1569 BULLETIN OF THE MIERICaN ETHWOLOGIC/il, 
 
 SOCIETY. V. 1 (Apr. 17 to May 22, 18,0, 
 
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 MARSHALL H. SAVILLE COLLECTION 
 
iCOHNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 
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 RE 3? O R T 
 
 ON THE 
 
 HUACALS, OE ANCIENT GRAYEYARDS 
 
 OF OHIEIQUI. 
 
 A PAPEE BEAD BEFOEK THE AMBEIOAN ETHNOLOGICAL SOOIBTT, BY 
 J. KING MEEEIT, M.D. 
 
 [Dr. Merritt "was director of a gold-mine in Veraguas, and spent several weeks, In the 
 • summer of 1859, in examining and excavating the newly discovered graves—Huacas or 
 Guaoas— in the adjoining province of Chiriqui, about flfly miles north of Panama.] 
 
 In the autumn of 1858 two Spanish Creole farmers of Chiriqui, while 
 engaged in gathering a crop of com, accidentally discovered a golden 
 image, which had heen exposed hy the uprooting of a plant. They cau- 
 tiously and secretly made farther search hy sinking a pit at thi^ point, 
 and were successful in ohfaining more. With this encouragement they 
 determined to explore the Huaoal, the existence of which had been well 
 known for years. They proceeded in this work,. n(jt continuously, 
 but as circumstances would permit, untU the 1st of May, 1859, when 
 their concealed operations became known to the inhabitants of the 
 vicinity. The consequence was, that by the middle of May more than a 
 thousand persons were engaged in ransacking the graves of this Huacal, 
 which is located in the district of Boqueron and parish of Bugaba, about 
 twenty-fivfe miles irom David, and fifteen miles o^H|-om the sea, in a 
 direct line. The names of the fortunate disoovereSHre Ignacio Guerra . 
 sind Victorio Pitti, who succeeded in coUeoting together, as admitted to 
 me by themselves, about 130 pounds weight of golden figures, a large 
 proportion of which, however, are more or less alloyed with copper. 
 
 Two anecdotes were related to me connected with the earlier explora- 
 tions of this Huacal. One was, that a lad, the son of Ignacio Querra, 
 seemed to possess the " divining power." It is said he always selected 
 the grave to be opened, and was almost uniformly successful in the 
 selection of a "gold-bearing" one; while perhaps the next adjoining, 
 although carefully explored by other parties, would yield only pottery. 
 This boy, it is stated, would proceed in advance of his father, " pro- 
 
4 DE. mbejeitt's paper on 
 
 specting;" and, having chosen the grave, would say, with perfect non- 
 chalance, " Padre mio ! aqui esta una Huaca rica : ella tiene muchas 
 figuras del oro." [Father, here is a rich grave; it has many golden 
 images.] The other anecdote related to the " confidence" operations of 
 the priest of the parish. He pretended to possess the " divining rod," a 
 relic of some gold-seeker of olden time. "With this, it is said, he would 
 proceed to the Huaoal, followed hy a throng of eager grave-diggers, and 
 would designate to each the golden sepulchres for the unselfish consid- 
 eration of one third of the yield. His rod and modus opera/adi were 
 more simple than ingenious. . The rod was an antique steel bar. This 
 was suspended near its middle hy a small cord, which was grasped in 
 his outstretched hand. Upon arriving at a suspected locality, he would 
 give the bar a rapid twirl, and begin to mutter an " Ave" or a " Beni- 
 dicite" in a hurried manner. • "When the bar ceased to gyrate, the longer 
 end, depressed by its greater weight, indicated the desired spot. This 
 profitable farce was practiced by the priest for a few days, until the 
 arrival of some intelligent and influential persons from David, who. 
 exposed the swindle. 
 
 This Huaoal of Bugaba had been quite thoroughly explored by the 
 first of August, and people were then directing their attention to others 
 in the vicinity; but the heavy rains, which daUy occurred, prevented 
 any considerable progress in many, and in some entirely stopped the 
 operations. Consequently the Huacal of Bugaba had yielded nearly all 
 the golden images up to this date, which I have estimated could not 
 have been worjji more than $50,000. This calculation is based upon 
 their metallic value merely, and not upon their fancied valuation as 
 curiosities. 
 
 The Huaoal of Bugaba embraced an area of twelve acres, but was 
 divided into two sections — by a slight depression extendilig in an east- 
 and-west direction — ^in which not a single grave has been encountered. 
 This depression jfcthe surface varied in width from eighteen to ten 
 yards, toward tl^Hlst. The two sections were respectively five and 
 seven acres, and were located on slightly elevated eminences, about four 
 hundred yards from a small river, the course of frhich is northeast by 
 east at this point. The rise from the river banks to the Huacal is very 
 gradual, except at the northern boundary, which is somewhat abrupt, 
 and around which the river turns toward the east. The general 
 direction of the Huacal is north and south ; and the greater portion of 
 the graves were found on the western and southern slopes. There did 
 not appear a general regularity in the position of the Huaoas, or graves, 
 but frequently there would occur several side, by side. The distance 
 between the grave-pits varied from nine to fifteen inches at the more 
 
THE GEAYETAEDS OF CHIEIQUI. 5 
 
 crowded portions of the Huacal. The universal direction of the quad- 
 rangular Huaoas is north and south by the polar star. 
 
 There are two forms of Huacas or graves — the oval and quadrangu- 
 lar ; and their mode of construction is an interesting matter for consid- 
 eration. I, with a small party of peons, examined carefully and system- 
 atically one of the former and several of the latter description ; and 
 besides, saw a large number of both varieties opened by parties in the 
 vicinity. The material uniformly employed in the construction of the 
 sepuloher proper was flat and rounded river stone. The oval grave-pits 
 were from four and a half to six feet deep, and from three to four feet in 
 their largest diameters. A wall of the sfcnded river stone, two and a 
 half to three feet high, lined the grave-pit at the bottom, after the man- 
 ner of a modern well. From the top of this wall to the surface 'the 
 entire area of the grave-pit was closely packed with rounded river stone. 
 Within the limits of the wall, which seemed to he the tomb proper, were 
 found principally the golden figures, and the vessels of pottery, etc. The 
 greater portion of the oval or circular Huacas were located in the 
 northern and western sections of the burial-ground ; and, as a general 
 mle, yielded the most figures of gold and the finest specimens of pottery. 
 The relics in these were found usually at the eastern and northern sides'; 
 and the gold figures sometimes were located, it is said, in the crevices 
 of the wall — but in no instance in the earthen jars associated with them. 
 The circular graves, being confined to the slopes of the Huacal, were 
 more or less covered by the wash from the elevated sections of the 
 Huacal, so that the top stones of the package were in many cases nearly 
 a foot beneath the surface. No vestige of the human body was discov- 
 ered in the oval Huacas ; but a black loam occupied the spaces between 
 the relics and the stone package. Occasionally eaythen vessels were 
 found in the stone package near the surface. The quadrangular Huacas 
 were constructed in two modes. In one case the gr^Bspit was lined by 
 walls of rounded river stone about one third the distame to the surface ; 
 and from the top of these walls the entire area of the grave-pit was 
 closely packed with river stone, as in the oval grave. Within the limits 
 of these walls, and in close proximity to the bottom of the grave-pit, 
 were found most of the rehcs contained in them. These Huacas were 
 larger and yielded more gold images and finer pottery than the other 
 variety of the quadrangular grave, and were in juxtaposition with the 
 oval graves, occurring interspersed with them in the northern and west- 
 em sections of the Huacal, but abounding principally in the southern 
 portion of the ground. Some of these Huacas were nearly six feet deep, 
 especially those situated in the depressed sections of the Huacal, and the 
 area of the grave-pit measured frequently seven by four and a half feet. 
 
6 DE. 
 
 In these tlie relics were usually found near the bottom, at the northern 
 and southern extremities, and more or less on the eastern side. The 
 gold figures most frequently were located about one fourth of the- dis- 
 tance from the head to the foot of the grave-pit, and in the medial line. 
 In these Huaoas, also, earthen vessels were encountered in the stone 
 package near the surface, and generally at either extremity. 
 
 The other variety of the 'quadrangular Huaca, although poor in relics, 
 was more artistically and carefully constructed, iind in a better state of 
 preservation ; for in many of them everything was encountered " in 
 situ." In these a vault existed, which was formed of flat river stone, 
 and was of the requisite sizAo contain a human body in the supine 
 position, so far as the length and breadth are considered, but in the 
 height giving ample space for the introduction of the earthen rejics. 
 These Huacas were located mostly on the more elevated portion of the 
 Huaoal, and in the southern and eastern sections. A grave-pit had been 
 sunk about three feet deep and six and a half by four feet in area ; and 
 then a lesser pit, by eight to ten inches on all sides, was farther sunk to 
 the additional depth of about two feet. This smaller pit was lined by 
 flat stones placed edgewisQ, which were held in position by other flat 
 stones resting flatwise upon the upper edges of these and the surface of 
 the recess in the sides of the grave-pit. The floor of the vault was not 
 paved, but presented a hard, pebbly clay surface, with two depressions 
 frequently, one at either extremity, and corresponding with the probable 
 positions of the occiput and the heels of the body. The cover to the 
 vault was composed of flat stones, quite closely adjusted, and sufficiently 
 overlapping the sides to be firm, and not liable to cave in from the 
 variations of position of the sides, consequent upon subsequent settlings 
 of the earth and stone from natural causes.' From the cover of the 
 vault to the surface, the entire area of the grave-pit was closely packed 
 with river stone, ^newhat larger than ordinary paving-stone. In these 
 Huacas the relic^were also found mostly in the vault, at the head and 
 foot, and on the east gide. So far as my experience goes, earthen-ware 
 only was found in these, although I was told that a few had contained 
 the smaller gold figures. Specimens of pottery were encountered also in 
 these, at either extremity of the stone package, immediately above the 
 cover of the vault. The location of these vaulted Huacas, being the 
 more elevated section of the burial-ground, and the vaults also preserv- 
 ing their outlines, the stone package of most of them was slightly raised 
 above the general surface. A black loamy earth occupied all the graves 
 proper, or the original position of the body in it. 
 
 It would seem, from the facts I have stated, that the gold-bearing 
 graves were those which were ruder in their construction, and which 
 
THE GEAVETAUD8 OF CHIEIQUI. 7 
 
 occupied, to some degree, a particular section of the Huaoal, although 
 the limits of this were not well defined. The golden ornaments were 
 not found in many successive Huacas, even at the richest pdnts of the 
 Huacal. Pottery, however, was encountered more or less in every 
 Huaca. It is reported that in other Huacals, in the vicinity of Bugaba, 
 traces of human hair have been discovered ; hut in those of Bugaba, 
 which I explored carefully, no such evidence of the body was encoun- 
 tered. I have, however, the enamel of a molar tooth, taken from a 
 grave in a Huacal, near that of Bugaba. 
 
 Most of the gold figures taken from the Huacas of Ohiriqui were prob- 
 ably ornaments, worn by the person buried, and were suspended about 
 the neck. There are, apparently, some exceptions to this. Circular 
 thin plates of fine gold were found, one stfrface of which uniformly 
 presented a worn appearance. They are all perforated by two holes, 
 about an inch and a half from each other and the margin. These holes 
 resemble the! ragged puncture whi(!h would be produced by a modern 
 nail, driven from the worn side ; and there is no evidence of friction on 
 the edges of these^pertures. Another gold figure resembles the iron 
 thimble used by riggers at the end of a rope, to which is attached a 
 ring or hook. In some Huacas have been found a great number of thin, . 
 laminar pieces of fine gold, of various shapes, such as square, oblong, 
 triangular, and rhombic, which weighed from 5 to 30 grains, Troy. 
 
 The golden ornaments are, for the most 'part, representations of the 
 natural objects peculiar to that region. Many of them, however, are 
 grotesque and fantastical imitations and combinations of such objects, 
 and a few seem to be efforts of fancy or superstition. 
 
 Nearly dl the golden figures are alloyed with copper, which was the 
 only metal used for such a purpose in this section, apparently. Some 
 of the better executed figures are scarcely more than eight or ten carats 
 fine. This alloy of the figures is artificial. The figures have been 
 " cast" generally, and some have been finished to their existing shapes 
 by subsequent beating. The largest gdden figure, of high degree of 
 purity, found in the Huacal of Bugaba, weighed between eleven and 
 twelve ounces. The specimens of pottery found associated with the 
 gold figures are generally larger and of a finer quality than in the other 
 Huacas. 
 
 To the antiquarian these possess a great interest, as they afford some 
 idea of the domestic habits and the degree of civilization attained by 
 that ancient people, of whose history we as yet know nothing. The 
 specimens which I have seen, and a few that I have brought from 
 Ohiriqui, exhibit a high degree of advancement in the most diffiioult art 
 of pottery — forms as symmetrical and graceful as any of classic or mod- 
 
8 DE. MBUEITTS PAPBE. 
 
 ern dates. Tlie glazing and painting of some are in a wonderful state 
 of preservation, tlie colors being bright and distinct ; and many are 
 entirely unaffected, in their composition, by the lapse of time. 
 
 There is a domestic utensil frequently occurring in the Hnacas, worthy 
 of particular notice. It is the so-called corn-grinder, which seems to be 
 carved from stone. It most frequently bears a resemblance to a tiger, 
 with its body expanded to ah oval tablet form, and its tail curved so as 
 to be connected with one of the posterior legs, which serves as a handle. 
 Another form, quite rare, is a circular tablet, supported by figures of 
 monkeys, arranged regularly in a circle, and standing upon a base ring, 
 the entire piece carved from a block of stone. There was a peculiar 
 fancy among that people i^ introduce pellets of the same material into 
 cavities, where such might occur properly in the molding of the various 
 articles of pottery, or of the gold figures. 
 
 The musical instruments made of clay are very curious, and evince 
 considerable cultivation in the musical art. They are of varied forms, 
 but principally the figures of birds and animals. 
 
 Arrow-heads and stone instruments, resembling h«tchets, were found 
 associated In the same Huaca. 
 
 The existence of Huacals throughout the southern portion of the 
 Isthmus and Central America has beeli long known to the inhabitants ; 
 but, strange to say, I have ijot heard of any such burial-grounds on the 
 northern side of the Isthmus, from the lagoons of Ohiriqui to the valley 
 of the Chagres — and where they would have been discovered by the 
 gold-seeker, who has been ransacking this section for more than 300 
 years. The locale of the Huaoal appears to be the plain, valley, and 
 upland of the Pacific side of the Isthmus. * • 
 
 I have received intelligence that on an elevated plateau, called Bo- 
 quete, have been encountered Huacals in the forest, marked by largo 
 pillars of stone, three feet above the surface, and some ten inches in 
 ' diameter. The pottery in these -was very large and ponderous, and was 
 BO friable that no specimens ofit coiild be taken out or carried without 
 crumbling to small fragments. 
 
BULLETIN^ 
 
 OF THE 
 
 AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 
 
 April lyxH, i860. 
 
 Osr Tnesdj^ evening, the April meeting was held at the residence of 
 the President, Hon. Gboege Folsom, who occupied the chair. 
 
 Chieiqtji Eelics. — A letter was received from Mr. Totten, chief engi- 
 neer of the Panama Railroad Company at Aspinwall, April 2d, accepting 
 his appointment as a corresponding memher, and promising to send more 
 curiosities from the Ohiriqui graveyards, ;^artioularly specimens of the 
 stone posts or columns which have recently been found in some of them, 
 porting the roofs. He writes : 
 
 " I was in error in statiBg that the images I sent you were the only 
 stone images discovered in Chiriqui. I was so informed ; but I have re- 
 cently seen small ones from that locality, and also numerous stone arti- 
 cles, apparently household utensils, with figures of animals cut upon them, 
 showing that the art of working stone was known to the aborigines of 
 that country." 
 
 Danish Antiquities. — Lieut. -Ool. W. D. Eaasloff, OTia/rge W Affair ea 
 for Denmark, took his seat as a member, and presented a collection of 
 ancient stone instruments, received from Professor Thompson, Director 
 of the Royal Museums of Copenhagen. They were taken from ancient 
 mounds, and were chiefly made of flint. The most highly finished is a 
 spear-head, or perhaps a poniard, 9 or 10 inches long. 
 
 Mr. R. also presented a collection of archaeological publications from 
 Denmark, and specimens of the beautiful new coins issued by his Gov- 
 ernment for circulation in their W. Indies. They are of 1 cent, 5, 10, 
 and 20 cents, on the American decimal system. 
 
 On motion of Dr. Wynne, seconded by Mr. Loosey (Austrian Oonsul- 
 General), the thanks of the Society were presented to Mr.' Raasloff and 
 Prof. Thompson. 
 
 The President spoke in terms of admiration of the extent, value, and 
 beauty of the Danish museums, expressed regret that they should be so 
 far before us, in even American antiquities, for which they deserve high 
 
10 BTJLLETIN OF THE 
 
 praise. "We should be enoonraged by their example, ,and we hare a vast 
 field for exploration. 
 
 The President presented the two publications of the " Shanghai Liter- 
 ary and Scientific Society," published at Shanghai. 
 
 Aeab Manhsoeipt. — A letter was read from Louis Tappan, Esq., 
 accompanying an Arabic manuscript, of several pages, from Africa, pur- 
 porting to contaiu a history of the world, extracted from the Koran. 
 Mr. Cotheal reported that it wa^ so, and evidently recently written by 
 some educated negro of Afrjpa. It is on ruled, light blue paper, appar- 
 ently American. 
 
 The Isthmus. — ^Dr. Davis presented a letter from Mr. Hawes, of 
 Panama, with a map containing interesting answers to questions con> 
 oeming the Ohiriqui graves. A law was passed by the Spanish, in 1642. 
 claiming all gold found in guacas (meaning graves), whi(^ abound in 
 Central America, New Granada, and Peru. He knows of no sculptured 
 rocks. Mounds are numerous on the Isthmus, and some large ; but none 
 have ever been opened, except one, which has recently been dug into, 
 and some pottery found. 
 
 A report on Gen. Herran's Ohiriqui earthen relics, from the Committee 
 on Antiquities, described the twenty-five articles of which it consists : 
 nine tripods, ten vases, two small musical instruments, etc. The vessels, 
 like others, in the collections of Drs. Davis and Merritt, are neatly and 
 sometimes very gracefully formed of clay, of diflferent degrees of fineness, 
 few of them with any appearance of having been fused, some glazed with 
 an unknown substance, and painted, probably with metallic oxyds, 
 which it is desirable to have analyzed. Most of them are soon soaked 
 through by water ; but such as are glazed are water-tight. The uses of 
 most of them it is difficult to conjecture. Several bear resemblance to Eo- 
 man, Grecian, and Etruscan jars, figured by Monfaufon and others. One 
 is nearly like a diota^ or Grecian two-eared one, among his specimens. 
 
 Dr. Davis remarked on the historical value of ancient pottery, and 
 said that the specimens from Ohiriqui appear to have been molded upon 
 an imitation of vegetables, fruits, shells, or other common objects of the 
 country, and ornamented with imitations of native animals. In no in- 
 stance has he found any attempt to imitate anything foreign in pottery, 
 copper, or gold. The jars are aU formed by hand, with no mark of the 
 potter's wheel. He thinks the external and internal layers of clay, when 
 light 'colored, with a black stratum between them, must have been pen- 
 etrated and changed by the coloring matter applied, with or without the 
 size or varnish spread over them. 
 
 Dr. Merritt mentioned that the natives of the Isthmus now make their 
 mde earthen utensils of a peculiar black earth, which gives them the 
 
AMEEICAJSr ETHlTOLOGIOAl SOOEETT. 11 
 
 appearance of iron. Some of the anci^t Chiriqui jars appear to consist, 
 in part at least, of the same. The coloring matter of that clay is proba- 
 bly per-oxyd of iron. 
 
 MusioAt Ibtsteuments. — Dr. Merritt read the report of the Committee 
 on the Chiriqui Musical Instruments then exhibited. They are (all but 
 one) whistles or flageolets, roundish, or in the forms of birds or beasts, 
 from IJ to 4i inches diameter, with an air-chamber, and from 1 to 4 
 ■finger-holes. The pitch and scales of these instruments were noted in 
 the report, and several peculiarities mentioned, distinguishing them as of 
 a dififerent species from all others known in ancient and modern times. 
 The most perfect. has three finger-holes to produce the notes; A. G. F. 
 E. downward. A fourth finger-hole gives the semitones 'of these. By 
 a particular process, two three lower notes are obtained. A very dimin- 
 utive instrument, with two flnger-holes, has a loose ball of baked clay in 
 its air-chamber, which, when moved, varies the notes. ' 
 
 DiFFEEENT MoDES OE BuEiAL BY Anoient Bomans. — The President 
 requested Dr. Gajani to repeat what he had mentioned to him on this 
 subject ; and he remarked that, after much investigation, he was con- 
 vinced that some high Roman families adhered to the modes of interment 
 practiced by their ancestors; those of native or Etruscan origin interring 
 the body, and those of Latin or Trojan descent (as they called it), burn- 
 ing it. The two races made their tombs and catacombs on opposite sides 
 of the Tiber. The tomb of the Scipios was originally on the Vatican 
 HiU, but removed across the river, where it has been discovered in 
 modem times. Dr. G. believes that none of the Etrusdfen vases ever 
 contained human remains. They are not large enough, and nothing has 
 ever been found in any of them. They were probably mere ornaments. 
 This view is opposed to the long received opinion that all the Romans, 
 for a time, interred their dead, and afterward universally adopted the 
 custom of burning them. The Julian family and that of the Scipios ap- 
 pear to have been of different races. Campana, who first entered the 
 tomb of the Scipios, affirmed that he saw the form of a man's body on a 
 bier, which soon crumbled and disappeared under the effect of the air. 
 The bier, being of iron, remained. Six pounds weight of gold was found. 
 
 Judge Daly remarked, that he had seen marks of fire on some of the 
 remains in Etruscan tombs. Dr. Q. replied, that these might have been 
 the contents of later tombs in the same place. 
 
 The Society were infornied that the Legislature of the State of the 
 Isthmus have a bUl before them for regulating the exploration of graves 
 in Chiriqui, etc. An amendment was proposed by Governor Obaldia, 
 requiring licenses from the Government for Short terms, and securing 
 proprietors of land from loss and damage. 
 
BULLETI]Sr 
 
 AMERICAN ETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 
 
 May 8th, i860. 
 
 This Society held their May meeting on the 8th, at the residence 
 of the Treasurer, Alex. J. Ootheal, Esq., Hon. GEOEaE Folsom, the 
 Bresident, in the chair. 
 
 Lbttees.- — The Corresponding Secretary, E. G. Squier, Esq., read a 
 letter from Norton Shaw, Esq. Letters were also read from Judge 
 Charles P. Avery, of Flint, Michigan, consenting to prepare a paper on 
 the antiquities of that State, and sending a report of the Michigan 
 Historical Society.- From Lieutenant-Colonel Eaasloff (the Danish min- 
 ister), accompanying an old palm-leaf hook from Tranquebar, a donation 
 from Councillor Thomsen, Director of the Danish Museums. From 
 Alexander S. Taylor, Esq., Monterey, California, to Mr. Cotheal, mention- 
 ing that he has obtained a grammar of the Nutsun language, and a large 
 vocabulary of that California Indian tribe'; also catechisms in languages 
 spoken at the missions of Soledad and San Antonio. The first he sent 
 to the Smithspnian Institute in 1856. The California Farmer com- 
 menced the publication of his series of articles on " Indianology" in 
 February last. 
 
 •Donations were received from Charley F. Loosey, Esq. (Austrian 
 Consul-General), of the seven large volumes of the Imperial Royal 
 Geographical Society (from 1857 to '5S), and three of the Imperial Royal 
 Geological Institution (from 1858 to '59), Dr. Weitenweber's pamphlets 
 on Arabian Coffee, on the Life and Works of Dr. Mold, and on M. Fici- 
 nius's De Vita StudiosorvM. 
 
 From Mr. Figaniere (Portuguese minister), two numbers of the Bulle- 
 tins and Annals of the Portuguese Ultramarine Council. From Rev. J. 
 L. Wilson, his pamphlet on the Slave Trade, and The Israelite Indeed 
 (monthly), from the editors. 
 
 The Palm-Leaf Book, sent by Councillor Thomsen, contains about 
 200 thin strips, 1 inch wide and 16J long, laid upon each other, and fas- 
 tened by two rods passing through them and also through two pieces of 
 
AMEHIOAN ETHNOLOGICAIi SOCIETY. 13 
 
 split canes. They are neatly written on both sides in very small Tamil 
 characters. A vote of thanks was passed to the donor. 
 
 Books Pebsented at the Aphil Mebting.— Mr. Eaaslofif presented 
 the following : 
 
 1. Memoirs of the Eojral Society of Northern Antiquaries for 1843 and 
 '44 ; a paper on the Construction of Halls of the Giants, in Denmark and 
 elsewhere, by the President of the above-mentioned Society, viz. : His 
 Majesty Frederic VII., King of Denmark, 1857. Lord EUesmere's Guide 
 to Northern Archaeology, for the use of English readers. London, 1848. 
 Also several bulletins. 
 
 [Notices of these works, and also of the following, have been prepared 
 for some future meeting of the Ethnological Society.] 
 
 The Journal of the Northern Branch of the Royal' Asiatic Society, 
 printed at Shanghai in 1859, and presented to this Society in April, by 
 Mr. Folsom, contains very interesting articles : 
 
 1. On Formosa, by Mr. Swinhoe, British Consul at Amoy. 
 
 2. On the first course of Physical Lectures ever delivered in Japan by 
 a foreigner. By Dr. Meerdervoort. 
 
 3. On Japanese Manners, Language, etc. By S. "W. Williams, LL.D., 
 Secretairy of the American Legation, and a member of the Ethnological 
 Society. 
 
 4. Musical Notation of the Chinese. By the Rev. Mr. Syle. The 
 Chinese express notes by nine characters, written, like their ordinary 
 words, in perpendicular columns downward. In alto is expressed by a 
 slight dash at the end of the character. 
 
 FoEMOSA. — Mr. Swinhoe, British Consul at Amoy, mentions that 
 many Chinese, who reside on the coasts of Formosa, are remarkably 
 hospitable and kind ; while a very numerous race of cruel savages, 
 inhabiting the mountains,, are jealous and bloodthirsty. These often 
 wear only a strip of cloth, but carry swords and fine matchlocks. There 
 are some good roads,* especially those leading to mines o^oal^nd sul- 
 phur, which are worked by Chinese. Several village^rere seen of 
 " tamed savages," who are very peaceable and friendly. These people 
 call a man Larrat, woman Ta/rroogom, son Wannah, daughter Ree-a\ 
 water Lalom, head Ooroo, etc. 
 
 "These domesticated savages," says Mr. S., " are exceedingly civil and 
 good-natured— far more so even than the Chinese, and showed us about ' 
 their tree-ensconced residences. Their houses are built off the ground, 
 on posts, and have boarded floors. The women are far better off than 
 the wild, savage females, being neatly dressed, with ornamented head- 
 dresses. There is a foreign trade with the wild people, who exchange 
 rice for salt." 
 
14 BULLETIN OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGICAL SOCTETT. 
 
 OcEiosiTiES FEOM MiOEONESiA. — Ml. Guliok, of the Union Seminary, 
 presented, in the name of his brother. Dr. Gulick, of the Micronesian 
 Mission, a heavy adze, neatly made of some very large sea-shell, with a 
 wooden handle, for digging out canoes ; and specimens of woven articles 
 of dresa, and ornaments of palm-leaf fiber. He gave very interesting 
 particulars of the modes of manufacture in different groups of islands, 
 contrasting the varieties of work and style, and showing the difference 
 betweto these and the tapa cloths of Polynesia. A specimen of coarse 
 tapa from Micronesia was strengthened by numerous long threads sewed 
 through it. Mr. Gulick was requested to communicate in writing the 
 new and interesting facts which he mentioned. 
 
 MioEONEsiAN LANSTTAaES. — .Reference was made to the recent publi- 
 cations by Dr. Guliok of " Notes on the Grammar of the Ponape Dialect 
 of Micronesia," as one of those gratifying late examples of able, labori- 
 ous, discriminating, analytical investigation of unwritten languages 
 which do so much honor to certain scholars and missionaries, and open 
 to the world surprising peculiarities, interesting in themselves, and in 
 comparison with the most cultivated tongues of modern and ancient 
 times. The Honolulu Friend, in exhibiting some of the delicate pecu- 
 liarities in the speech of natives of Micronesian groups, declares that 
 they differ among themselves so much that they are unintelligible to 
 each other, and perhaps should be regarded as speaking, not dialects, but 
 distinct languages. 
 
 Nttmeeotis Tumttli in Cuba fiest Ekpoeted by Me. Squiee. — Mr. 
 Squier, who has recently returned from Cuba, read a notice of tumuli 
 observed by him near the railroad from Havana to Cardenas, some- 
 times more than one hundred being in sight at once, amounting in all to 
 thousands. They are of moderate size, and apparently sepulchral. He 
 has taken steps to procure particular information regarding them, as 
 they have never been noticed by any writer. 
 
BULLETIN 
 
 OF THB 
 
 AMERICAN ETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 • -^ I 
 
 At the January meeting of the American Ethnological So- 
 cisty (held at the residence of Chas. Welford, Esq., Dr. J. W. 
 Francis in the chair), after some preliminary business, a letter 
 was read from Dr. John C. Evans, of Pemherton, New Jersey, 
 respecting the stone implement of which he had sent to the So- 
 ciety an account at the last meeting : — 
 
 "To THE OfFIOERB OF THE AMERICAN ETHNOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION I 
 
 "January 1, 1869. 
 " Gentlemen : 
 
 The sculptured Indian stone axe, or wedge, which is offered 
 by me for your inspection, was found near the north branch of 
 the Rancocos Creek in Pemberton township, Burlington county, 
 New Jersey. It was plowed up last September, on the farm of 
 Samuel R. Gaskell (a near neighbor of mine), in a field that has 
 been a long time under cultivation. It attracted the attention of 
 the finder by the curious characters on its surface (the finding of 
 the usual Indian relics being of too frequent occurrence to excite 
 any special interest). Unluckily, he, or some one of the family, 
 attempted to render the characters more distinct by increasing 
 the depth of the original marks, a fact much to be regretted ; but 
 portions of the letters, and nearly all their outer edges have not 
 been disturbed, and afford evidence of their antiquity. It has 
 been in the possession of none but Mr. Gaskell and myself, and 
 I fully believe his statement. He is a man of high moral char- 
 acter and principles, unacquainted with the controversies or in- 
 
2 AMEEICAU ETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 terest connected with similar discoveries, and I know of no one 
 in the neighborhood (possessing the ability) who would attempt 
 the perpetration of an imposition of such character. I have 
 neither seen nor heard of any inscription found in this section ; 
 and yesterday saw, for the first time, a copy of the inscription 
 on the stone found in the Grave Creek Mound ! 
 
 " Anticipating the distrust, and dreading the ridicule with 
 which a public announcement of the discovery of this relic might 
 be received — knowing that a similar article has been in the esti- 
 mation of some " Lapis offensionis, et peira scandali " — I had 
 almost determined not to make any ; but, believing that it will 
 be received by your learned Association with a generous confi- 
 dence in all the outside testimony I can offer respecting it, and 
 trusting it is worthy of your attention, I submit it to your de. 
 cision. 
 
 " I am, with much respect, 
 
 " Yours, &c., 
 (Signed) "JOHN W. C. EVANS, 
 
 " Pemberton, N. J." 
 
 Dr. Davis, to whom the subject had been referred, exhibited 
 the relic to the members, remarking that the discovery of other 
 stones with sculptured characters, whether resembling or not 
 those of the Grave Creek Tablet, adds great interest to the sub- 
 ject, especially since the elaborate paper of Dr. De Hass, read 
 before this Society, which seems to establish the authenticity of 
 finding that tablet in the Grave Creek Mound. 
 
 Upon a careful examination of the lines of the inscription on 
 the stone in question, he found the edges usually exhibiting the 
 brown, decomposed appearance of the general surface, whilst the 
 central part of some of the characters showed the evidence of re- 
 cent efforts at deepening them with some sharp instrument (as 
 stated by the owner). 
 
 The characters are twelve in number — no two alike (with the 
 exception of three which seem to be a repetition of the Koman 
 numeral I.). They average over an inch in length and one six- 
 
AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 3 
 
 teenth in depth, and are artistically and snaoothly wroughti 
 Four of them bear some resemblance to characters on the Grave 
 Creek stone. Not accurate enough to be copies, yet may belong 
 to the same alphabet or system. 
 
 The custom of inscribing upon implements, was not only com- 
 mon among Eastern nations (as the Egyptians and Chinese), but 
 has been found to prevail amongst the semi-civilized nations of 
 this continent. Humboldt has both described and figured an 
 Aztec hatchet (made of compact jade and covered with hiero- 
 glyphics), which he obtained in Mexico, and deposited in the 
 King's Cabinet, Berlin.* 
 
 The Recording Secretary read a brief report of the result of 
 his observations on the inscription : 
 
 "While exercising extreme care in admitting external, in 
 cases of this kind, where errors are so frequently and so easily 
 made, we must not overlook internal evidence, where such is 
 offered. Among the twelve or thirteen distinct characters on the 
 stone exhibited by Dr. Evans, we have several which are identi- 
 cal with certain of Phoenician origin or derivation, chiefly Nu- 
 midian, allowing for inverting or reversing, while some others re- 
 semble simple or combined characters of the same class. In one 
 case, the collocation of several characters affords additional evi- 
 dence, for we find XIII., an oblique cross with three upright 
 straight lines on the right of it, which is a highly important ex- 
 pression in Gesenius's Numidian Inscriptions, plates 21 and 24, 
 as interpreted by him. 
 
 " Although there are fewer points of interest in this inscrip- 
 tion than in that of Grave Creek, they are of similar kinds, and 
 give room to hope that future investigations, made with addi- 
 tional light, may lead to something important." 
 
 * Since the above was reported to the Society, two other stones with sculptured charac- 
 ters have been found— one in the State of Indiana, the other in New York. A sketch of the 
 latter is herewith inclosed. 
 
AMEEICAU ETHNOLOGICAL SOOIETT. 
 
 Meetino, May 22a, 1860. 
 
 The May meeting was held on Tuesday, May 22d, at the 
 rooms of Professor E. H. Davis, in the New York Medical Col- 
 lege, the President, Hon. George Folsom, in the Chair. Much 
 attention was given by the members at the beginning and the 
 close of the evening, to the large and unequaled collection of 
 American antiquities belonging to Dr. Davis, and principally ob- 
 tained during the excavations and explorations of the Western 
 Mounds, made by him and Mr. Squier. These, with many 
 others received from different places and sources, were displayed 
 to great advantage, in admirable order, and afforded the Society 
 an opportunity the better to appreciate the results of the investi- 
 gation made in our ancient tumuli, which have been so well de- 
 scribed and illustrated by the work published by the Smith- 
 sonian Institution ten or twelve years ago : " The Monuments of 
 the Mississippi Valley, by E. H. Davis and E. G. Squier." 
 
 The President informed the Society that the Librarian, Mr. 
 Moore, had procured a very curious collection of massive golden 
 ornaments, found in Chiriqui, on the Isthmus, which he would 
 exhibit at the next meeting. 
 
 Mr. Ewbank, the Treasurer, exhibited a small rude figure of 
 a man, made of pure sheet-gold, found, with a number of others, 
 in one of the Chincha Islands. Mr. Ewbank read the following 
 paper on the subject, which he had written by request, and ac- 
 companied with drawings : 
 
 New York, May 5. 
 
 To Theodore Dwight, Esq., Rec'g. Sec'y. Am. Eth. Society : 
 
 Dear Sir, — The Peruvian relics here figured (of the full 
 size) are of fine gold. They were sold, about a year ago, to 
 Messrs. Trevor & Colgate, bullion-dealers in Wall street, to 
 whose politeness the Society is indebted for an opportunity of 
 examining them. They formed a small part of a quantity of 
 kindred things discovered on one of the Chincha Islands by 
 
AMERICAN ETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETT. 5 
 
 Coolies, while engaged in digging guano. The rest were seized 
 by the Peruvian officials. 
 
 Fig. 1 is the representation of a man, cut out of a thin and 
 flat piece of metal. A ruder attempt at the human figure is 
 scarcely conceivable. The nose and eyes have been raised or 
 embossed by rough punches, and are so exaggerated as to give 
 the face the appearance of that of an owl. What is meant for 
 the head-dress is indicated by a slit at each side of the head. The 
 arms are distinguished from the body in the same way, and a 
 piece removed from between the legs leaves those members 
 apart ; the whole forcibly reminding one of anomalous paper 
 figures cut out by children. There are small holes at a, a, as if 
 to attach it to some fixed object by pins, or possibly for suspend- 
 ing it by twine. 
 
 Fig. 2 is a part of the same piece, bent below into a rude 
 tube. It was broken off by accident or design. The habit of 
 American Indians of turning the toes inwards, is clearly shown. 
 The edges of Fig. 1 are excessively ragged, having been cut, no 
 doubt, by stone chisels. They afford another corroboration' of 
 the alleged absence of anything like shears in ancient Peru, and 
 of the admiration of the native when the Spaniards introduced 
 scissors among them. 
 
 Figs. 3 and 4, are cups, raised out of thin metal by the ham- 
 mer, the marks of which are as observable on the convex surface 
 of No. 4 as if just made. The edge has been leveled and 
 smoothed off by abrasion. The weight of Fig. 1 is slightly 
 less than that of twelve gold dollars ; and Figs. 3 and 4, of five 
 dollars. 
 
 But the most interesting fact in relation to these trifles, is that 
 of their having been disinterred on a Guano Island, with thirty 
 feet or more of thai material resting upon them. How many ages 
 did it require to produce this depth of covering ? What the an- 
 nual or centennial rate of increase is now, we know not; but if 
 it were known, it would scarcely be applicable to remote times, 
 when the birds were seldom disturbed by human visitors. The 
 Peruvians, under the Incas, used guano as a fertilizer ; and from 
 the place of their discovery, these relics doubtless date back to 
 
b AMEEICiN ETHNOLOGICAl SOCIETY. 
 
 an early period of Peruvian annals. From the excessive rude- 
 ness of form and finish of the principal one, it may -well be sup- 
 posed to have preceded the advent of the first Inca. 
 
 Mr. Farris, the owner of the collection of antiquities reported 
 on at the last meeting of the Society, informs me that he has 
 been on the Chincha Islands, and has seen golden relics found on 
 them, especially on Chincha Alta, the largest and highest one. 
 They are always found, he showed, on the rock, that is, beneath 
 the lowest stratum of guano. Hence, they were either placed 
 there before that material began to accumulate, or on spots that 
 had been cleared of it, and left until buried under the present 
 deposit. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 THOMAS EWBANK. 
 
 Dr. Davis remarked that the ancient Peruvians obtained 
 guano for manure from the Chincha Islands, and had laws strictly 
 regulating its distribution in different provinces, and protecting 
 the birds. He suggested that, as they had only small vessels, 
 they probably dug the guano from near the water-level, and that 
 the curious relics found may have been deposited in the excava- 
 tion, and not before the period when the formation of the guano 
 beds was commenced. Dr. Davis laid before the Society Gar- 
 cilasso de la Vegans book (" Royal Commentaries on Peru," 
 London, 1688), and from pages 135-6, was read the following : 
 " By the sea coast of Orequepa, as far as Tarrapaca, which is 
 above 200 leagues, they use no other dung but such as comes 
 from the sea-birds, of which there are great numbers, and incred- 
 ible flocks on the coast of Peru; they breed in little islands 
 which lie in the sea, and are uninhabited, where they lay such 
 heaps of dung, and at a distance they seem to be hills of snow. 
 In the time of the Incas, who were kings, great care was taken 
 of those birds in the season of their breeding, for then, on pain of 
 death, no man was to enter on those islands, lest they should dis- 
 turb the birds or rifle their nests ; nor was it lawful to take or 
 kill them at any time, either off" or on the island. 
 
AMERICAN ETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 7 
 
 " Every island was, by order of the Inca, assigned to such 
 and such provinces ; and if the islands were very large, then two 
 or three of them divided the soilage, the which they laid up in 
 separate heaps, that some one track might not encroach on the 
 proportion allotted to the other ; and when they came to make 
 their division to particular persons and neighbors, they then 
 weighed and shared out to every man the quantity he was to re- 
 ceive ; and it was felony for a man to take more than what be- 
 longed to him, or to rob or steal it from the ground of his neigh- 
 bors, for in regard that every man had as much as was necessary 
 for his own lands, the taking a greater quantity than what be- 
 longed to him was judged a crime and high offence ; for that this 
 sort of birds' dung was esteemed precious, being the best im- 
 provement and manure for land in the world." ^ 
 
 Dr. Davis then exhibited to the Society some articles which 
 he thought possessed great interest — as they not only illustrated 
 the high skill of the present tribes, but verified the statements of 
 some of the early historians respecting the manufacture of obsi- 
 dian knives and arrow-points, which statements have generally 
 been considered rather apocryphal. For instance, Clavigero 
 states, that so skillful were the Mexicans in the manufacture of 
 obsidian knives, that a single workman could produce a hundred 
 per hour. 
 
 The articles consisted of two obsidian pebbles — one in the 
 natural state, the other fractured and polished — a block of the 
 same, from which knives had evidently been fractured — two ob- 
 sidian darts, one partly finished, the other complete, together 
 with chips of the same materials. They were brought by the 
 Hon. Caleb Lyon, recently returned from California. Whilst 
 there he visited the Shasta Indians, and ascertained that they still 
 used those weapons, which in most tribes have been superseded 
 by rifles, or, at least, by iron-pointed arrows or spears. He 
 found a man who could manufacture them, and saw him at work 
 at all parts of the process. The description, which Mr. Lyon 
 wrote and communicated to Dr. Davis, is here subjoined : 
 
 " The Shasta Indian seated himself upon the floor, and laying 
 the stone anvil, which was of compact talcose slate, upon his 
 
8 AMEEICAN ETHIfrOLOGICAL BOCIETT. 
 
 f, 
 
 knee, with one blow of his agate chisel he separated the obsidian 
 pebble into two parts, then giving another blow to the fractured 
 side, he split off a slab some fourth of an inch in thickness. 
 Holding this piece against the anvil with the thumb and finger of 
 the left hand, he commenced a series of continuous blows, every 
 one of which chipped off fragments of the brittle substance. It 
 gradually assumed the required shape. After finishing the base 
 of the arrow-head (the whole being only a little over an inch in 
 length) he began striking gentler blows, every one of which I 
 expected would break it into pieces. Yet such was their adroit 
 application, and his skill and dexterity, that in little over an hour 
 he produced a perfect obsidian arrow-head. I then requested him 
 to carve me one from the remains of a broken porter-bottle, 
 ' which (after two failures) he succeeded in doing. He gave as a 
 reason for his ill success, he did not understand the grain of the 
 glass. No sculptor ever handled a chisel with greater precision, 
 or more carefully measured the weight and effect of every blow, 
 than this ingenious Indian, for even among them arrow-making is 
 a distinct trade or profession, which many attempt, but in which 
 few attain excellence. He understood the capacity of the mate- 
 rial he wrought, and before striking the first blow, by surveying 
 the pebble, he could judge of its availability as well as the sculp- 
 tor judges of the perfectness of a block of Parian. In a moment, 
 all that I had read upon this subject, Written by learned and spec- 
 ulative antiquarians, of the hardening of copper for the working 
 of flint axes, spears, chisels, and arrow-heads, vanished before the 
 simplest mechanical process. I felt that the world had been 
 better served, had they driven the pen less and the plow more !" 
 
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