Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1920-01-15
GET INDIAN RELICS
IN NEVADA CAVERN
CAVE SEALED BY NATURE OVER
5000 YEARS AGO.
General Fremont Heard of II When
Crossing the Rockies-Piute
Legends Record II.

The archaeological department of
the University of Nevada has nearly
completed the exploration of cave
in Nevada, sealed up by nature 5000
years ago. 1t contains relics of what
is believed to be the ancient race
from which the American Indians
sprung, race far older than the Az.
tees.
Among the things brought to light
is the skull declared to be more than
5000 years old certainly and possibly
in existence several hundred thou
sand years ago. II these surmises
are correct, it is older than the Pilt-
down skull found in Kent, England.
Along with the skull were founi
many relics of prehistoric race in
a remarkable state of preservation,
because they have been Theoretically
sealed in natures own preservatives.
Scientists all over the country have
become interested in the find. The
cavern, SO far as it has been explored,
is about 900 feet long, 400 feet wide
and has height OF hundreds Of feet
in places. 1t is a magnificent tomb
for vanished race.
The first mention Of this ancient
civilization that is remembered by
white men dates back to 1874, when
General Fremont led from California
little band of whites across new
trail through the Rockies. He fol-
lowed the Humboldt river until he
came to the shores of what Is now
called Humboldt range or the noun
tains, and a mile south OF Lovelock,
New. In the region of the lake he
entered the land of the Piute, the
chief Of whom was Winnemucca. The
trail makers were met by the Indian
chieftain with open arms.
General Fremont and his party
were guests of the Piute band for
many days. Familiarity with other
tribes had taught Fremont a method
of communication by means Of signs.
He asked the Indian chief If he, IN
his great wisdom, could tell the white
man whence came the red man
their origin. The aged chief by signs
indicated that the history of the In
dians went back to the beginning o;
the world. 1t told how his ucestors
had driven a whole nation into huge
cavern and sealed them there to per-
ish.
When years later Chief Winnemuc-
c. had learned the white mans
tongue the Piute legends spread
among the pioneer miners and final
ly reached the ears of scientific men.
With the coming of education into Nc
vada in the last twenty-five years in
| terest quickened with reported fossil
discoveries in the beds of the extinct
rivers and on the walls of canyons.
At Winnemucca's death his daugh-
| ter Sarah became attached to the
families Of army officers, and through
them the legends became public
when they were recounted in book
| printed in 1870.
Her granddaughter, Sarah Whine
mucca, was educated in reservation
| school. Her imagination fired by the
legends of her people, she repeated
| tHeLh " uci inSli uCloiSS uhei uuaiiy
Prof. ]. C. Jones, chief of the archae-
illogical department of the State uni
versity, determined to make a search
for the lost cave. The stories indi-
Gated that it must be somewhere near
the Humboldt lake. Sarah Winnie
mucca picked spot as near as the
legends could guide her, from which
point the scientists conducted their
search successfully.