Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1902-02-27
Was il an Idol ?

case is an object that will interest
some persons very much although there
are others who would hardly take the
trouble to look at it twice.
1t is block of wood carved into
the likeness of a man, but without
feet, the legs being joined directly to
pedestal which is circular and has
hole through the middle. The efigy
is 2 feet s inches high and weighs so
pounds The material is thought to
be chestnut, but this is not certain.
At the rear, the object is in much the
better state Of preservation and it Is
very evident that the carving was
done with skill and accuracy. But
in front the surface is much worn and
furrowed by the action of the weather
and is consequently rather defaced.
The features can no longer be dlstin-
guished and little is missing from
one side of the head. On the other
side, the ear still remains. The fore
arms extend forward in the act of
holding up some animal, the outlines
of which are very visible, although it
is quite impossible to say what sort of
animal is intended.
Who made this efigy and for what
purpose? No one can now tell. The
story of its discovery throws little
light on the matter.
1t was found by two boys in hor-
izontal crevice in the face of pre-
cipitou. bluff 900 feet high and situ-
ated u miles up the Ksnawba from
the city of Charleston, The cave
was extremely hard to get into and
the boys could hardly tell how they
got the efigy out. A flat stone was
lying upon it, and boy-like they threw
it over the edge of acif. This stone
is not of the same material as the rock
formation Of the cave.
When wood is protected from the
direct action of the elements it will
endure for surprisingly long time.
1t has been known to remain in a good
state of preservation for two and three
thousand years, and in other instances
perhaps much longer. Even in the
rather damp climate Of Norway are
well built log houses, many hundreds
Of years old, and not long ago a vik-
ing ship which must have been near
thousand years old was dug out of
mound.
An image similar to this one was
found in Kentucky. An antiquarian
who has given the subject good deal
of thought is of opinion that this fig
ure is not the work of the Indians,
but of different people. In support
of his view are several rather remark
able facts.
The Indians on the Ohio river had
a tradition that very many years ago
a large number Of white men came
from the east and settled on the river.
They were driven westward and near
ly exterminated IN battle at the falls
of the hio. A few hundred took
refuge on an island, but were killed
to the last man. Several well known
Indian chiefs told this tradition and
many human bones have been found
on the island referred to. Some In
dams of the Sac tribe visited St Louis
in 1900 and on being told that Ken
tucky was settled by whites, they ex-
pressed their surprise that anyone
should live in Kentucky, since 1t was
filed with the spirits of slain white
inhabitants who had lived there long
ago and who possessed arts which were
unknown to the Indians They claimed
that the word Kentucky means river
of blood.
These traditions seem confirmed by
mysterious remains; 20 miles above
Charleston may be traced a stone wall
e.liptcal in form aud 7 or s miles In
circuit. The inclosed area is divided
by cross wall. In the center are two
ruined stone towers and an extensive
burying ground with the bodies facing
east, mode which was not used by
either Indians or mound builders.
Opposite Point Pleasant has b,en
found another stone work of which the
Indians could give no explanation.
In the State of New York was found
some years ago piece Of silver con-
tanning the date a. D. 700. Other
relics are on record which are even
more puzzling than this. Yet they
point to the strong probability that
many years before the final coming OF
the Europeans to America there was
a number of white people here. They
may have held their ground long
while but finally gave yay before the