168 Mr. Kendal’s account of the Dighton rock. 
surface, as well for exccution as for legibility, must be obvious to the 
rudest artist. If we are to attribute the inscription itself to an Indian 
hand, we know, from many specimens of Indian workmanship in our 
possession, that it would be idle to dispute either an Indian’s inclina- 
tion or his skill in smoothing, polishing, and even fashioning the rock. 
A fact also, which might beadduced on this side of the question, is, that 
at the southwest angle of the rock, where it is sunk below the surface 
of the sand, the inclined figure of the face, after descending about six 
inches, is terminated suddenly by an horizontal ledge, affording an ap- 
pearance precisely similar to what might be expected from every 
workman, who, after giving form and finishing to what is exposed to 
view, leaves ina state entirely or partially rude, what is concealed 
from =o bbe! Daca as ath plac of selene, che eX pos- 
‘ssaine soul only to — on the one hand, that the present con- 
dition of the work, in many respects, is very much what it probably 
would have been, had it anciently received even a complete py ramidal 
form ; on the other, I freely add, that I have seen many rocks, where 
no suspicion of art could attach, of figures equally regular, and eyen 
equally approaching the pyramid. Tend therefore, as I have already 
premised, by supposing the rock to have been selected, on account of 
that very symmetry, or approach to symmetry, which leads to this : 
inquiry. , 
Thave dwelt, without hesitation, tipon this natural or artificial py- 
ramidal figure (a particular hitherto, as far as Iam apprized, undiscus- 
‘sed, and even unnoticed), because it 21 ppears to be capable of being made 
of some importance in the haste of the rock, and therefore in the his- 
torical evidence, which the rock may at any time be thought to offer ah 
That where there was means of executing the inscription, there 
should also be means of fashioning the rock, would be nothing re 
