long, have wooden
handles, the striking end bearing a mass
OF a phaltum as large as a mans closed
fist.
The mortars and pestles lin this col.
lection are very interesting. Some are
cleverly made rom the veItebrac Of the
whale; others are OF sandstone. Some
are paint pots, the paint being found in
thelu; Others are ol large size, for the
grinding OF seeds and roots. Some Of
the pestles are inlaid with pearl and
perfectly shaped.
That tn natives smoked is shown by
several pipes, small affairs like the
opium pipes oil the Chinese. A large
pipe has a Dird-bone stem thrust in the
bottom, and Is supposed to have held
water that was lowed to drip down
upon the hot flint arrows in course OF
construction by the chipping process.
A singular ana unique object OF hard
stone has a handle and assemblies a
blotter, but was evidently a scraping
81 ~ n f,t bind