The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-09-04
TWO ANCIENT FORTS.


Rains of Prshissssie Earthworks In the
Aiehigan woods.
The Farwell, fMich.) Register Of Aug.
l6 contains the following description Of
the remains Of two ancient forts ON Rifle
river in that state: There are two Of
these forts, and an examination Of the up
per one, which is situated on high bank
near the river, and about twenty-five feet
above the water, showed the Enclosure to
be regular in form, round or rather OBJ
long, the longest distance being north
and south. The works consist Of ditch
and earth embankment, which was found
to be about FIVE hundred and twenty feet
in circumference, and about i've feet from
the bottom of the trench to the top Of the
embankment, which appears to have been
greatly reduced in height by exposure to
the elements. Inside the embankment
the ground is very level, save where trees
grew, and there have been SOME large
ones.
There are four entrances to this inclo-
sure, one facing each OF the cardinal
points of the compass. These entrances
or gate ways are about wide enough to
| of the trench being completed around the
inmates on each side Of the passage-way,
where a narrow strip Of ground appears
not to have been disturbed These open.
ings were undoubtedly protected by gates.
On top Of the embankment was rampant
Of logs with palisade. There can scarce
be any doubt Of this, as the remains of the
charred wood are found in different part:
of the embankment. On the right hand
side of each passage-way leading out the
embankment is higher than IN Other
places.
About eight years ago the pine timber
here was cut off. BY counting the rings
or yearly growth, on pine stump which
stood on the embankment, IL was found
to contain 264, which, together with tn,
eight years since the tree was cut, makes
this work at least 272 years old long be
fore the days of the Jesuit missionaries
or the first whites that history records
which was in the year l64l-2SS year,
ago Thus it will be seen that the dat,
of this work is anterior to the first perma
nent English settlement upon the Amer
can continent. and about the days ofQueeI
Elizabeth Of England.
The timber that now stands within
the surroundings has grown since the cree
ton of this fertilization; for the tree
found within this Enclosure and those sur
rounding appear to be Of about the SAM
general size and age Within about g.
rods, overlooking this work. are situate,
hills that rise, perhaps, 100 feet above tn,
surroundings, showing that the builder
of the defense did not expect artillery u
be used against it.
1.-The other fort, which is the larger o
the two, is situated three miles furthe
down the river, and is much more impos
ing and impressive in appearance. Lik
the other, this is situated near the rive
on slight eminence, and contains tn
same general Standardization en-
frances at right angles-north. south
east, and west. Here the embankment il
some places is ten feet high. The circum
ference OF this work is over six hundre'
feet. As in the other case, large tree
grew on the embankment, and within tn
inclusure there was one above four feet il
diameter In the centre Of the wester
gateway stands large hemlock tree. an
the surroundings are covered with
thick, heavy growth of timber. One ire
which has been cut down near the edge G
the Enclosure was over four feet in diam
eter, and ty counting the successive ring
or circles OF wood was found TO be abou
$50 year old.