The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-10

in other instances the coverstones are
80 small that they do not form a pro-
1ecting roof over the body. Over this
Vault-ltke opening the rough pile Of the
tomb is reared
1T 10 frequently bounded by a single
row OF large stones, while the filling be-
tween this wall and the vault is Of small
fragments, bou1ders, and in some cases
largely OF soil or mixtures of these ma
teria1s. Rectangular tombs have been
found where the outer row Of rocks has
peen carried up so as to form a retaining
wall, making the whole structure similar
to truncated pyramid.
STRUCTURES were also found In which
the body was placed at the side OF q
large boulder and covered with smaller
ones piled up against the large rocks.
Inc stones forming the interior sepul-
cher and those Of the outer row are Of
ten Embedded in the soil around the
grave. 1t Is probable that they were not
SO placed in the beginning, but sank to
this position by reason Of their large size
''The position OF the skeletons show
that the body was placed on the side and
was deposited either On the original sur
race or In shallow hole dug into the
gravel below. In some Of the graves the
skeletons Were found sunk four feet and
greatly decayed. In many complete skeI-
e e were secured Some of the skeIe-
thought that the burning did not take
place in the grave
The greatest number of these tombs
were found on land belonging to the
Hudson's Bay company, about four miles
northeast OF Victoria, near Cadboro bay.
In this region was evidently the capital
OF the mysterious race rock tomb build
eTs, for the graves here seemed to have
reached the highest type of development
The structure north and south from this
point appear to have undergone modif-
cations as the distance increased. Those
mn hd
most elaborate in construction were
found near Victoria
The tombs of Whidbey island, in the
state OF Washington, resemble those
found at Victoria more than do those
at other places. One Of the largest Of
these stones nausoleums was found at
yer, and north of the state Of Washing
ton. 1t measures twenty-five feet square
and five feet high in the center. 1t Is
composed of large boulders, the lower
ones being set up on edge The body was
found to be placed on the ground; the
skeleton was In fragments. A feature
Of this grave is that huge fir tree, six
feet in diameter, estimated to be more
than 200 years old, stood near the grave,
and it's roots extended through It. show
Ing that the tree had grown up since the
construction Of the grave. The roots Of
the tree had pushed the skull about two
feet from its natural place. Originally
the head had been turned toward the
northwest.
important details one from another, and
the slight variations observed in the diff
ferent localities seem likely to be due
more to the poverty of the builders and
lack of material than to a difference In
civilization. In every case it is believed
that the hole or vault opening had been
scooped out in the beginning to size
sufficient for it's intended purpose,
without particular care or thought as to
what the exact dimensions would be- and
when completed large stones were roll
ed over 1t in such a manner as to cover
and protect the entombed body securely.
Only few of the tombs opened con-
tanned skeletons in a fairly complete
state Of preservation. Occasionally 1t
was possible to secure nearly every
bone. This difference in condition does
not indicate that a great length of time
mtervened between early and late bur-
ials, but 1t is due principally to the va
rying capacity of the soil to retain moIs-
ture.
The entire absence Of any object in the
graves, such as pottery or implements OF
handicraft of any description, renders
difficult the task OF assigning an ac-
curate date to the existence Of the race.
There is good reason, however, for be-
lievIng that in the tombS were buried
the makers Of the shell heaps near by.
These shell heaps also contain skeletons,
and in some cases stone utensile and
carved objects Of rough workmanship
Why these utensils should be found in
the she'll heap graves and not in the
stone tombs is, and is likely to remain,
mystery
A clue to the racial character of these
people is obtained from the shape of the
skulls found in tho graves. These give
evidence that the people practiced the
method of reforming the head, which
was IN common use in this area Until
recent times. A skull from one OF the
tonlbs near Coupeyille, Wash. shows the
characteristic reformation of the Chi
nook heads. in which the forehead and
occiput are so hattened rs to be nearly
parallel Most of the skulls from the
Victoria district were also hattened to
greater or less extent. A few skulls
from other localities suggest a method
of reformation somewhat similar to that
practiced by the Kwaikiuti of British
Columbia, which results in a narrowing
and lengthening OF the skull.
Prof. Smiths discovery is particularly
valuable as throwing light upon a period
when civilization was well nigh at it's
lowest point on our continent, a period
Of which almost nothing is known The
results Of the exploration are now in the
possession of the American Museum Of
Natural History, which will soon publish
them.