The Lenape Stone; or, The Indian and the MammothMercer, Henry C.
History
The Lenape Stone; or, The Indian and the Mammoth
Mercer, Henry C.
Delaware Indians; Mammoths; Picture-writing, Indian
The fresh flint-cut grooves, however, when separately examined with the
microscope, exhibit many faint scratches running along the furrow, not
so conspicuous in the steel incisions, yet a few applications of soap,
water, and a scrubbing-brush efface these scratches in both cases,
and render the surface of the grooves indistinguishably alike and in
appearance similar to the now polished incisions upon the Lenape Stone.
In other respects the scratch of the arrow-head can be made of equal
depth, clearness, and regularity, the flint point, if held carefully,
not appearing to tear the edges of the incision more than the awl.
Moreover, we can cause the flint-cut line to "taper to a point" or not,
as we choose.
NEWLY DISCOVERED INDIAN CARVINGS FROM THE HANSELL FARM.
Strongly in support of the authenticity of the Lenape Stone and
its honest discovery, are the two carved stones, figs. 19 and 20,
recently discovered on the Hansell Farm, while the present paper was
preparing, and proving that, however rare in other localities, small
stones were not infrequently carved in this neighborhood. Dr. Putnam
"sees no reason to doubt their authenticity," and Professor Shaler,
of Harvard College, to whom the writer has shown fig. 19, says: "If,
upon comparing the incised lines with those on the Lenape Stone, it
appears that they have the same character--_i. e._, the same shape of
furrow,--then you will undoubtedly add a good deal to the weight of
evidence in favor of the antiquity of the other ornament."
[Illustration: FIG. 19.--Carved "Gorget" from the Hansell Farm.]
Considering, however, the variety of lines which may be cut with a
flint instrument, we would hesitate to assign great importance to this
comparison. An examination with the microscope proves that the lines
on the gorget, fig. 19, are not so neatly and deeply cut as those on
the Lenape Stone, and that the bottoms of the grooves are more rounded.
While most of the lines on the banner stone, fig. 20, "tapering into
points," seem as deeply and clearly cut as those of the mammoth
outline, the microscope shows few, if any, scratches on the surface of
the grooves, which bear all the traces of long exposure to the weather.
[Illustration: FIG. 20.--Carved Banner Stone from the Hansell Farm.]
OPINION OF INDIANS.
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