Miscellanies. 20 1 



embankment gave way, a large body of water passed over this rock, 

 sweeping its surface clean, and leaving the rock exposed, and as it ap- 

 peared before the first settlers began their improvements. Upon the sur- 

 face of this sandstone rock, elevated only a few feet above the level of the 

 river, and immediately upon its margin, were found engraved the impres- 

 sions of two human foot-prints, and a number of turkey tracks. That 

 these were the work of art is beyond all question ; the human tracks 

 were of the natural size, and accurately drawn ; the turkey tracks were 

 of large dimensions. The outlines of the human feet were made by a 

 dotted line, as if a pointed chisel and mallet had been used, and an in- 

 taglio attempted by the same instrument. The whole surface within the 

 outline was dotted over, barely removing the original surface of the rock ; 

 the form of the turkey tracks was made by a series of dots, and the whole 

 seemed to have been left unfinished. These feet pointed south and down 

 the river. 



The discovery excited some curiosity at the time, and the impressions 

 were seen by hundreds of people, who well remember them. Before the 

 embankment was repaired, the part of the rock containing the foot-prints 

 was quarried and broken into fragments. This rock had been covered 

 with earth and loose stone for a period beyond the recollection of any of 

 the inhabitants of the place ; there can be no doubt that these sculptures 

 were the work of the Indians. In addition to this, I have been informed 

 that there is the impression of a single foot-print, in a rock situated on 

 the bottom of Licking Creek, about seven miles below Newark, in this 

 state ; I have not seen this impression, but am well convinced of its ex- 

 istence ; it is described as being occasionally under water. I am not 

 informed of the kind of stone in which this impression is made ; if now 

 extant, it is near the narrows of Licking Creek, and in the vicinity of 

 the " Black hand" — another interesting monument, which was destroyed 

 in constructing the tow-path of the Ohio Canal. 



The north bank of the creek, about seven miles below Newark, is 

 formed of precipitous sandstone rock, forming a perpendicular wall about 

 forty feet in height; upon the surface of this wall, which at this spot 

 leaned a few degrees over its base, and about twenty feet from the bot- 

 tom, was engraved a gigantic human hand : the drawing was exact, and 

 the proportion accurately preserved. The hand, including the wrist, was 

 about eight feet long; the outline was cut or scratched on the stone, and 

 the whole space within the outline was stained or painted black ; the 

 color remained until the hand was destroyed, and might have endured for 

 ages, as it was protected from rain by the projection of the rock. This 

 hand had been known for more than fifty years before it was destroyed, 

 and the place is yet designated as the " Black hand." I believe these 

 several marks or sculptures are identical with the celebrated and more 

 perfect specimens found at St. Louis. It may perhaps be difficult, at this 



Vol. xliv, No. 1.— Oct.-Dec. 1342. 26 



