New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-09-27

meet az ain al Cambridge, Mass On 4ucsua9' '"e '
Of August next
prof JosypH HENRY. the widely known Secre-
,srv Of the Smithsonian Institution has been chosen
Inc next years President Of the Association
Here our labor ends. In less than weeks
time. between forty and fifty distinct topics have
been broached. and while some, as feared, have
been gwen the go-by, the majority have YET ha1
fair and impartial hearing and the facts devel-
oned. and the theories sustained or demonstrated
have among them very many OF much importance
20 the Scientific wordnot being without interest Also
it's TO he hoped 70 the general reader. nave en-
deavored Ia the Of these hasty notes % eve ~
ost f;v id.a of the rith and substance Of each ard
every topic discardpg mere techncaics and emoody-
ing only what Is judged 20 be OF universal interest
Next year SIN told. old Harvard wil De wines
m some startling developments from Gk parts OF our
gr,a. territory A number Of Committees nave been
spnoiuied on particular subjects Of Scientific research
and taken in connection with the private abors Of indi
vduas that session. an very certain, VIII DC OF even
greater interest than this has been.
The following abstract Of paper by Dr.
NJ. w. DrcKEsoN on an interesting subject TIE
Anfiqaii,s Of North Amvoa, have made and send as
although there was no time left read the communi'
cation was referred to the Standing Committee sp-
,,oved and will be embodied in the published proceed
rrs OF the SCI sionso that il Is substantially the same
thing 1t goes before the public az any rate
The iafiquifieS 0f N0rih imercG.-Dr. DickE-
SONS very interesting and valuable report on TINS SUB
iect IL, in substance, a. follows:
Erypt Greece and Rome. observed DR.. u. nave had
their histories aud even Hercrlaneum and PompeI
have become topics familiar TO the ear OF youh-"fe
fnerica where are found the most wonderful annqm
ties in the world (and these, too cocva with the earn
., works of Man has hitherto suffered her primOrda
history 70 remain buried in the earth and obscured ~
the haad Of Time. 1t belongs to the present age y IN
rayc these mysieries-tO dig up and garner these an
ccut monumental relics, found ~ hundreds ana tuour
auds in tine mounds iempis, fort6cai0Hs rduaHs ana
ba0Rs of this ancient people and expose them 70 me
gaze of the whole world.
DR.. Dickson then went on TO speak OF the iom5s ot
the abCrigncs of America, remarSng how particularly
true il that in all countries uncvlzed or owned,
the recepaces OF the dead become the special center OF
mortal devotion The customs OF Europe and ASA ad'
this axiom certainly as the rude piacuccs oi
our early Indian tribes. 1890
DR. d. went on 10 divide these mounds (of which he
has opened over thousand) into Elk classes lst O4i
posts ID RSmpdrts or rails 81, IefeSrgPhs or zoos
outs: iih TtmDs; 5th CtnetGicsi 9th. Tct or SfrHc
tarc Mounds
The first are situated exterior to the walls, from 80
TO 800 feet seldom 80 feet at the base ana from
10 10 feet high-occasionally stjhed lhey arc va
rously shapod-as pyramids. cones and rhomboids
The second-the RGmpGTis or Udls-enclosothe sys'
tens They are from 10 to IS feet in hight and the
distance across the top and from 40 TO eet al
the base They are not srathed but occasionally con
tain numerous skeletons There appears, however 70
be no regularity in the burahe bodies lying IN every
direction. forming perfect stratum OF human bones
found are most generally on the Black River IN the
state of Louisiana. When discovered on level bot
toms they usually face bayou OF crcek-ihus convert
ing such creek into an impeachment against An enemy
approach.
The third Toegrdphs or LO0kOnts-are situated in
the center OF an inclOsure and in hight sometimes
measured 60 feet. Their SUBMITS are generally I'M
proved by artificial Notifications, Offering level ia
many instances Of half 70 eight IN area Ihfy
are universally straed and contain great varieties OF
human bones mingled with those OF the lower animals
a.fnr 4 In lass
of mounds the Committee found kettles OF copper axes
picks guns pistols cruchxes, &c which they supposed
belong the inventions OF the Spaniard or Frenchman
The fourth-the TcmDcs-stand second in impOr-
tance VARYING in hight from le 10 90 feet They
guary srahed with loan ashes and gravel from ~ 10
s inches in thickness. Their base contains noor oi
altar curiously wrought with csys Ignite and hydro
peroxide of iron. Upon one OF the affairs oil mound
thus opened the Committee found burned human
bones arrow points fossil teeth, fragments Of pottery
sc These are occasionally accompanied by pipes
heads axes darts pearls and carvings OF birds, bears
dogs foxes seals, beavers sgators, serpenis, rog-
squirrels, rabbits and fishes.
The fifth Camd13es-are generally oval IN shape
from 80 TO 100 feet in length and seldom exceeding ten
feet in hight They are composed OF three strata
loam clay and lime and filled with bones usually east
and west
The sixth and last-TeHf mounds-sre generally low
and of obong in shape placed around the temples
and look outs qualification has not been detected IN
their structure The deposit consists usually OF te-
males very carefully buried, and decked with but lie"
ornaments.
A great number of vases and urns have been dscov-
cred in these researches-al OF which are described
by the Report in detail The probable use to which
each article has been put Is also specuiated upon Al
length.
sry observed in the heads of skeletons found In one
of these it discovered that three ncisors had been
inserted upon the gina roots, extending one-eghtn
of an inch below the adjoining tooth-evidence that
dentistry was known to the aborignes as matter OF
art, but probably to a very limited extent.
The following are also abstracts of one or two other
communications of interest made to the Convention
during the past two days
Gc3logical Dissertations in North Misussppi.-
The following abstract presents the chief points OF the
paper OF Prof BORON the Physical Geography and
Geology OF Northern Mississippi 10 which reference
was made Saturday. Prof. B. remarks mat tNo
lines drawn from north 10 south one a; the distance
of nifty miles from the eastern boundary OF the Siae
and the other sixty miles farther west VIII divide the
three prominent formations winch may DC desishaieu
as calcareous arenacious and aluyial
The first embraces the Tombigbee Valley and praire,
aud the Transition strata, crossing the corner oil the
State. The second, the billy region where sand rocks
occasionally appear at the surface and the principal
water course having general west, suddenly
turn south when they reach the ttird-the Msslsspp
Bottom"
The mountain range which bounds the Valley Of the
Tennessee on the south continuing west, crosses the
north east corner OF Mississippi much reduced ID
night and follows at short distance from II the course
of the Tennessee River nOruNaId lhis clalu appears
TO be composed of Transition Limestone, oyeraid by
Sandstone and in places Conglomerate In II are
found various marine fossils iron ore, btuminous coal
and some strong sulphur and chaybeate springs Beds
Of coarse gravel and rounded stones frequent am
much OF the higher hilly region has an unproductiye
sandy soil -
The Prairie region having average width OF
eighteen miles begins the northern part oil the
State and extends south, mostly on the west side CT
the Tombisbee River. near two hundred nles-then
crosses and proceeds eastward into Alabama In
North Mississippi few miles west Of the town oil
Aberdeen the Prairie rock has thickness 81 one or
two hundred .cet-tweye miles farther wes its thlck
ness is from Elk to nine hundred feet sun resting
upon sand In south Alabama, its thickness prooa
bly, becomes greater The Tombigbee River, Tor a
long distance below Aberdeen and Columbus has excs
waited its channel through the rock produced PROBABLY
BY contraction when drying. Occasionally, on either
side of the prsires is found whitsh clay whose pm
cipal growth is the postosk tree. The SOL IS cold
clsInmy and less fertile, and in places appears some
what mixed with the richer soil Of the prairie.
The quest incidentally arises Way Is the open
prairie destitute OF timber - Trees planted IN It Will
thrive and the same land lying low and wet IS dense
IL tiiabered The absence Of trees Can only be ait
bted to occasional burning. of the rank grass in the
dryer parts OF the prairie and the consequent desiruc
ton of young trees In the balder portions OF the pra
RE where the grass is far from luxursnt are often
seen islands of timber.