The New York herald., 1876-01-27

first taxes possession OF the ground. This growth will
then fall 70 decay ana the primitive growth will take
III place II disappears Such appears 70 De the case
in these remains. Whether have come upon the
scene during the FIRST after many OF these crowns
have matured and disappeared we do not pretend 70
say. But the fact that there perceptiDle dI-
ference between the silt Of the surrounding forests
and that deposited upon the top OF the earthworks
would so far 70 prove that great many showers OF
leaves and twgs had fallen upon these cayey banks 70
bring them up 70 the surrounding undisturbed soil
In the articles published in Harper's Adgd-
rfne during this year by Professor Charles
Rau entitled European Stone Age" there
Is precise similarity between the utensils, weapons
and animal remains discovered In these caves that we
hnd In the American mounds. There Is. however,
used stone implements prehistoric, and only
known from the relics OF their habitations the Amerl
cans never progressed and the American Indians dis
covered here continued the OF the same implements
household and the same weapons OF warfare which
their ancestors OF many thousands or years ago brought
with them from the Eastern Continent One very
strong reason alleged for believing the former nhab
tants different from our Indians Is that the Indian
the only known aboriginal savages who were
not idolaers and who worshipped spirit without the
Intervention OF symbols idols, while the mounds are
said TO develop the fact that images IDOLS used
In their religious rites and ceremonies The fact that
images are found is unquestoned but rarely, ever,
In the mounds and then their plainly TO be seen
either as ornaments, utensils the effort OF somo
savage genius TO transmit his fame to poserty. But
will leave these questions to those better able 10 solve
them and proceed with the particular description OF my
researches
digging IN large mound situated two miles from
Franklin, Williamson county, Tenn This mound is
located on the farm Of DR.. William Reid, and upon
high hill The hill is isolated and commands view
OF the surrounding country for many miles In every
direction Il is 400 feet in circumference and s sur
rounded by q level terrace smooth and free from
stones. The height after ages OF settling and
triton above the terrace is twenty feet IL covered
by growth OF trees similar 10 the surrounding Forest
which has never been cleared The hill is very rocky,
and the wonder 10 whore much soil was
procured But my wonder ceased after a few hours
digging Tor when had penetrated the deposit OF made
soil on its surface about eighteen inches | came
TO the material OF its construction, which
consisted almost wholly Of bowlders gathered
from the face OF the hill These limestone
rocks varied from small broken large powders
which would tax the strength OF strong carry.
About four feet from the top we came TO a layer OF
graves extending across the entire mound The graves
were constructed in the manner with those found
in the cemeteries hereafter 70 be descrbed-hat is,
two wde nat, thin parallel slabs, about two and half
feet long, with bottom OF the kind Of and
head and foot stone, making when put together a
stone box saTcophagus Each OF these collins had
bones In them-some OF women and children buried
together and some containing men Numerous bones
OF rodents and some OF deer were mixed with the
human bones and In much better state OF preserva-
ton than the latter In fact the human bones were
very much decayed and only able to obtain few
Fragments The bones laid in the grave with tho
alongside the body. 1t is possible the later
tribes OF Indians used this place q
were SO near the top OF the mound.
In the other mounds the buried ones found
al or near the centre ana AT the BOTTOM the
only relics discovered among these graves were
string OF beads that with the cervical YER
zebra Of the skeleton of woman. These beads
made Of chalk and have polish where not
eroded by time They large in the centre gradu-
ally tapering each way to the end There also in
this grave some fragments OF pottery, but none
broken penetrated the centre of this mound until
struck where the top OF the hill proper commenced,
and IL appeared that they had made change In its
apex, but simply piled up rocks, with possibly some
SOIL at its summit the top slightly truncated Whether
IL was used as sacrihcal mound, or whether II was
simply picket stand unable to determine, but
inclined to the latter opinion. About two miles to
the west is group OF mounds and a cemetery. and
every evidence OF large encampmenL Earth
works also there, but have been de-
stroyed by cultivation being located In a very
fertile valley on West Harpeth and all fully view Of
this mound. am under the impression that this was
advanced outpost for the village and sucn was
used a signal post to the Inhabitants OF ap-
preaching danger. There altar at its bottom,
any evidence OF fire except just above the graves
where few ashes found, caused possibly by the
signal fires here lighted Whether the terrace was
made by the subtraction OF the soil In the nation
the mound or by soil carried there did appear 1t
Is plain and well defined, and may have been used
camping ground for the pickets place for tho
warriors TO engage In their games else for
iViOuR