﻿Field and Forest 



A MONTHLY JOURNAL 



DEVOTED TO THE NATURAL SCIENCES. 



Vol. II.— MAY, 1877.— No. "■ 



On the Exploration of some Indian Graves in Utah. 



It happened to the writer to be so fortunate as to visit the Territory 

 of Utah in the summer of 1872, and in the month of August of that 

 year a short stay was made at a place some two hundred miles from 

 Salt Lake City, the name of the locality being suppressed for obvious 

 reasons. After the first day or so, having about exhausted the flora 

 and fauna at hand, we cast about us for further material for our col- 

 lecting chest, and knowing that a tribe of Pah-Vant Indians had lived 

 in the neighborhood for a long time, we naturally supposed that the 

 burial place for their dead could not be far distant, and if such ceme- 

 tery could be found we felt assured of a rich harvest of crania and 

 archaeological material for the National Museum. Accordingly a 

 visit was paid to their camp and after a judicious distribution of trin- 

 kets, carefully guarded inquiries were made of the Chief as to the dis- 

 position of the dead, whether cremated or buried, but without elicit- 

 ing any definite information. 



All that we could discover was that the dead were buried as the 

 Chief said "heap way over there," pointing at the same time as he 

 spoke to the Wah-satch range of mountains some four or five miles 

 distant. This was discouraging but we determined to try again and 

 in other directions. To make a long story short we finally succeeded 

 in purchasing the secret from a person who had witnessed a funeral 

 procession one night and who had had the curiosity to follow the 

 cavalcade to the burying place. For a consideration, this "peeping 



