University of Virginia Library

6. Inola, Indian Territory - August 20, 1900

August 20, 1900

Doctor Emmett Starr

My Dear Sir and Friend:

You presented me a copy of "Magazine of American History,: date May 1884; which contains an article by Cyrus Thomas, Ph.D. who attempts to prove that the Cherokees are the ancient mound builders, etc. The Cherokees did build towns and town houses. Just the Same as the other Southern tribes did. A thing peculiar with the Cherokees was that they used a deal of Shells in ornamenting their town houses with which the other towns of Southern Indians did not; except the Coweta town of the Creek Nation. The Shells of the Coweta town mentioned above was held by them as trophies of war. They having captured them from a Cherokee town house.

Another thing peculiar to both the Cherokees and Creeks was that they renewed the Furniture of the town houses once every year (excepting trophies of war). A thing more peculiar to the Cherokees was that all of this town house furniture such as seats, mats, dance rattles, drums and sticks, medicine blow-canes, etc, were burned with the old fire in use and this old fire thrown away and extinguished. And a new fire kindled by friction and new furniture provided in place of the old furniture destroyed by fire by the fire priests, known as the a-cha-la-tagheh (medicine men). The Shells, earthen vessels, and clay floor were broken and swept to outer verge of the Sacred Limits of the town house yard once a year. (Just before the Green Corn dance). Thus accumulating a narrow ridge of two Semi-circles above the yard of the town house never exceeding 4-5 feet high and most generally 2-3 feet high. In these semi-circle ridges can be found the Shells and broken crockery mentioned and wherever found are known as Cherokee shell mounds. They extend from the Kanawha River, Virginia down to Cape Florida . This Custom of destroying public utensils once a year by fire, prevailing among these Ke-to-waa-Kee band (Since known as Cherokees) gave them the name of Au-Cha-land-Kee, or Fire Towns . Hence the name Cherokee.

The Creeks built the same kind of Semi-ridges by sweeping the town house each year with broken Earthenware, the remains of medicine vessels, hence the name Muskogee (named after their medicine). They did not burn any furniture. They threw away the old fire, and renewed a new fire annually.

Thus the Creek Semi-circle ridges contained no Shells or Clay flooring and were not quite as high as the Cherokee Shell Mounds. And in either case, after the lapse of a few Score years would become very near obliterated by the Elements; excepting the larger ones.

Beyond the above mentioned Shell Mounds, I am thoroughly Convinced that the Cherokees are not the Mound builders Cyrus Thomas refers to. Those large Mounds Mr. Thomas speaks of extend down to remote antiquity by Creek and Cherokee Traditions with Corroborating evidence within the Structure of these mounds themselves. That Mr. Thomas' theory is but a lost speck in an ocean of facts. First: these large mounds are so vast in Extent, with all possible conditions considered, is positive proof of Slave labor fully as much as does the Pyramids of Egupt prove Slave labor. They used Copper metal, quarried mica, wove cloth, cultivated great quantities of Corn. The Skulls of the Skeletons buried in these mounds indicate a race vastly inferior in energetic manhood to the North American Indian. They were the Antochthonous race of the American Continent. The Indian was an intrusive race vastly superior to the Mound Builders. The skulls of the mound builders indicate a low type of humanity who could hardly have been capable of deep passions, good or bad, and were fit Subjects of tyranny and Slavery who could have been easily imposed upon and destroyed by a more turbulent cruel, treacherous people.

The Skull of the North American Indian is a total reverse being of a very high order of persistent manhood. They are totally above and beyond being made Slaves of. The Wild North American Indian has developed mental powers far superior to the semi-civilized Toltecs of Mexico and Central America, Far Superior to the Peruvian Incas of South America; The Equal of the Free and Great Romans.

The Indian skull is typic of Scipio, of Julius Caesar, of the British Veteran. Square skulled with the Corners rounded. Known in Science as the Brachycephali skull. Some of the best types are found among the Algonquin, Iroquois, Cherokees, Aztecs, Natchez , Creeks, Seminoles, Osages, and Northern Dacotah tribes. None of them would entertain for one moment, digging and carrying wet clay by thousands of tons by hand and building firm clay mounds a hundred feet high, 400 feet long by sixty feet wide, time and again in different styles and types to be found all over the United States, British America, down into South America. The Evident use of which was funeral sepulcher for their best and ruling types at which they offered human sacrifices. No Sir! No North American tribe has done these things. Creek traditions tell that they Slew an Evil People whose practices and presence was abominable. Who were witches, with whom no man could have pleasure, who had heads like frogs, and were called the frog people, who covered the Earth in multitudes and delighted to build.