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readily seen by reference to the diagram, to indicate any arrangement or design whatever, except to construct them where it could be done. with least labor, by taking advantage of the ridges and slight elevations of loose and sandy soil. The structures vary in height from two to twelve feet, the diameter being five or six times the height. They are usually circular, only four or five being elliptical, the length of these about double the breadth, and the longer diameter being parallel with the river. The outline of surface is such as would naturally result from a rounded heap of sand or loose earth exposed for ages to the action of the elements, the surface being protected by such grasses, plants, bushes, or trees as the soil would produce. The exact height and diameter are consequently difficult to determine, but it would appear that they had originally been from four to fifteen feet in height and perhaps four times those measures in diameter.

All of the largest mounds and several of the smaller are upon the high ground, from one hundred and twenty to one hundred and fifty feet above the river. The rest are on the slope between it and the river. I selected for examination one of several similar mounds, which were situated in a row parallel with the river, and but a few rods northwest of the sandy ridge, at some fifty feet lower level, and on ground sloping gently toward the Mississippi, which is distant about one-fourth of a mile. This mound is marked 1 on the plan. It was about four feet high and twenty-five in diameter. On the top was the stump of an oak tree, five inches in diameter. This mound is composed, as are the most of those which have been opened, of a loose fine sand, with here and there a stone of two or three pounds' weight or more, of the Niagara limestone and the sandstone common in this region, many of them evidently having been subjected to the action of fire before they were placed there. No floor, wall, or internal structure of any kind was found, and the same is the case in almost all instances in this district.

Making an excavation from one side and toward the middle, on reach. ing a depth of six feet from the top, a quantity of human bones was discovered lying about in the center of the mound. Seven adult and one child's skulls were exhumed, the latter falling in pieces as soon as it was removed. The adult skulls were more or less crushed and distorted, and some portions entirely decayed; two of them, however, were secured in tolerably good condition, one containing thirty-two sound teeth, the other wanting but two or three. Many teeth were found with fragments of decayed jaw-bones, and it is very evident that, whatever the troubles and trials to which their possessors were subject, that plague of modern times, the tooth-ache, was one from which they were pretty much exempt.

The crania have apparently been subjected in life to no artificial distortion nor compression, except, possibly, some flattening of the occipital region, such as is said to be produced by the position and manner in which some tribes confine the infant to a cradle-board. This seems the

more probable, as it is observed that the children's skulls found here exhibit the same peculiarity in a more marked degree; the adults having probably partially outgrown its effect. The heavy, superciliary ridge, retreating forehead, and protruding and very wide jaws, and great bimastoidal diameter, as compared with the bi-parietal, are indicative of physical rather than of mental or moral capacity.

The accompanying description, with table of measurements by Dr. Farquharson, will abundantly show such prevailing peculiarities as fully identify them as skulls of genuine "mound-builders."

As portions of all parts of the skeleton are found, it would appear that the whole of each has been deposited there, though thrown in rather "promiscuously." The heads were nearly all lying in the same direction, southward, in some cases in contact with each other, and the other parts so intermingled and decomposed as to make it impossible to trace any one skeleton, or to determine to which one an individual bone belonged. Many of the small bones and the softer portions of the larger ones are entirely gone. The best-preserved skeleton, No. 3, was lying stretched out in a horizontal position, with the face upward, and was a few inches above the rest, and, of those which were piled in together, one was lying on its right side.

The sand below, above, and around the bones presents the same uniform appearance, from a yellowish-gray to a reddish-brown color, except that that immediately about them is usually a little darker; and occasional irregular and uneven streaks of rather darker sand are found, as if some loads or parcels of the earth of which the heap is formed had been partly of a dirtier surface-soil, and had been thrown scattering over the surface and then covered with cleaner sand. A few of the most southern mounds, where the earth is gravelly, are composed of sand and gravel, showing that, as in the other cases, they are built of the material nearest at hand.

It would appear that the process of interment had been a very simple one, viz, selecting a spot where the earth was loose, sandy, and easily removed; scraping away the earth to the depth of a foot or two, then carelessly depositing a few bodies, or rather perhaps a few skele tons, collected possibly from elevated scaffolds, trees, or other positions where the bodies had been previously placed; then replacing the sand which had been removed, and adding enough from the surrounding surface to raise a heap of such dimensions as the inclination to manual labor and the respect for the deceased would prompt. The position of the skeletons is a pretty certain indication that the bodies were not interred one at a time, as that could not have been done without in each instance entirely uncovering those previously buried, the skulls being in some cases in contact with each other.

In this mound no relics, such as weapons or implements, were found, except a very small fragment of pottery in the earth, about a foot from

the surface, and an arrow-head of very peculiar form, which was lying among the bones.

Mica plate10 inch thick.rather soft

and flaky at the edges.

Fig. 2.

2

3

In November, several members of the academy visited the locality for the purpose of further exploration. On this occasion three more mounds were opened under the direction of Mr. A. S. Tiffany, who spent the previous day in making preparatory excavations, so that considerable search could be made in a few hours. He opened the mounds marked 2, 3, and 4 on the plan. Nos. 2 and 3 were similar in all respects to No. 1.

In No. 2 nothing was found except a few bones, the remains probably of only two or three bodies, very much decomposed, and a few teeth, of which only the crown remained. In No. 3, at the depth of six feet from the surface, were found the skeletons of four adults, lying stretched cut, face upward, two with heads toward the east and two toward the west. The four occupied a space of about four feet in width. Two children had also been buried there, perhaps at a later date, but their position could not be well ascertained. One of the skulls (skull No. 5) from this mound was obtained in a very perfect condition, except that most of the teeth are wanting. In this mound were discovered, lying immediately above the skeletons, several relics of considerable interest, viz, a plate of mica, about three by four inches and one-eighth of an inch thick, with several notches in the edges; a small lump of galena, surface much carbonized, and the corners worn, apparently by handling; a dove-colored flint arrow-head, very finely wrought, sharp, and smooth, (No. 2;) several flakes of white flint; and a strangely-formed bone implement, charm, nasal ornament, or whatever it may have been, (No. 3.) It is a fragment of a marrow bone, four and a half inches long, and one and a quarter wide at the middle, tapering nearly to a point at the ends, one of which is more pointed than the other, and much curved edgewise. Close to the edge, at the convex side, at the widest part of the bone,

are four holes, about one-eighth of an inch in diameter, but differing slightly. They have the appearance of having been drilled with a tool not much, if at all, tapering in form, and with a square cutting-edge, which was not worked entirely through, as there remains in each hole, on the inner side, a little edge which is not quite cut away. Across the bone, near the larger end, are two rows of holes-five and six in a row— one-tenth of an inch or less in depth, drilled with some round-pointed instrument. One curved line is cut across, as shown in the figure. The article seems much worn by handling. What was its use, we can scarcely conjecture; and some Indians (Sacs and Foxes) to whom it has been shown, can give no clue.

The mound numbered 5 on the plan is like the others in material and structure, except that it is much larger, being about sixty feet long, thirty feet wide, and seven feet high. In this mound an excavation was made in the middle, only about five feet square, which we hope to work out more thoroughly at another time.

About two feet below the surface was found a much-decayed frag ment of the "shin-bone" of some mammal, possibly the bison; and a little deeper, two fragments of pottery, parts, apparently, of the same vessel, and bearing impressions on the outer surface of some kind of woven or matted fabric. At the depth of nine feet was discovered a large and remarkably well-preserved skeleton, almost entire, wanting only a few of the very small bones, fingers, and toes, and the more perishable portions of a few of the larger ones.

The skull (No. 6) is in tolerably good condition, and contains the entire set of sound teeth. The pelvis was obtained almost perfect, which was the case in no other instance. This skeleton, also, was lying at full length, with the face upward and head to the east, in the direction of the transverse diameter of the mound.

Immediately south of this was another skeleton, and over these some others, all in a less perfect state of preservation than the one first mentioned, and the bones somewhat intermingled with it and each other. One was that of a child of ten or twelve years. Close to the skeletons, and immediately north of the first named, were a number of stones lying, whether by accident or design, in a very irregular row, probably accidental. Among the human bones was a piece of the lower jaw of the deer or elk, containing four molars, all well preserved.

So far as our observations go no metallic articles of any kind are found there, though it is reported that some years since a copper knife was taken from one of the mounds.

Many of the mounds have been opened and partially explored by cit izens and visitors in search of curiosities, and of late such visits are more frequent than ever. That these structures were merely burialplaces and nothing more, is evident from the fact that, ordinarily, there is in them no trace of floor or roof, and no charred wood or bones, or other indications of fire.

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