Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1854-01-13

u
other portions of the western country, i
the Monuments or Mounds, which affor
proof of :he existence Of an ancient peopl,
who once inhabited North America, but ,
; whom nothing is known except what ca
r be gathered from some of the results {
r their labors. The works at Aztalan, i
! Jefferson county, are most known an
visited, but there are many other localitie
which are said to be equal to them in intel
est and Importance. The substance calle
J brick at this place, is evidently burEe
clay. show ng marks Of having been nike
with straw. but they were not moulded i
regular f,rn5
"1hrr- is class Of aucitut earfhpon
IN Wisconsin, not before found in any othe
country, BEN. made to represent quadru
pc!s, birds, reptiles, and even the humal
form. These representations are rathc
rude, and 1t is often difficult TO decide to
what species Of animal they are intended
but the effects of time may have modified
their appearance very much since they wer'
originally formed. Some have a resem
blance to the butfllo, the eagle, or crane
or to the turtle CT lizard. One represent
ing the human form near the B,ucMounds
is according to Il. c. Taylor, Esq, one
hundred and twenty feet in length; it ies
i'll an east and west direction, the head to.
ward the west, with the arms and legs ex.
tended. The body or trunk is thirty feet
in breadth; the head twenty five, and its
elevation above the general surface Of the
prairie, is about six feet. Its conformation
is SO distinct that there can be no posi-
biiity of mistake in assigning it to the Lu-
Eiau form. A Mound at PrairicyiIlc, re-
presenting turtle, is about FIVE feet high;
the body is fif,y-sx feet in length; it re-
presents the animal with its legs extended
and its feet turned backward 1t is to be
regretted that this interesting mound is
now nearly destroyed. The ancient works
are found in all parts of the Territory,
(now Stase,) but are most abundant at
Aztalan, on Crawfsh river, near the Blue
Mounds, along the Wisconsin, the Neeuah,
and p,shtaka rivers, and near Lake Winne-
bago.
''The mounds are generally scattered
about without amy apparent order or ar
rangement, but are occasionally in irregu-
lar rows, the animals appearing as if drawn
up in line Of march
Fragments Of ancient pottery of very
rude sjnd, are often found i'll various loca-
ii-los. They were formed by hand, or
moulded, ~ LAeI appearance shows evId-
entity that these vessels were not turned on
a potter wheel Parts of the rim of yes
iels, usually ornamented with small uotches
or figures, are most abundant.
" \ mound is said to have been discOv-
cred uearCassviile, on the Mississippi, which
is supposed to represent an animal having
a trunk like the elephant, or the now ex
.inct mastadon. Should this prove true,
it will show that the people who made these
animal carthworks, were cotemIorarles with
that huge monster, whose bones are still
found Or tina, they had then
bu, recently cnigrated from Asia, and had
not los the ir knowledge of the elephant" "
O,her works Of similar kind exist in
this and some of the other Western States,
which prove clearly that a race of people
once roam,d d over these vast praIies, ante
rior to the Aborigincs, of whom We have
not the least historical knowledge.
Next week, the people Of " isconsin will
have new Governor, and in part a new
set of MeInb bers, VINO will be anxiously
ooked to to ratiiy the decision Of the peo-
pie III passing Prohibitory Liquor Law.
L his is a consummarlan devoutly to be
wished for III this State, but it is feared
~ the friends Of the measure that rum
owing Governor aud the money and iuAu-
nee of the Rumocracy will defeat the
trongly ly-ey pressed will of the taxpayers.
Time alone, however, will decide; and if
am wrong, will gladly retract.
Consider my hat of, and with best ,Sa-
aam, am yours, truly. +.