SANDERS' INDIAN WARS-VERMONT PRE-HISTORICS, ETC.

BY PROF. JAMES D. BUTLER.

The following extracts must be attractive to readers of the AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN. They are taken from a work of most excessive rarity. A generation ago a copy of that book, then supposed to be the only one in existence, was sold for more than two hundred dollars. After more than twenty years' search, however, a duplicate was discovered in a garret at Windsor, Vermont, in 1874, by L. E. Chittenden-whose autograph was on all the original greenbacks. Four other mutilated specimens were afterwards detected, but in 1893 Mr. Chittenden exulted in possessing the only perfect copy save one. As it turns ouf, there is a third copy, completed in all its parts, in the library of the Wisconsin State Historical Society. A reprint limited to 200 numbered copies was issued on March 20, 1893, in a dainty style; but being thus bottled up, it can not be circulated widely.

The title page, besides a Latin motto from Cicero, reads thus: A history of the Indian wars, with the first settlers of the United States, particularly in New England; written in Vermont, Montpelier, 1812.

The volume, 319 pages, was anonymous, but its author was known to be Rev. Daniel Clark Sanders, president of the Vermont University. As embodying something of original local observation, and still more as showing views of American prehistorics prevalent a century ago, the work of President Sanders, which came so near perishing, deserves to live.

Ten years ago officials of the Smithsonian, at Washington, supposing the Madison copy of the edits princeps to be unique, wrote thither inquiring about its "vocabularia comparativa,' especially as to the following paragraph:

"The vocabularies which have been obtained offer many evidences not only of high authority, but also of Asiatic descent. 'Num' is the name of God among the Poconchi Indians; among the Semoyads in Asia it is changed to 'Nim.' The Delawares use the name of 'Kitchi,' and the Kamptchadals in Asia say 'Kootcha.' The Indians of Pennsylvania use the word 'anna,' and the Peruvians 'mama,' for mother, while in Asia the Tartars say 'ana,' and the Albanians 'mamma.' The Delawares in America say 'nachk' for hand, and the Akashini say 'nak.' The Chinese name of blood is "molbuen;" in Asia the

Koriaki call it 'moollymool.' The name of ice among Chippeways in America is 'meequarme,' while among the Karees in Asia it is 'meek."

However slight the affinities may appear between American and Asiatic languages, yet the radical affinities "of the Indian languages must be obvious to every observer. But however useful extensive Indian and Asiatic vocabularies may prove, yet the cautious genius of philosophy will not be ready to erect an entire system on a few analogies or obscure etymologies" (p. 191).

INDIAN AFFAIRS IN VERMONT.

"Indian cornfields are plainly to be seen in various parts of Vermont. In the intervales at Burlington several hundred acres together were found by the American settlers, entirely cleared, not a tree upon them. * Arrow-heads are to be found in almost every spot. They are very numerous on Onion River, and in all the woods in Burlington. Barrels of them are annually ploughed up around Bombareen pond, in Castleton, where are still the vestiges of a once populous Indian village. Here are dug up pestles, pots, and other utensils, in great abundance. Some of these are so common in the state as to cease to be articles of curiosity.

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At Rockingham are some attempts in a rock to give certain heads of men, women, children, and animals. They are very rude and indented one-third of an inch. * In Kellyvale is yet to be seen something like an attempt at painting. * Several Indian pots have been found in the county of Chittenden. The most complete of these was lately found in Bolton. It is about three feet in circumference, nearly half an inch thick, without legs or eyes for a bail."

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President Sanders describes so many pre-historic relics that we are constrained to believe Vermont to have been for ages not only the hunting-ground of aborigines, but their permanent abode to a much greater extent than is admitted by the historians of the state,

AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGY.

[From the China Daily News, October 8, 1894]

The opinion that Amerihan culture as it was before the age of Columbus was of Asiatic origin is becoming more widely spread. At the me ting in August, 1894, of the British Association at Oxford, Dr. E. B. Tylor read a paper on the distribution of mythical beliefs. If such myths as that of the Bridge of the Dead are found to be distributed widely in the world, we have in this fact evidence of the linking which exists between the great religions of the world. The weighing of souls in a spiritual balance is another such widely scattered myth. In the religion of ancient Mexico four great scenes in the journey of the soul in the land of spirits are depicted in the Aztec picture writing of what is known as the Vatican Codex. I. The crossing of the river of death. 2. The passage of the soul between two great mountains that clash together. 3. The soul climbing up a mountain set with sharp obsidian knives. 4. The dangers resulting from these knives being carried about by the wind. There is a close resemblance between these pictures and certain scenes of the Buddhist purgatory depicted on Japanese temple scrolls. Here are seen, first, souls wading across the river of death; second, souls passing between two iron mountains, which are pushed together by demons; third, souls climbing the mountain of knives whose sharp blades cut their hands and feet; fourth, knife-blades flying through the air. Dr. Tylor also referred to Humboldt's argument from the calendars and mythic catastrophes in Mexico and Asia, and to the correspondence in bronze works and games in both regions, and expressed the opinion that the evidence was sufficient to justify anthropologists in considering that ancient American culture was due to a great extent to Asiatic influence.

Mr. James Wickersham, of Tacoma, has advocated in THE AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN for January, 1894, that Japanese art has found its way to Puget Sound by the drifting that has taken place on the Japanese current of vessels large and small at different periods. Partly this current bathes the Alaskan shore and partly it sweeps majestically to the south, coasting the states of Washington, Oregon and California. There has been a civilizing mission in this great current. The Kurosiwo has carried the knowledge of Asia across the broad Pacific to elevate and educate the Indians of the western continent. It is not only Japanese that have been conveyed to America, mixed with native races there, and taught them what they know. Vessels of other Asiatic nations that wandered so far east as to reach the Kurosiwo have always been liable to a like destiny. Thus the conclusion at which the eminent Oxford anthropologist has arrived is sustained.

COMPARISON OF THE EFFIGY-BUILDERS WITH THE MODERN INDIANS.

BY STEPHEN D. PEET.

We have in previous papers given a description of the effigy mounds—their shapes, attitudes, locations, and have undertaken to explain their object and interpret their significance, but have not heretofore undertaken to compare them with the work of any other prehistoric people. The recent appearance of two volumes from the Ethnological Bureau, one of which gives a description of the mounds, the other the Dakota myths, leads us to institute such a comparison, with a thought that it may furnish us with a key to certain unsolved problems which have been presented by the effigies. These problems have relation (1) to the area of the tribe which built the effigies; (2) to the religious system which led to their erection; (3) the question whether the effigies contained any record of the people; (4) the question of the clan life and its resemblance to modern clans. There are other problems which we do not expect to entirely clear up; but we believe that the study which has been given to the effigies, taken as a whole, and the comparison of the system contained in them will have removed the mystery which has heretofore covered them, and that a satisfactory basis may be reached, on which we may build the record of the prehistoric age. I. We shall begin with the consideration of the tribal area of the effigy-builders.

1. This people were situated in the state of Wisconsin, a state which in many respects resembles the state of New York, especially in the fact that there are so many beautiful inland lakes within its borders.

2. The effigy-builders seem to have been composed of a single tribe who held supreme sway in this state for a long time during the prehistoric age, and here developed their social life free from interference from other tribes.

3. The area of the effigy builders corresponded with the area known to have been occupied by the Winnebagoes as late as the beginning of the settlements by the whites.

4. Effigies are found in Iowa and Minnesota, showing that the people were at peace with the people who were then occupying that region. This confirms what we have said about the Winnebagoes, for they were a branch of the Dakotas and were at peace with them.

5. The custom of building effigies in stone prevailed in the

region occupied by the Dakotas, making it probable that this wide-spread stock were the actual effigy-builders.

6. The comparison of the effigies to the inscriptions contained in the caves of Iowa show a remarkable resemblance, making it probable that the same general people left their records in the entire region.

These are the points which are brought out by recent discoveries, They confirm what we have already said in reference to the effigy-builders, and we shall, therefore, take them up in their order.

I. Let us first take up the location of the different groups outside of the state.

It is due to Mr. T. H. Lewis that these groups have been brought to light, and we shall refer to his descriptions and quote them in detail. Mr. Lewis says on examining the delineations. very important differences in class and style from those farther east are discernible. These differences, however, are not such as to conflict with what we have said, for the same animals are represented and the effigies are built in the same way, and prove to be the totems of the very same clans.

It

We shall begin with the Fig. 1.-Effigies near La Crescent, Minn. group opposite La Crescent. See Fig. 1. This group was situated on a terrace above the Mississippi River. consists of a number of round mounds. Among them is an effigy of a frog. Near it is the effigy of a bird, and within a quarter of a mile there are five other bird effigies and sixtynine round mounds. The frog is about ninety-eight feet long. It is near the site of Hokah, on the Root River, (Heyokah is the name of a Dakota divinity). He is represented in a sprawling attitude. Its full length is sixty-two feet.

There are two bird effigies on a terrace some 10 feet below this, and formerly there existed several other effigies, 30 or 40 round mounds and several embankments. Near Richmond Station, on a terrace 24 feet above the river, is a bird effigy with wings spread, measuring 76 feet from tip to tip and 44 feet from head to tail, and a number of ordinary mounds in the vicinity. Near the village of Dakota, Minnesota, also on a terrace, is the effigy of a fish with fins in the midst of 19 ordinary mounds. It measures 110 feet in length and 22 feet in height. Mr. Lewis says this is the only fish effigy in which the fins are visible.

These effigies are opposite Trempeleau County, Wisconsin, and may help us to decide as to the totem of the clan which dwelt there. Judge Gale, of Galesville, states that there are