appendix: elephant pipes and inscribed tablets. 261 



of the Davenport Academy. It was published, and may be found in its 

 "Proceedings."'^ Upon the announcement of the discovery, the officers 

 and many members of the Academy were early on the ground to verify 

 the statements made by the discoverers. The gentlemen engaged in the 

 exploration are well known, and held in high esteem; their testimony 

 as to all essential facts is clear and convincing, and the circumstances 

 narrated seem to fully establish the genuineness of these relics. That 

 their statement contains only facts, all who know them will not ques- 

 tion ; and that the mound from which the relics were obtained had not 

 been previously disturbed, is sufficiently estabUshed by their testimony. 

 The authenticity of this discovery must therefore be conceded by every 

 fair-minded inijuirer. 



The third inscribed tablet was found on January 30th, 1878, in 

 Mound No. 11. in the group of mounds on Cook's farm, in the suburbs 

 of Davenport, and in close proximity to the mound wherein the other 

 tablets were discovered. That indefatigable explorer, Rev. J. Gass, 

 was also present during these further researches, and had for his assist- 

 ants John Hume and Charles K. Harrison, both members of the Acad- 

 emy, and well and favorably known in this community. The circum- 

 stances of this discovery, as narrated by Mr. Harrison, are published 

 in the Proceedings of the Academy.t No suspicions whatever attach 

 to this discovery, and the well-attested facts connected therewith estab- 

 lish, beyond reasonable doubt, that, whether more or less ancient, the 

 tablet was deposited at the making of the mound. 



Of the elephant pipes in the museum of the Academy, one was dis- 

 covered in March, 1880, in a mound on the farm of Mr. P. Hass, in 

 Louisa County, Iowa, by Rev. A. Blumer, a Lutheran clergyman 

 from a neighboring city, and was by him donated lo the Academy. 

 Rev. J. (rass, Mr. F. Hass, and a number of workmen were present, 

 assisting in the exploration. A detailed account of the finding, pre- 

 pared by Rev. Mr. Blumer, is published in the Proceedings of the 

 Academy.;}; From the social standing and high character of the prin- 

 cipal discoverers, no cjuestion has been, or can be, successfully raised 

 as to the authenticity of this discovery. The other elephant pipe 

 was not "discovered" by Rev. J. Gass, as stated by Mr. Henshaw, but 

 was obtained by him from a farmer in Louisa County, Iowa. § This 



* Proceedings of Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences, Vol. II., p. g6. 

 t Proceedings of Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences, Vol. II., p. 221. Mr. Harrison 

 is now V'ice- President of the Academy. 



I Proceedings of Davenport Academy "f Natural Sciences, Vol. III., p. 132. 

 g Proceedings of Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences, \'ol. II., p. 549, note. 

 29 



