, 1853-07-30
Extracts from Wilkes Exploring
Expedition.
Continued

PUGET SOUND AND oKoNAG AN.
lS4l.

lS4l.
The observatory duties being completed,
! set out, with Lieutenant Budd and Mr..
Ed, in three boats, to join the surveying
party under Lieutenant Case. Mr.. Ander.,
son accompanied us, on a visitto the Shute's
River Falls, where we intended to take
horses 10 ride 10 the Butte Prairie, with some
men 10 open several Of the mounds, 10 dis
cover their contents, if they had any.
BY the stupidity Of the Indian guide, we
took the wrong arm Of the sound, and did
not discover our error until we reached its
3 extreme limit, where, as night overlook us,
We were forced to encamp.
The next day, however, we reached the
falls, which were Insignificant, both in height
and volume Of water This arm, which
have called Budd's, is a fine harbor, nine
miles in depth, and about half a mile wide.
Aher forming our encanpment near by,
(which was surrounded by Siringias in full
blossom and giving Lieutenant Budd and
Mr. Ed orders, Mr.. Anderson and myself,
with six men, set off for the Butte Prairie,
with shovels and picks. We reached the
place about O'Clock, through rain which
had wet the bushes and Underground so
much, that in passing through the Indian
trails, we were completely drenched. These
bushes consisted principally of Rubus and
Alder. On our route we passed several
beautiful and sacu Ted prairies, Of excellent
soil, and covered with many flowers. The
men began their digging early in the morn
inc Thooo rnoupde bovo hoon cor,,ol h.,
scraPlng the surface earth together in a heap.
The soil, therefore, is very rich, and they
have rank growth of vegetation on them
Much Of this rich earth or mould must have
been brought from distance The regular
ny Of their construction and shape, as well
as the space over which they are scattered,
are surprising. Although ! could obtain no
direct information respecting them, ]. was
one d'y told that the mcdicine-man gather
Cd his herbs from them, 10 make the decoc-
lions with which he effects his cures.
Although all tradition concerning them
may be lost, yet the custom Of these medi-
ene-men may have survived, and taking in
10 consideration tlM influence they have had
and still have over the tribe, it is possible
that their predecessors might have had
something 10 do with the formation of these
monuments. They certainly are not places
Of burial. They bear The marks of savage
labor, and are such an undertaking as would
have required the united efforts of a whole
tribe.
The hole, which was dug directly in the
centre, was about four feet in diameter. At
ne depIh Of about six feet was found kind
" pavement of round stones, laid on the
IoOsoil Of red gravel No articles of any
description were discovered in the mounds,
winch seemed to be grouped in fves, as in
'ne hgure annexed. Although there is a
general resemblance among them, they evil
oenlly have been constructed successively,
ana al intervals Of several years. heard
suggested that they had been formed by
sa'er-eourses, but this view as impossible
.O' ihcy are situated on level prairie, and
"e Al least thousand in number.
observations for latitude and longitude
were obtained here, but the weather did not
p'imh me 10 get angles on Mount Rainier,
was desirous Of doing. The mkt d'y