no "INDIAN ROCK." 



above. Not among the least of these, "fit to stand before 

 Valhalla," is a kingly poplar, silent sentry over "Indian 

 Rock," which slumbers at its base. 



This ancient landmark, whose handwork tradition charges 

 to the red man, is flat-topped and roughly circular in shape. 

 It is some four feet in diameter and nine inches at its greatest 

 thickness, gently rounding in places to a rather sharp edge. 

 The rock is of Baltimore gneiss, formed in part of feldspar, 

 quartz, hornblende and black mica,* grooved as shown in the 

 illustration.'!" The four main lines trend midway to the car- 

 dinal points, the minor A-like figure being in the west corner. 



What means this witness of the by-gone age ? Did a 

 vengeful war-lord set it as a seal of victory? By it, in gath- 

 ering twilight, has some dusky Minnehaha crooned the love- 

 song in the liquid dialect of the Unami ? '| Does it guard the 

 ashes of a famous chieftain, long since mingled in the dust 

 of forgotten days ? Can it be an altar of the prophets of the 

 olden mysteries ? Alas ! Cold inquiry has with cruel finger 

 drawn aside the gauzy veil of romance, and found it a stone 

 for domestic use, perhaps for dressing the rude utensils of 

 savage life. We had hoped a nobler fate. 



That this was its object seems fairly well proven by the 

 nature of its markings. Such remains are to be seen in vari- 

 ous parts of the country. The wider furrows could have been 

 made by sharpening stone axes and larger implements, the 

 narrow lines by pointing spear and arrow heads. 



Minshall Painter relates that in the deep valley of Dismal 

 Run Andrew, Isaac and Nanny, the renmant of a tribe of 

 Indians, lived in a cave. There they remained until the 

 death of Andrew, when the other two moved to unite with 



* For this (leterminalion we are indebted It) T. Chalkley Palmer. 



t Previous to jMclnre laking these grooves were whitened with 

 chalk. The channels ha\e somewhal lost their smoothness through the 

 marrli of years. 



; Spoken also li\ the 1 'nalaclitijJd. 



