Two years ago I learned of a large collection of costumes and curios belonging to Mr. D. Charles Bristol, of Homer, Nebraska. Arrangements were made to visit Homer a year ago, but the conditions would not permit. July 10 I started on an extended trip; I visited Homer and saw part of the collection belonging to Mr. Bristol. I was convinced that this collection is the most valuable and best authenticated collection in the West, and immediately began to negotiate to have it removed to the Historical Society museum. After getting the negotiations started, I visited Sioux City for a day. There I saw a number of people interested in early history and archeology. Hon. C. R. Marks, a pioneer and historian, presented specimens of pottery from "Broken Kettle" mound near Sioux City. From Sioux City I went to Coleridge in Cedar county, to visit the original home of the boulder which the class of 1892 placed on the University campus. This boulder was discovered by Professor Aughey, of the University of Nebraska, in the year 1869. It is a granite drift boulder of several tons weight. Upon the face of this boulder is the imprint of a foot, evidently cut or worn into the rock by blunt tools; the whole top surface is covered with hieroglyphics, or curious marks evidently made in the same way. I have long desired to visit the spot from which this boulder was removed. I explored the country from Sioux City to Coleridge by stopping over one train in various small towns; I stopped at Waterbury, at Allen, and at Laurel, as well as at Wakefield. At Waterbury I explored to Allen and took the train there for Laurel. Nothing of particular note was discovered; a few mounds and a chance small camp site here and there were brought to my attention by settlers, but along this railroad Indian ruins are scarce. From Coleridge I drove about four miles to the farm where this rock once rested. The cavity can still be seen, as the hilltop is covered with drift pebbles. About three acres of ground on the top of this hill have never been disturbed, which gave me a splendid chance to study the situation. This spot is one and a half miles from flowing water. According to old settlers who have explored the surrounding country carefully, it is eight miles to the nearest site of a ruin left by Indians, and that is very insignificant. The surrounding country for five miles in all directions seems very deficient in relics of this departed race. I inquired diligently of everyone, but failed to find even an account of an arrow head or a stone ax being discovered in the surrounding country. I was in the vicinity three days, and instead of finding a rich field of relics near where this rock was discovered, I found none. The barren hilltop is covered with small drift pebbles. After critically examining over five hundred of these I am convinced that none of them were used in making the marks left on this boulder. There are no worn or beaten paths leading up to the place where the rock once rested; there is no indication that other rocks had been worn to bits in cutting the characters. In fact, the soil near is free from any pebbles save waterworn, rounded pebbles like those covering the entire hill. One is forced to the conclusion that the work of cutting this rock must have been done elsewhere. The study is not complete, and I doubt whether conclusive evidence can ever be found to settle the problem. It has taken infinite labor to cut these characters into the granite; they are not scratches, but the marks are three-fourths of an inch wide and in some places half an inch deep. The cutting has been done in the same manner as grooves are put in granite mauls or axes. I have interested some of the people near, and if anything is found which will throw light on this problem it will be reported. August 20 I made another trip to Homer, and after some discussion of details it was arranged to have the “Omaha Charlie" collection placed in the Nebraska State Historical Society fireproof rooms. It is worthy of mention in this connection that Mr. M. A. Bancroft, of the Homer Free Press, assisted very much in arranging the details for Mr. Bristol, and the Society appreIciates his kind offices and careful business tact in this matter. Mr. F. B. Buckwalter also assisted in cataloguing the collection. The following is the contract signed by Mr. D. Chas. Bristol and wife as owners of the collection and the officers of the Historical Society as trustees of the collection: AGREEMENT. "This agreement made this first day of September, A.D. 1906, by and between D. Charles Bristol, of Homer, Nebraska, and the Nebraska State Historical Society of Lincoln, Nebraska, witnesseth : "That D. Charles Bristol, of Homer, Nebraska, hereby places in the custody of said Nebraska State Historical Society a collection of rare and curious articles, Indian costumes, Indian weapons, ornaments, and handiwork, for safekeeping and care, to be held by said Historical Society until such time as he shall demand them returned to him [see catalogue attached]. "That for and in consideration of the above described loan the Nebraska State Historical Society agrees: "First, to keep the said collection safely in the fireproof rooms of the said Society at Lincoln, Nebraska, as long as said D. Charles Bristol may desire it so kept, and to care for the collection in the best manner possible. "Second, to catalogue and label the collection and each piece thereof as the 'D. Charles Bristol Collection,' and keep same on free exhibition at Lincoln, Nebraska, and to print a catalogue as soon as possible after receiving said collection, and to furnish said D. Charles Bristol as many copies of said catalogue as he may desire-not to exceed 100 copies. "Third, the Nebraska State Historical Society further agrees, in consideration of the above described loan of said collection, to bear all expense of labeling, cataloguing, printing of catalogue, and transporting of collection from Homer, Nebraska, to Lincoln, Nebraska, and in addition thereto the entire expense of caring for and maintaining said collection on exhibition in aforesaid fireproof museum of said Society at Lincoln; and if the collection shall remain in the custody of the Society for two years or more the Society agrees to pay cost of transporting the collection back to Homer, Nebraska, should the said D. Charles Bristol demand the return of the collection. "It is further agreed and understood by and between both parties that the said D. Charles Bristol collection shall remain intact and be kept and called one collection, and not be scattered. It shall be held in trust by the said Historical Society for D. Charles Bristol and his heirs until such a time as the said D. Charles Bristol shall demand its return. Upon the death of D. Charles Bristol it shall be held in trust for the legal heirs of the said D. Charles Bristol until such a time as they (the legal heirs) shall agree in writing to sell the entire collection to some person or institution where it can be maintained as a whole to be known as the 'D. Charles Bristol Collection.' At such a time the Nebraska State Historical Society shall have the first right to purchase the collection at the price offered; but if the said Nebraska State Historical Society can not or will not purchase the entire collection, then the Nebraska State Historical Society shall turn over the said D. Charles Bristol collection, each piece and every part of said collection, in good condition, and without question to the legitimate purchaser of the same, free of cost. "D. C. BRISTOL. "MRS. D. C. BRISTOL. President. "H. W. CALDWELL, Secretary. "J. A. BARRETT, Curator. "E. E. BLACK MAN, "Witness: G. M. BEST. "[Notarial Seals.]" September 10 I went to Homer and packed the collection, making a catalogue of the same at the time. I gave, as near as Mr. Bristol can remember, the history of each piece. While at Homer I explored the surrounding country as much as time would permit, and Mr. M. A. Bancroft has volunteered to aid in the study of that vicinity. Mr. Bancroft is a wideawake, hustling newspaper man and he has succeeded in learning a few facts about the Omaha village which was once at the mouth of Omaha creek, a few miles east of where Homer now stands. The site of this village has gone into the river, but many mounds are scattered along the bluffs around Homer. Part of the history of this village is to be found in books. I erected a tablet on the farm of Mr. T. C. Baird where a ledge of rock is covered with Indian pictographs. should be photographed. These September 24 I visited the home of J. W. Ingles at Pleasant Hill in Saline county. Mr. Ingles came to Pleasant Hill when the Indians wandered through Saline county and has been in the mercantile business ever since. He has gathered a number of interesting and curious things, which he has loaned to the Historical Society for safe-keeping. No small part of this collection is a number of U. S. silver and bronze coins which will grow more valuable as time goes on. Two gold quarter-dollars are found in the collection, as well as a number of Indian relics. The smaller donations to the museum will be found in the catalogue of the museum. The latter part of 1906 was spent in arranging the new collections brought in, and in placing the "Omaha Charlie" collection in the cases. January 1, 1907. E. E. BLACKMAN, Archeologist. ARCHEOLOGIST'S REPORT, 1907. To the Honorable Executive Board, Nebraska State Historical Society: The first part of the year was spent in rearranging the museum to make a place for the collections which have re |