Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1926-05-08
LEARNS ABOUT INDIANS
FROM BRINK OF GRAVE
Guides Over 100 Years Old
Tell Ancient Legends


nolOglst Of the Smithsonian institu-
ton, whose discovery in California of
the skull of the ancient so-called Santa
Barbara man a year ago last sum-
mer raised anew the question Of the
antiquity of man on the American con.
tinent, Is continuing his explorations
In California. He is expected back In
Washington in March with new and
valuable chronological and archeolog-
ical information.
Mr.. Harrington is one of the fore.
most experts on the languages OF the
American aborigines. He recently
made a study of the language OF the
"white Indians" brought back from
Panama by II. G. Marsh.
Mr.. Harrington has sent word to DR..
J. Walter Fewkes. chief Of the bureau
Of American ethnology, that he Is RES
cuing rare data from the brink OF the
grave through old and feeble Indian
guides who alone possess any informa'
ton Of the ancient village sites WIS.,
tied.
On an expedition into Lost valley
Mr.. Harrington went with Francisco
Laus on horseback and remained sew.
eral days In the mountains, discover
ing rare rancheria sites and filling q
space hitherto. blank on the archeolog.
ical map Of California.
Guide Very Old and Feeble.
'The Indian Francisco is very old
and feeble" writes Mr.. Harrington.
"and the trip was very hard on him.
All the Information which he gave on
these places was rescued from the
brink Of the grave and there is no one
else that knows even a fraction Of It,"
Mr.. Harrington visited place
where the Indians formerly captured
eagles by letting man down the face
Of q cliff by means Of q rabbit net
woven of the red milkweed hber.
Another Of Mr.. Harrington's guides
10 Angel Cuilpe. one hundred and four
years old. who accompanied him on
a trip down the Canada de lac Twas.
"Many Of the archaeological sites We
visited" writes Mr.. Harrington, "appar.
entity had not been touched since IN.
dian times and we found without ain.
Guilty the old hut circles on the sur
face Of the ground, either marked BY
rings Of rocks which were formed by
the Indians clearing the surface for
the circular hut or by rings Of raised
earth which mark the former walls.
Ancient Village 10 Found.
'The largest village we discovered
was that known to the Mission In.
dams as Milyahu. This differed from
the other sites in being. located on a
detached rocky hill. which has the ap.
pearance Of q great towering citadel
when seen from the arroyo. The little
Indian wigwams. varying in diameter
from fourteen to twenty feet, nestle
all over the summit Of this hill and
the circles are as fresh a. II the place
had been abandoned yesterday"
On q hill on the Santa Maria ranch
near Ramona Mr.. Harrington discov.
cred an ancient Indian fertilization
wall, which Is evidently In much the
same condition as when It was aban-
doned. 1t IL made Of rocks piled In
the form Of parapet Ave feet or more
in height. The wall forms corral
around the top of the hill. Command
ing a fine view Of the valley. 1t was
used, according to tradition. as an out
look.
In Palm canyon he reaped rich
harvest In hitherto unrecorded place
names and archaeological sites. On this
trip Juanito Raxon. more than one
hundred years old, was His guide.
They went across the sand washes
and rocky arroyos in an automobile
a hard trip. They visited ancient wa
ter holes, painted rocks, caves. sacred
stones and magical springs