Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-11-16

pies upon which they are constructed, with
The care and Judgment display we'd In the Sc
lection OF their sites, are objects well calcu-
lated 10 impress the student OF Archaeology
with high n gard for the Intelligence, and
skill OF the former inhabitants OF this CONT
nent.
THE AGE OF THE MOUNDS.
While we can only conjecture a. TO the age
OF the mounds, there can be no donbt bat
that they were in existence many centuries
prior 10 the arrival OF the Europeans. Aged
trees have been found on the walls OF these
grass grown forts and tumuli. which are
computed 10 be from three 10 five centuries
old. But, Indeed, second and even third en-
tire forest growth has been traced on some
OF these ancient remains. The conditions
necee sary FOR the maintenance of a dense pop-
ulation, such as that Of the mound builders
must have required, just the reverse OF thar
which is needed for the support OF the In
dlans. Game can only exist and continue
In any great abundance In a wild aud wood.
ed country. The time that would elapse BE-
fore a section would become densely timbered
with wood of large growth. such as was
found in Ono and Kentucky AT the period of
their discovery, would be at least ma ny
hundred years.
Whoever visits ore OF the gigantic works
OF American antiquity Will be nIled with
longing 10 penetrate the mystery OF the past.
and will, In the presence Of bygone ages un-
consciously fall to specializing.
In many places the stones composing the
walls around these Qualifications present the
appearance of having been displac ed, as
though by an earthquake; while in others.
the ruins have retired, leaving a succession
OF terraces. In others again the ruins have
either arisen and encrosched upon the forts
or ihe land has been suddenly depressed, Civ
ing rise 10 foundations. In further confirm
atlon OF the view OF the great antiquity OF
lhese earthWOrks IL the circumstances that
they are sometimes covered 20 the extent of
many feet with alluvium. A subterranean
Indian village was discovered some years
ago IN the Nacootchie valley, Georgia: this
- In narnr sl Of Aa
Mound Builders, but the fact is interesting
as showing what extensive changes NAV
take place ON the face of a country while ma
lions are passing away. The CITY Of Cncin-
nall was built over the ruins of one of the old
forts which for ages had been covered with
alluvium, and the same may be said of Ma
rietta and Others.
The remains of the Mound Builder which
have been discovered may be hut a small
part OF the actual number which formerly
existed, and perhaps many a farmer mas
plowed bis fields for lifetime and never
dreamed that his burrows extended over a
veritable city Of the dead.
From the evidence and data collected. n
wonld appear probable that the Mound
Bnilders of North America were
A BRANC OF, IF NOT THE SANE PEOPLE
who built the wonderful and imposing tenn
pies OF Mexico and Central America. Quite
a numb'r OF the mOuads have been surveyed
and their ground plans accurately determ-
med A few have been observed TO be built
otler animals with limbs extended: the rep
resentaiion being often so faithful as 10 ena-
BE us to recognize the bird or animal the
ancleT u intenOed 10 represent. Accounts of
many OF these works, with maps showing
the'r conformation, have been pa oliShed by
the Smithsonian Institution. and by histori-
cal and archaeological societies.
The facts which tie mounds have revealed
give ample evidence of the ingenuity and
cultivation Of their builders, but beyond
these monuments, now fast sinking into oo-
y lE tnf HsNN sl..F
VINO, however possessed of the human love
OF lame, hive transmitted TO us no record of
their origin, and have not even enrolled their
names ON the pages OF history. In closing
these crude remarks, IL may be proper 70
observe that persons VINO may make any
discoveries in connection with these mounds
or WHO may come into possession of relics or
other articles that may tend 10 throw light
npon The antiquities of America. would DO
wei 10 communicate with the Smithsonian
lnstitu ton, in order that the record of All
discoveries may be preserved. and thus fur
nlsh data for scientific invest CATION into the
OF the PAST 4 NJ r.