Conservative. 9
Inr to the Sioux quartz used for paving ,
were found near the fire-place ; some of
these pieces fit together , and form one
stone as large as a man's hand and half
an inch thick. I have not yet learned
where this rock came from ; it is not a
drift boulder , but is from a quarry of
semi-stratified rock. All the flint found
is from Kansas , and is the blue chert so
extensively used by the aborigines of
this shite.
\
Last , but not least , I gathered from
this circle a peculiar burned clay , from
coal black on the outside to a bluish , or ,
in some cases , a brownish tinge in the
center. This/jau scarcely be called pot
tery ; it has no tempering , and to all ap
pearances is simply masses of burned
clay decayed until it falls to pieces
much as the surrounding earth when
thrown out , after which it has nothing
by which to distinguish it but its color.
The curious part is the form in which it
rests in the earth ; often it is in a circu
lar form like a vessel having the imprint
of split wood on the inside and the
impression of leaves and flags or some
wide-bladed grass on the outside. By
using my spade with care , I succeeded
in bringing-a * number of such masses to
light , intact , but they crumbled as soon
as touched , and only the parts which
were biirned the most remained. A
number of specimens , upon being dried
and carefully brushed , show the im
pression of rude wicker work. The
clay seems to have been made very plas
tic and poured among split stioksleaves
and grass , then the whole mass burned ,
some parts more than others , and all
until it became quite black. The earth
worms have worked it through and
through and small bits are mixed with
the soil all the way down. I supposed
it to be charcoal until I tested it. Often
a piece shows that some vegetable mate
rial has been bedded between two bits
of clay and then burned , leaving its im
pression in very black relief when the
piece is split.
A few specimens of similar burned
clay have been found on the Rooa site ,
but nothing like the quantity found
here. This subject demands more in
vestigation , as nothing has been written
on this subject that I can find. At first
I thought that the conglomerate mass
of burned clay might be caused by the
lodge being destroyed by fire , and this
was the clay of the roof matted over
the logs and leaves used as a covering ;
but upon sluicing the dirt of the flqor
I find one-half of the substance is
pieces of burned clay made round like
pebbles from constant wear and pow
dered to very dust , yet not soluble in
water , as is the earth not burned and
the decayed bits of burned clay.
Small bits of bone were found , and in
every case they were decayed and
crumbled to dust. The age of this cir
cle is much greater than any I have
opened in the state , bat it 1ms enough
[ xriuts of similarity to class it as Hara-
liey if the Roca site is Harahey , which
all authorities seem to agree in conclud
ing. I hope to make a more thorough
investigation of the vicinity at a later
date. In the mean time , if any of my
readers have seen any evidences of the
aborigines any where in the state I
shall be pleased to make note of them
and investigate them in turn.
E. E. BLACIOIAN ,
Rooa , Neb.
THE CONDITIONS IN CUBA.
The health and morals of our soldiers
in Cuba are matters of the widest pub
lic importance , furnishing as they do an
index to the .conditions which are to bo
met and provided against , so long as
Americans are on Cuban soil. In this
connection it is particularly interesting
to have an opinion from so close and
careful an observer as Charles M. Skin
ner , the naturalist and writer. Mr.
Skinner , whose books on nature , "Flow
ers in the Pave , " "Myths and Legends
of Our New Possessions , " and "With
feet to the earth , " have been widely
read , recently went to Cuba to study
the conditions at first hand. He says of
what he noted there at the army stations
which he visited : "The courage of the
soldiers is not always evidenced on the
firing line. Ever since the yellow fever
hospital lias been in operation at Mari
ana , the enlisted men have freely offered
themselves as subjects of experiment ,
though they well knew that their lives
were in forfeit when they went in at
the doors. Yellow fever is held in little
dread in these days , thanks to the work
of the Americans in clearing away the
inconceivable filth of the cities ; and
Matanzas is a cleaner , better paved , and
better guarded town than the average
small city in the New England or Mid
dle States. I agree with every officer of
the United States iinny , that the aboli
tion of the canteen was one of the se
verest blows that has over been dealt
against the' service. Formerly the men
were permitted to buy beer in their own
club-houses. Now , the men have lost
the income from these club-houses , as
well-meaning but mistaken women suc
ceeded in having them done away with.
They now drink whiskey at the "hog
ranches" and "speak-easies" outside of
the posts places that are the haunt of
troublesome men and more troublesome
and have increased
women guard-house cases
creased in some stations no less than
fifty per cent , as a result of what is now
known to be meddlesome legislation. It
is a curious and significant fact that , in
their fight against the club-house of the
enlisted men , the women had no more
powerful allies than the saloon keepers
who are now profiting by the sale of bad
liquorMiear the various military sta
tions.- - - - - - - -
- - - -
TREE PLANTING FOR PRISONERS.
Mr. Balfour Suggests a New Employment
at St. Helena.
Mr. B. R. Balfour , writing from Red
Hill , St. Helena , under date of April 8 ,
says : As a visitor to St. Helena in a
private capacity , I cannot help wishing
that some further employment could bo
provided for the prisoners of war. I
hear of some cases of insanity , and it is
only to be expected that the long-con
tinued seclusion , enforced idleness and '
anxiety about their families should toll
on the minds of some of the prisoners.
There are many who would be grateful
if some employment could bo provided
for them , and who would be glad to
work at the rate of one shilling a day in
addition to the rations received from the
government , at some work which would
be of public advantage. One of the
things which appears to me to bo the
most needed on the island , is tree plant
ing. It is lamentable to see how St.
Helena is being denuded of trees. For
ests within reach of the camps are be
ing out awaysimply to provide firewood
for the prisoners.
I wish to suggest that a fund should
be opened at once to provide employ
ment for a selected number of prisoners
of war at tree planting , subject , of
course , to the military regulations being
complied with , to the satisfaction of the
authorities. I have been consulting on
the subject , both with the governor and
with the officer in command of the
troops , and I have reason to hope that
arrangements can be made which would
enable many of the Boers to be em
ployed in this way for the permanent
benefit of the island , provided funds are
forthcoming.
Should my plan be taken up , I propose
to invite any two members of the coun
cil of the Charity Organization society ,
of which I am an old member , and also
the Dutch minister here , the Rev. Mr.
do Vos , to join with mo in administer
ing the funds. For personal references
I beg to refer to the secretary of the
Charity Organization society , and to the
secretary of the Colonial institute.
London Standard.
RAMBLES IN COLONIAL BYWAYS.
Some six years ago , Rufus Rockwell
Wilson , a New York newspaper worker ,
spent a week on the eastern shore of
Maryland and Virginia. The article
which he wrote about that quaint and
venerable region was promptly taken by
the editor of a well known magazine ,
who , in his note of acceptance asked ,
' Why don't you do a book on pur
colonial landmarks ? The subject is a
ripe one , and you could handle it well. "
This suggestion gave the newspaper
worker food for thought ; sent him ,
whenever opportunity offered , to other
middle state regions with a history , and
bore final fruit in "Rambles in Colonial
Byways , " which , issued a few months
ago by J. B. Lippincott Company , ha $ .
proved one of the most welcome of re
cent travel books.