.ANCIENT INDIAN MATTING-FROM PETIT ANSE ISLAND, LOUISIANA. 



By Thomas Wilson. 



In the hall devoted to the collections of prehistoric anthropology in 

 the U. S. National Museum thereisexhibiteda mat of interlaced or woven 

 reed or cane which has been claimed, b^' reason of its locality, condi- 

 tion, and association, to be evidence of the great antiquity of man, and 

 as tending to establish his existence during the tertiary geologic period,* 

 Plate cvii. 



The label affixed to this specimen tells its whole story. 



Specimen of ancient matting from Petit Anse Island, near Vermilion Bay, Coast of 

 Louisiana. Presented to the Smithsonian Institution by J. F. Cleu, esq., May, 1866. 

 "Petit Anse Island" is the locality of the remarkable mine of salt roL't discovered 

 during the late rebellion, and from which, for a considerable period of time, the 

 Southern States derived a great part of their supply of this article. The salt is 

 almost chemically pure, and ai>parently inexhaustive in quantity, occuring in every 

 part of the island (which is about 5,000 acres in extent) at a depth below the surface 

 of the soil of 15 or 20 feet. 



The fragment of matting here exhibited was found near the surface of the salt 

 and about 2 feet above it were the remains of tusks and bones of a fossil eleyhaut. 

 The peculiar interest in regard to the specimeu is in its occurrence in situ 2 feet below 

 the elephant remains, and about 14 feet below the surface of the soil, thus showing 

 the existence of man on the island prior to the deposit in the soil of the fossil elephant. 

 The material consists of the outer bark of the common southern cane (Arundhiaria 

 macrospervia), auA has been preserved lor so long a period both by its silicious char- 

 acter and the strongly saline condition of the soil. 



The letter of transmission accompanying this specimen is from Mr. 

 Cleu, dated New Orleans, May 10, 1806. It forms the basis of the 

 label. He sends specimens of the rock salt, pieces of the fossil bones, 

 and tusk of the elei)hant, and then says : 



Below the fossil of the elephant, near the salt, we found pieces of matting made 

 of the enamel of the canes. That work was beautiful and well preserved. It tastes 

 salty and looks as if it had been made a few weeks ago. If I had not taken them up 

 myself I could not believe it possible that they were found where I have stated; 

 many more will be found but more carefully dug up. We have bought the mines 

 and nearly the whole island, and intend to go in operation on a large scale, etc. 



An inspection of this specimen caused me to suspect its antiquity. 

 When I remarked the small and thin strips of the substance and its 

 fragility and compared them mentally with other objects of the same 

 reputed age, as, for example, the fossil mastodon teeth and bones which 



* Prehistoric America, Marquis de Nadaillac ; edited by Professor Dall, p. 36. 



H. Mis. 142, pt. 2—43 673 



