Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-05-30
RELICS OF THE RED MAN.
Rice Lake. This County, Once Favor
tie Resort for Him.

Rice Lake, This County, Once Favor
lite Resort for Him.
Few people in this city or in the county
are aware of the Indian legends that are
connected with the country surround
ing Rice lake in the town of Day, or
OF the interest it affords those who seek
curios. Rice lake is situated in dense
~ wooded country, far removed from
any railroad, and about the only service
able wagon road which connects it
with civilization is one leading south to
the village of Auburndale, on the Wis
consin Central Ry. in Wood county. 1t
IS In reality only widening of The
Little Eau Pleine river, supplemented
with bayous, and is fed with numerous
springs, consequently its water is al
ways clear and pure. 1t is well stocked
with fish, and having numerous rice
beds, it has always been home for
numerous species of water fowl. With
the exception of one clearing, its banks
are still covered with heavy growth
of timber, and it still possesses the
beauty Mother Nature gave it. Con-
sequently, if it were not for the incon-
venience experienced in reaching it, it
would soon become the Mecca'of sports
men and of the pleasure seeker With
its fish, water fowl, wild rice, clear
water and natural beauty it was fa-
vorite rendezvous for the Indian, aud
for generations the Chippewas pitched
their tepees on its shores and supplied
their larder from its waters. Long
after the whites settled in that section
of the county, Rice lake was still haunt
for the red man, and it was only with
the order from the government, plac-
| ing him on the reservation, that he left
country which had so long been dear
to him. He has, however, left a legacy
| to his white brother in the way of
legends and relics, and it was that of
| which we started to write.
Save for two farm houses in the inn
mediate vicinity there is not habita-
| ton for miles around. One of these
houses is located on the farm of Geo. E.
Reynolds, and this farm appears to
| have been favorite camping ground
| for the Indian.
When the first white man set foot in
| that section, there was small clearing
| on this farm which bore evidences of
| having been cleared of timber genera
/ tions prior to that time Since the land
| has been put under cultivation the pillow
has turned up many an interesting relic
and enough have been picked up from
| the land to fill a farmers wood rack, of
| the kind used by majority of our
farmers when wood is high priced.
They consist of stone trinkets and i'm
| plements of war and of the chase Ar
row heads and spear heads without
number have been found, as well as
battle axes and hammers. Many
triangular shaped stones, with holes
bored through them, have been found
and are supposed to have been worn by
the aborigines as a pendant or charm.
Some of the latter have scrawled on
their faces strange looking hieroglyphics
while others have a cross cut in them.
| Images have also been found, shaped
| from lead ore, some several inches in
| length. These evidently came from q
great distance, probably from the lead
| producing district in the southern
| part of the state, for no lead ore has
ever been found in this section. In
making their implements of war, two
| kinds of stones were used and two
methods employed in their manufacture
The arrow and spear heads are made
| from the hardest kind of flint and were
formed by clipping off small pieces
until thin, sharp edge was obtained.
From the time the first arrow heads
came to the notice of the white man,
until the present day, the method of
their manufacture has always remained
mystery. Stone manufacturers have
from time to time attempted to produce
an arrow head similar to the ones made
by the Indians, but every attempt has
| been attended with failure. The
Indian had no chisel or other steel tools,
even i'll the crudest form, and yet he
made a weapon which the most skilled
mechanic of today, equipped with all
modern appliances, has been unable to
| duplicate, 1t has been claimed by some
that piece of flint was first heated to a
red heat, and then gradually shaped
into an arrow head by allowing drops
of water to fall upon it, which cracked
off pieces. This may be true and it
may not, but it is altogether likely that
the exact method of manufacture will
never be known, for the bow and arrow
have been supplanted by the rifle
The battle axes, hammers and trinkets
were made of softer stone, and evil
| IDENTIFY were shaped by rubbing harder
stone over their surface, for they have
a smooth, polished appearance. Some
of the battle axes weigh as much as
eight pounds. They have sharp edge
and around the top a groove is cut. A
handle was fastene to this groove by a
thong Mr.. Reynolds, who lately pur-
chased the farm, has decided to care
fully collect every relic he can find, and
some day will have an interesting
collection.
About the lake are still visible many
mounds, though a number have been
desecrated by the curio hunter. Some
of these mounds are so old that the
bones of the aborigines they once en-
cased have long since mouldered into
dust, and the relic hunter, upon digging
into them, is only rewarded by finding
few stone trinkets. In others skele-