We learn from a reliable source that $20,000 was offered on Saturday
by a perfectly responsible party and in good faith, to two different
persons holding interests in the stone giant, for one-quarter share
of the stock in the wonderful statue, and the offer was promptly declined.
AN ANCIENT COIN FOUND IN THE EARTH TAKEN FROM
THE GIANT'S BED.
On Saturday last, Mathew, a son of Dr. Alexander Henderson,
veterinary surgeon, of this city, while visiting the Cardiff giant,
picked up from the surrounding debris thrown out of the excavated
resting place of this huge work of stone something that seemed
like a blackened scale of brass or a rusty old button. Thinking
that it might have some affinity to the wonderful statue, the lad
rubbed the dirt and rust from its surface between his finger and
thumb, and burnishing it a little by rubbing it in the folds of
his coat skirts, it showed evidence of being an old copper coin,
and he accordingly placed it carefully in is pocket, and brought
it home. Dr. Henderson, the lad's father, applied some acids to it,
when an ancient coin, of nearly the eleventh century, revealed
itself.
On the obverse side of the coin is the head of the Emperor Jestyn,
with a full flowing beard from the chin, and the sacred heart
strung from a rosary in the shape of a shield, or breast-plate,
strung around the neck. Beneath the Emperor is the date, "1091,"
and around the edge of the coin is the following inscription--
"JESTYN-AP-GURGAN, TYWYSOG-MORGANWG." The
interpretation of this, as rendered by a competent Welshman, means,
"Jestyn, son of Gurgan, Prince of Glanmorgan." On the reverse side
is the figure of the Goddess of Commerce, seated on the wheel at
her side, the pillar and ancient crown, wreathed with the national
emblem, the oak, the shield and spear supported by the left hand,
and the right hand pointing to a ship on the distant sea, with full sails
set, which she seems intently gazing at. The inscription around the circle
is in the Welch language, and reads as follows:--"Y. BRENAIN-AR-
GYFRAITH," the interpretation of which is "The King and the Laws."
The coin is 778 years old--over seven and a half centuries--and
on the edge of the rim can be distinctly seen "Glenmorgan Half
Penny," with representations of leaves intertwining. The
denomination of the coin is imprinted in raised letters, and
everything connected with it shows it to be a coin of the reign
of the emperor whose name it bears. Further, in connection with
the unearthing of the stone giant, its discovery in the loose dirt
thrown up from the bed of the excavation where the statue was found,
and yet lies, is certainly quite interesting, and seems to add to
the general interest that attaches to this great and unexplained
mystery of the Nineteenth Century.
PROBABILITIES THAT IT WAS TRANSPORTED ON THE
WATER-COURSES FROM THE SEA-BOARD.
Although there are still intelligent advocates of the petrifaction
theory, the preponderating weight of opinion supports the view
that the giant wonder is a work of art. We understand all the
scientific gentlemen, who have been permitted to make thorough
examination, to be agreed in this decision.
The next question is, How did it come to be where it was discovered?
There is very little probability that it was carved on the spot
where it was recently exhumed; the stone for that purpose was not
likely to have been found there or to have been taken there; and
the situation where it was discovered, a morass or water-bed,
favors the theory that it was deposited there. Setting aside the
belief, honestly entertained by many people in the immediate vicinity,
that the statue was surreptitiously placed in the slough where it
was dug up a few days since, there is tenable ground for the theory
that it was taken there by some of the early white visitors to
this section of country. This might have been done by transportation
over the water-courses communicating with the locality, either
through the River St. Lawrence, Lake Ontario, the Oswego River,
Onondaga Lake and Onondaga Creek, or through the Hudson and Mohawk
Rivers, Oneida Lake and River, Onondaga Lake and Onondaga Creek.
These waters were early navigated, and within the memory of persons
still living the principal means of transportation was by batteaux,
which with considerable loads were propelled along these water-courses.
The Onondaga Creek was in those days navigable for light-draft craft
capable of conveying a much greater weight than this statue, at
least as far up its waters as the place of this discovery.
The place of the discovery is not in the original channel of the
creek, but in a detour from that channel. It is not unreasonable
to suppose that for some reason--from alarm, or from a desire to
secret the object,--the craft was run out of the main channel into
this then open water-way, where the statue was deposited.
The early Jesuit visitors to this vicinity may have had this
statue in their keeping. It may have been fashioned by some of
their number. It is not impossible, that it may have been brought
here, or even have been carved out at some place not far distant,
by other of the early visitors to this region. We expect that
light will be thrown upon these speculations, by the scientific
investigations, which will determine the exact nature of the
material of which the statue is composed, by which alone some hint
of its place of origin may be derived. The intimations given us
by Professor Hall, in our brief interview with him, impressed us
that he looked upon the statue as of great antiquity, antedating
the present geologic period, and equaling in interest and importance
the discoveries made in Mexico of archaeological remains, indicating
a high degree of civilization in the tenth, eleventh and twelfth
centuries.