The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-04
SCIENTIST AT WORK.
IL Opening Ancient Cairns Founa In
lsland County.
Island County Times.


Harlan 1BgersoII Smith. who il conduct
Ing anthropoiogical researches among the
remains OF the prehistoric races OF the
western coast Of North America, arrived
here with a party Of Ave men TO ascertain
what material for his work exists In this
locality. He was directed 10 the ancient
ms. mounds nd a. the head Of the cove. AROUND
cairns were opened SATURDAY ate noon, and
so well satisfied was Mr.. Smith with what
WAS found In them that he decided to leave
Murphine, OF Stanwood, was selected for
this and he has been digging with excel
lent success during the past week. while
took their departure SATURDAY afternoon.
Mr.. Smith stated TO the editor OF the
Times that this locality Is the richest In
prehistoric remains OF any that he has
visited on the Sound, with the exception
OF Victoria. which II resembles. Road
making crews have In the past uncovered
great quantities of human bones in making
Near the foundation OF the old sawmiii Mr.
Smith picked up three skulls and heap Of
other bones on the surface which had been
sT s by rh as have ness1
failed 10 find him" upon esgging under
the rude cairns that abound IN the Roeier
feld and along the cove road.
Mr.. Smith Is in the employ OF the Amer
lean Museum Of Natural History, OF New
York city. In the department OF anthropol-
ogy This Institution is maintained by the
president is Norris X. Jessup. a very
wealthy citizen OF New York city. who
has himself donated large fund 10 exam
ire the peoples. past ane present. on both
shores OF the Pacific ocean from the Coium-
h.a river northward. To Harlan I. Smith
has been entrusted the prosecution OF this
work on the North American coast. He
began the work in 1897. devoting that year
to the Fraser river and the coast OF Brit
ish Columbia as far rs Skeena river The
following year was put In on the east coast
of Vancouver island. This years work u
on Puget sound and Grays harbor.
The object of this work IL not TO find
facts TO support any theory or precon-
ce.ved notion. but TO ascertain II possible
some clew as to the origin OF the Indians
out by scholars in their libraries, The idea
OF Mr.. Jessup IL that the solution of the
problem Is not TO be reached By dslying in
libraries. but by the study OF the monu-
menis Of the races. A favorite theory OF
a school OF ethnologssts is that the north
west coast Indians are of Assasic origin,
though little has yet been brought forward
TO support this other than the geographic
cal fact OF the conveyance OF the shores
OF the Pacific ocean 10 the northward I'M
III they come within thirty-ssx miles OF each
ether at Rering strait Until the Jessup
expedition WAS organized no systematic at
tempt has been made to get the great mass
Of data that Is necessary for safe general
txaffor for the support or refutation OF this
theory. When the ffeid work now In prog
America r. completed and careful conpari-
sons made OF the races Of today and IN past
ages on both coasts we shall know whether
there WAS resemblance between these races
In prehsstoric times, and whether this re-
selnhlance has since been increasing or d.
rinishlnG, and from these facts the theory
Of the Asiattc origin Of our Indians will
stand or fail