The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-04-17

saS. Mr.. RicheyS paper, which is on
early Spanish explorations and Indian i'm
plements in Kansas shows years Of re-
search and a complete mastery of the sub
| ject by the writer. The portion referred to
! follows:
Flint hills were the gold mines /of the
| Indian. Knowing little of metals, he
wrought flint, his best material, into
| various implements for his uses These
are scattered over many parts of Kan
sas- The typical arrow-point and spear
head are most frequently found. but
| pieces are also found which show that
! they have been used as hoes, digging i'm
PIGMENTS. sledges axes. hammers scrap
| ers knives, and drills. Among these lat
ter are celts and axes which have been
worn smooth by rubbing or grinding.
These axes commonly have a groove
around them. for facility in hating
Strings Of buffalo or other hide were fitted
into the groove and passed round the
handle in such way that the AK and
hanuIe We're firmly bound together, thus
making an effective implement or weapon.
Wood being scarce in prairie countries.
there were not as many axes used as
where timber abounded. Materials best
suited for the purposes of the Indians
were eagerly sought by them, and the
localities where they We're obtained were
known for hundreds of miles. The cat
Unite, a soft red stone found in Mime
sofa, was wrought into pipes and tablets,
after having been carried long distances.
Many Of these pipes have been found
in Kansas The material Of which they
were made was highly priced. and it is
said that such was the reverence for the
locality where it was found that hostile
tribes suspended hostlities when near it.
1t is very probable that certain Indian
implements found in Kansas were used
for more than one purpose A hammer
or AK, besides being "a formidable weapon
in war, was also useful for other pur-
poses. The same may be said of arrow
points and spear-heads. While they were
useful in k--Ing animals for subsistence
and to supply other wants, they were the
main weapons on the war-path. The bones
Of the buffalo and other animals were
sometimes fashioned into implements
The Indians of KANSAS, or at least some
of them, certainly had a love for the
beautiful. In my collection there are
pieces in which streaks of beautiful red
alternate with others of white. Others
have an attractive notified appearance,
while still others have the appearance of
miniature rainbows. In my rambles over
the state l have frequently seen inter-
mingled many objects of flint differing in
color and quality from those manufac
tured from the flint in the vicinity. This
is an indication, if not a proof, that the
Indians residing in such localities had
with others from remote |
distances 1t is not at all likely that all, |
or even half, from a distance were OBJ |
tanned by conquest Near Marquette, on |
the Smoky Hill, and in other places, / |
have obtained some very small pieces of |
rare beauty. Some of these were likely |
used as ornaments, and,->indeed, they /
would be appreciated as such at the pres |
emit day. These pieces are very interest |
ing, and the skill by which flint was
into such small and beautiful
forms is worthy of our admiration and |
study.
a certain writer has assumed that the
western limit of Quivira was on the Ar
near Great Bend; and, in support
Of that theory. he states that some flint
Indian relics have been found near that
point, as though that was n significant
act. Old settlers and others have known,
since the earliest settlement of the coun-
nv, that such Indian relics are found in
many localities in Kansas, as well as else
where He has gone so far to represent
N map that Quivira extended from the
rkansas, near Great Bend, to near the
mouth of the Smoky Hill. This would be
vice the distance of siXty-six miles,
which the narratives plainly state was
he length of the journey through Quivira.
[ Is plain that. if the western limit Of
Quivira was near Great Bend. as he
tates, Quivira could have extended only
ixty-six miles from that point. But he =
utterly ignores and eliminates this dis
ance of sixty-six miles, and, stretching it
bout twice its extent. to some Indian
illage sites, declares that the relics on
hese sites. like the relics near Great
Bend mark the location of Quivira.
Besides the fact that he eliminates the
art of the narratives giving the sixty
ix-mile limit of the journey. and conse-
uently, does not trace the march TO .
hese sites. they are far beyond the sixty
ix-mile limit from Great Bend, his west
IN terminal. and consequently. he utterly
ais to connect them with the Spanish
ne of march.
1t is surely obvious that no location of
,uivira can be made by ignoring or elm :
hating the narratives Of the explorers,
as regards distance
The Significance attached by this whittier
D the Indian relics found on the village
ties referred to led a few people tenn j
orarily, and in a complimentary way. to
i've countenauce to that theory. 1t was
DON learned. however, that it had no :
oundation. for n personal Investigation =
bowed that flint implements. similar 10 I,
lose on the lower Smoky HILL were found ,
, Nebraska. on the Verdigris, the Cot
,nwood and other streams in Kansas. and d.
! disconnected localities elsewhere Much. :
lerefore. as We might wish that these
int relics would throw light on the sub
,ct. their wide distribution eliminates
leir evidence. and renders them incon-
usive. If not worthless as factors in de- :
trimming the location of the Quivira of !.
oronado. Resides this. the most Of them
nv have been manufactured since Coro-
ldos time.