appendix: elephant pipes and in'scribei) tablets. 273 



of the Mound-builders the elephant and mastodon must have nearly 

 reached the point of extinction on this continent, and hence would be 

 infrequently seen and the article of "ivory" quite uncommon. Assum- 

 ing this as a fact, it will furnish a reasonable explanation both of the 

 absence of ivory in the mounds and of imperfect representations in 

 the carvings. It is, moreover, quite within the range of probability 

 that future explorations of innumerable mounds still unopened may 

 bring to light the missing relics. Be this as it may, it is clearly obvious 

 that the absence of "ivory" in the mounds cannot be considered a badge 

 of fraud in our tablets. The article of ivory is abundant, and a "scien- 

 tific knave" intending to deceive, with a cunning appreciation of its im- 

 portance, would never have failed to "salt" the mound with a needed 

 supply. As in the case of the omission of "tusks," the absence of 

 "ivory" in the mounds in question must be considered rather an evi 

 dence of genuineness than fraud.* 



A singular perversion of facts on the part of Mr. Henshaw still 

 remains to be noted. After quoting at length from a communication 

 addressed to Mr. Barber by the President of the Davenport Academy, 

 wherein it is clearly stated that one of the elephant pipes was found by 

 Peter Mare, an illiterate German farmer, and the other was discovered 

 by the Rev. Mr. Blumer, Mr. Henshaw curiously enough proceeds as 

 follows: 



"It will be seen from the above that tlic same gentlenian was instrumental in 

 bringing to light the two specimens constituting the present supply of elephant 

 pipes. T/ie remarkable arch(Vological instinct which has guided the finder of tiiese 

 pipes has led him to even more important discoveries. By the aid of his divitiijig- 

 rod he has succeeded in unearthing some of the most remarkable inscribed tablets 

 which have thus far rewarded the diligent search of the mound explorer." 



The unfounded and ungenerous insinuations contained in this re- 

 markable passage will require neither commentary nor condemnation. 

 When it is remembered that no less than six highly respected citizens 

 were engaged in these explorations, and no less than tJu-ee were present 

 at each discovery, and when it is further noted that the person who 

 unearthed the inscribed tablets is not "the same gentleman" who dis- 

 covered the elephant pipes, and that the pipes themselves were discov- 

 ered by different individuals, archaeologists may well conclude that a 

 writer so reckless in the use of his "facts" is wholly unciualified for the 

 important work he has undertaken. Deductions so loosely made are 

 many degrees beneath the dignity of serious scientific criticism. 



*In the American Antiquariafi for March, 1880, Rev. S. D. Feet announced the discovery of 

 one of these pipes, and expressed the opinion that it clearly represented the "elephant." 



