26o DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



the Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences. In this bitter assault 

 Mr. Henshaw is ably supported by the strong endorsement of Major 

 J. W. Powell, the Director of the Bureau. The Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion occupies a commanding position in the world of science; and, 

 inasmuch as it has given special attention to researches in archceology, 

 it may properly be considered entitled to speak with authority upon 

 these questions. Its sharp criticism, therefore, presents to our Acad- 

 emy a conspicuous opportunity for a careful review of the circum- 

 stances, and a plain restatement of the facts estabUshing, beyond rea- 

 sonable doubt, the genuineness of its valuable discoveries. 



In the line of archaeology the Davenport Academy has attained 

 deserved eminence. Its inscribed tablets, elephant pipes, cloth-cov- 

 ered copper axes, and rare collection of ancient pottery have attracted 

 the attention of archaeologists throughout the world of science. These 

 remarkable relics, received with enthusiasm by antiquarians, are gener- 

 ally accepted as authentic additions to the "unwritten history" of the 

 past. That discoveries so rare and unique should be subjected to 

 severe scrutiny might reasonably be expected; and, when exercised in 

 the spirit of an earnest quest of truth, it was even to be desired. Dis- 

 coveries which are to become the foundations for important historical 

 deductions should be securely intrenched, beyond the reach of adverse 

 criticism, on the bed-rock of truth. These valuable contributions to 

 the science of archaeology have undoubtedly given the Davenport 

 Academy a conspicuous position. The assumed fact, emphasized by 

 Mr. Henshaw, that "it has fallen to the good fortune of no one else to 

 find anything conveying the most distant suggestion of the mastodon," 

 is found to be even embarrassing, inasmuch as it places our Academy 

 in the range of fire between contending archi^ologists. It is certainly 

 a misfortune of the Davenport Academy that the museum of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution contains neither elephant pipes nor inscribed tablets. 



The discoveries in question are two elephant pipes and three in- 

 scribed tablets. Of the latter, the first two were found in what is 

 known as Mound No. 3, on the Cook farm, adjoining the city of Dav- 

 enport. The principal discoverer was Rev. Jacob Crass, a Lutheran 

 clergyman, then settled over a congregation in Davenport. In this 

 exploration Mr. Crass was assisted by L. H. Willrodt and H. S. Stoltz- 

 enau, with five other persons who were accidentally present during 

 the opening of the mound. The discovery was made on January loth, 

 1877. An exact and careful statement of the facts connected therewith 

 was soon after prepared by Rev. Mr. (rass, and read at an early meeting 



