The New York herald., 1876-01-27
MOUND CEMETERIES.
An Interesting Paper from
DR.. w. M. Clark.
low the Mounds Of Tennessee Are Built
and What They Contain.
Relics Of the Aborigines for the Gen.
tenniaI Exhibition.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Dec, 10, 1875.

NASHVILLE, Tenn, Dec TO- 1875
The following is exhaustive and highly interesting
report from Dr. W. NJ Clark. paleontoogst in Tennes
see for the Smithsonian Institution;-
To Professor JOSEPH HENRY Secretary of the smthso
In December, 1874, received letter requesting me-
on the recommendation OF Hon. W. Whitthorne to
investigate the Indian mounds and cemeteries with
which this country abounds After somo correspond
ence agreed 20 do So but on account of sickness and
other causes I did not begin until May These
mounds situated throughout the whole Of Tennes-
see but especially in the middle portion The Indians
seemed 10 prefer water course for their habitatons
and h Is generally the case, wherever these remains
exist, there is the very best OF our farming lands
There are various kinds OF remains-mounds,
singular chain of these mounds, extending
from the Tennessee River at Florence
Alabama dagonally the State OF Tennessee and
resting the Upper Cumberland River, Mon
ticeo, Ky. Whether not this chain denoted line
OF travel for the aborignes was accidentally tho
most thicky populated section OF the country | know
not This scope OF country, al any rate; is tarfamed
for Its rich, fertile SOIL and is at this time the most
thckly populated section of Tennessee The soil Is
loan and alluyia and the rocks OF the silurian
limestone. The hills and valleys abound In fossil
mains both of Shells and brachioped and lingula espo
eiay, and animals large specimen OF the megathe-
rum exhumed Franklin few years ago,
thirty feet beneath the surface of the EARTH and under
high hill beside There evidences of the exist
ence OF ores of any kind with the exception of few
pieces OF galena in the western part of Williamson
county, scattered here and there over the
surface of the earth. In the county of Will
hanson alone, where my Investigations principally
occurred, are four distinct fortified camps, and the
builders OF these defences evinced knowledge of great
military skill in the selection OF location and manner
OF improving the natural advantages which would
hardly accord the ignorant savages OF the present
day. The fact OF the existence of these stronghods
upon which so much labor has been expended, would
go TO show that the architects were less nomadic IN
their habits than know the present Indians to be.
And yet abundant evidences exist to prove that the
later inhabitants OF these wlds used the
the people who preceded them These facts will APP
pear the course Of my article AS TO their antiquity
II is all enveloped in mystery, which will probably
never be unraveled until something more definite is
discovered than yet is known 10 the archaoogst.
Though many Investigations have been made under the
auspices Of the Smithsonian Institution and of
historical societies OF different States tor which the
try is duly grateful much yet remains 10 be discovered
and IL is hoped these researches in the interest Of
science will not cease until every development pos
sible has been reached That Of people OF
gnes OF this country dwet here is often asserted
but who they were and when they sprang has
been satisfactorily proven Some OF my discoveries
may strengthen the belief that they were ofshoot
of the Asatics as Will show but whether they crossed
by the way of Behrng Strait navigated the Pacific
group, or were blown by typhoon directly across,
may never be better known than now. These settle
ments showed no signs Of ever having been cleared
They presented 10 the first settlers all the
OF the virgin forests huge trees and thick deposit
of silt Now, as far back observation extends
we well know when piece of land has been cleared;
after the lapse Of 200 years. II has not resumed
its original growth. We can readily conceive
also that the dwellers Of that period
not only cleared the space included in the earhwoks
but know that they must at least have had fields
patches wherein 10 cultivate their maize and vegetables
That they had vegetables and will show conclu-
sively Now also know when open land 10 turned
out q different growth from the surrounding forests