Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1848-09-29

to the point where it connects with the table land
g conforming to the curve OF the HILL and occupy
ing It's very summit is the serpent Its head rest
ing near tie point and its body winding back for
700 feet in graceful undulafi5ns terminating in a
triple coil at TIE tail The entire length if exen-
ded, would be not less than LOCO feet The ac-
companying plan, laid down from accurate sur
vey, can alone give AN adequate conception of the
outline of the work which is clearly and boldly
defined the ernbankmcnt being upwards OF 5 feet
in hight by 80 feet base at the centre of the body
diminishing somewhat toward the head and tail
The neck of the serpent issetehed ont ard sli CHIT
w curved. and lis mouth is opened wide as If III
the act of swallowing or ejecting an oval figure
which rests partially within the distended Jaws
I This oval IS formed BY an ellhankment of earth
without any perceptible opening four feet in hight
and is perfectly regular in outline, its transverse
and cohjugate diameters being 100 and so feet re
spectively The ground within the oval is slight
" elevated: i small cIrcuiar elevation of large
store once Iluch burned once existed in its center
but they have been thrown down and scattered by
some ignorant visiter, under the prevailing Inn
preston probably that gold was hidden beneath
them The point of the hill within which this
eggshapod figure rests seems to have been arti-
ficially cut to conform to It's outline leaving a
smooth platform, 10 feet wide, and somewhat
inclined inward all around it.
Epon either side of the serpents head extend
two small triangular elevations ten or twelve feet
over. They are not high, ard although too dis
tinct to be overlooked, are yet too much obitera-
ted to be satisfactorily traced Besides platform
or level oval terrace, and large mound in the
centre of tie sthrnus connecting the hill with the
table land beyond there are no other remains, eX-
cepting few mounds. within six or eight miles
none, perhaps, nearer than the entrenched hill
Highland COunty, thirteen miles distant. There
| are number ofworks lower down ON Bush Creek
toward its mouth, their character is not known.
| Tne point on which tins efigy occurs commands
an extensive prospect overlooking the bottoms"
at the Junction Of the three principle tributaries OF
the creek The aluvial terraces are here quite eX-
tensive, and it is matter of surprise that no
works occur on them.
The serpent, separate or III combination with
the circle, egg, or globe, hes been predominant
symbol among many primitive nations. It pre-
walled IN Egypt, Greece. and .Assyra, and entered
widely into the superstition Of the Celts the Hin
docs, and the Chinese. 1t even penetrated into A
| meTica, and was conspicuous inthe mythology of
the ancient EIexicans. among whom its significance
does not seem to have differed materially from
that which it possessed in the Old World The
fact that the anciont Cets, and perhaps other
tons ofthe old continent erected temple struct-
ures in the form of the serpent is ofhigh inter
est Ct this description is the great temple OF Alb
ury, in Englapd--in many respects the most inn
| posing ancient monument Of the British Islands.
1T is impossible in this connection, TO trace the
analoges which the Ohio structure exhibits to the
serpent temples Of England or to point outthe eX-
tent to which the symbol was applied in America
an investigation fraut with the greatest interest
both in respect to the Light which it reflects upon
the primitive superstitons of remotely separated
! people, and especially of the American race.
Go be Continued.