Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-08-21
THE NAMELEsS DEAD.
vestiges OF q Long. Forgotten Rses-The
Mounds Of wisconsin and Other States
Their Situations. Forms, Contents,
&c., &c.

Their Situations. Forms, Contents.
&c-, &c.
The mounds of Wisconsin hav,
ever been identified with its history
yet there are but few, comparative
ly, who know aught of them beyonC
the fact of their existence. But lit
tie more was known to the writer
until recently, when, passing severa
months in their vicinity, interes
vas aroused to learn somewha
more of the great problem that mus
forever remain unsolved. Some o
the facts and theories were CLEANED
from history, but much was obtain
ed directly from the jewellers amid
the mounds,-farmers and mechan.
les, who, with no preconceived theo.
ries to sustain, are without induce
ment to color the truth in order tt
reconcile facts and fancies.
The warm summer rain, scarcely
more than mist, fell in gentle bene.
diction on field and flower as we
drove into the little hamlet of Alta
lan-the City of the Dead. An all
of repose pervaded the dwellings OF
the living, scarcely less profound
than that which wraps the nameless
slumberers of centuries in their
dwellings below.
The houses of yellow brick, clus-
tering about the solitary church
which stood like a tall sentinel in
the midst, lent to the aspect of the
town q qnaintness peculiar to itself,
and widely at avriance with our
preconceived idea of rural landscape,
with it's tiny white cottages nesting
amid verdant bowers, illuminated by
their corollaries, fragrant roses and
pinks. Brick and mortar, insepara-
bic associates of the city, Jared pain
fully, with a sense of homogeneous
ness which no familiarity could die
sipate.
The name of Aztalan was confer.
red by Judge Hyer, one of the earli-
est settlers Of 1886, who referred the
origin of the mounds of race of
people co-existent with, and similar
to, the ancient Aztecs of Mexico.
The village lies in the midst, and
many dwellings stand directly upon
these mounds, which are, in some
the most remarkable of the
ancient earth.works,-mo remark
able that they bear more closely
than others resemblance to fortifi.
cation. These are situated about
halt-a-mile from the village, though
the mounds commence in the heart
of the town extending nearly a mile
on both sides of the road leading to
Lake Mills. Adverse circumstances
US from making a per-
sOnal examination of these wonders,
we interviewed in approved style an
individual who, with hoe in hand,
was diligently onltivating q patch of
onions growing on one Of the
mounds, which, he assured us, yield
ed far heavier crops than the snr-
rounding soil. Leaning upon the
fence to which we had drawn in
close proximity, he made intelligent
and decisive answers to our ques-
tons, poured out in rapid succession,
while we watched anxiously the
threatened deluge from the heavens.
While cleaning much from this
source, we are still indebted to w.
B. Smiths History Of Wisconsin for
a minute description of the mounds.
The north and south walls abut on
the Crawfish River, and extend
about 400 yards from the west wall,
which is of the Same length. These
walls have certain projections, ap-
psrantly buttresses, at intervals Of
80 feet. Near the western wall,
within the Enclosure is an oblong
mound, 5 feet in elevation; in which
were found, some years since, pieces
of sort of mating, and several
of grass or other fibrous
substance, q texture resembling cloth,
human bones, pieces of pottery of
various kinds, together with frag-
ments Of brick or burnt clay mixed
with grass or straw,-all of which
articles seemed charred by fire.
Within the inclosure, in the south.
west angle, is large mound, nearly
from 10 to 40 feet in height,
fiat on the surface, with a connect
ing ridge, of from 3 to 5 feet in
height to another square mound at
the southeast angle. Such is the
description given of the mounds in
1856.
These walls and their buttresses
are now about 4 feet above the sur
rounding country. The whole in
closure, except when the land is UNI
der cultivation, is covered with q
scattering growth of shrub-oak and
other shrubbery; but the earth.
work with their peculiar forma>
ton, are distinctly tracesble. Above
some of the mounds forest.trees are
growing, which from their size, in
dictate great age. In the circular
mounds were found bones and pot
terry.
Mr.. Smith and Judge Hyer both
incline to the opinion that they are
the remains of ancient Notifications
while Stephen Taylor believes them
to be tumuli for the dead, and thi,
fact tends to support his theory
that the soil differs in every respect
from the soil surrounding them, anC
it IS improbable the builders shout;
have assumed such gigantic labol
only to erect q means of defense
On the other hand, but few skele
tons are found, while hatchets anC
pottery are scattered throughout
But this fact lends no support TO th'
former theory, rs it is well-knowl
fact that primitive races inhume va
rious utensils with their dead.
The mounds on the track of th'
military road leading from For
Winnebago to Prairie du Chen ar
from 4 TO 5 feet in height, and as
sumo the form of various animals
the fox, deer, elk, bear and ais