The gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1798-1799, 1798-11-05

ter ~ Marietta.
VESTIGES Of ancient works, Of
which the prefent natives retain no ira
dition, are found in various parts of
the welfern territory. OF thole that
have yet been dilcovered, the works at
Marietta are Of the greatelt magnitude.
Their ftuat.on is on an elevated plain.
They conft of walls and mounds. OF
earth, in direct lines, and in fquare and
circular forms. The largef fquare con-
tains 40 acres. On each fdc are three
openings, at equal diltances, reiembing
twelve gate ways. The lmallef fquare
contains 20 acres, with gate way in
the Genre Of each fide. At the angles
of the 1quares are openings fimilar to
thofe at the fdes. The walls, which
were made of earth, were not thrown
up from bitches, but RATED by bringing
the earth from fome diifant place, or
taking it up uniformly from the furface
of the plain. They were probably made
of equal height and breadth, but the
waite of time had rendered them lower
and broader in fome parts than in 9th
ers. BY an accurate meafurement they
were found to be from 4 to feet in
height, and from 25 to 36 feet, at the
bafe, in breadth. Two parallel walls,
running from an angle Of the largef
fquare towards the Mufkingum river,
which feemed to have been defgned
for a covered way, were rs feet diltant
from each other, and mealured on the
inner fide, in the mott elevated part, 81
feet in height, and AZ feet broad at the
bafe. Within and contiguous TO the
lquareS, are many elevated mounds, of
COMIC form, and of different magni-
tudeS. The mott remarkable of the
mounds within the walls are three, of
an obIong fquare form, in the great
lquare. The Target Of thele is 1873 feet
in length, 90 feet in width, and 9 feet
in height, level on the Gummit, & near
~ perpendicular at the fdes. AT the
centre Of each Of the fides the earth is
projected, forming gradual afcents to
the fummit, extremely regular, and a.
bout 6 feet in width. Near the lmall-
eft fquare is a mound, RATED in form Of
fugar loaf, Of a magnitude that lfrikes
the beholder with afonifhment. is
ba1e is irregular circle, II5 feet in d.
ameter, and is 90 feet in altitude. Ii
is lurrounded by ditch, at the diltance
Of So feet from its bafe, IS feet wide
and 4 feet deep, forming bank 4 feet
in height, leaving an opening or gate
way, towards the fquare, about 20 feet
wide. Beides thele, there are other
works, but the limits of this note will
not admit of description.
At the commencement Of the fettle-
ment, the whole Of thele works were
covered with prodigious growth Of
trees. When | arrived, the ground was
in part cleared, but many large trees
remaining on the walls and mounds
The only pofIible data for forming any
probable conjecture respecting the anti
guilty of the works, | conceived, mutt
be derived from the growth upon them.
BY the concentric circles, each OF which
contains the annual growth, the age Of
the trees might be afcertained. For
this purpofe a number Of the trees were
felled ; and, in the Prefence Of Cover
nor St. Clair and many other Gentle
men, the number of circles were care
fully counted. The trees Of the great
eft fze we're hollow. In the Target Of
thoie which were found, there were
from three to four hundred circles.-