The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-10-02
FOOTPRNTs OF YANIsHED RAeEs.


The following is from a review in the
New York san of Mr.. A. j. Commits
. Footprints of Vanished Races in the
Valley"
Let us turn, now, from the traditions
and explorations bearing on the general
subject of the prehistoric jewellers in the
Valley, whose walled towns
and massive rectiiinear entertainments
have frequently been described, to the
field Of Mr.. Commits particular inqui-
res. We are reminded that the name
of st. Louis was once Mound City, so
called on account Of the number and
size of the ancient works which stood
upon her present site. The larger Of
them arc all demolished, and the same
fate has 9overtaken most of those which
the terraces of the Missouri
River and her tributaries. 1t was
deemed worthy of observation by II.
NJ. Breckenridge IS years ago that the
veshges of the mound builders invaria-
bly, occupied the most eligible situations
for towns or settlements. 81 have
heard, - he wrote, g a public surveyor of
the public lands remark that wherever
any of these remains were met with he
was sure to come upon body of fertile
land.' Notwithstanding the widespread
demolition and obliteration there is no
richer area for archaeological research
in the great basin of the Mississippi than
is to be found in the State of Missouri.
Here Mr. COnant encountered vestiges
of the ancient race not only upon the
plains of the lower rivers, but
also in the interior valleys watered by
the smaller streams and riyuIets, and
even upon the sterile slopes and sum-
mits of the Ozarks The remains ex-
amined by the author are classified un-
der several specific groups, among which
we must cOnfine ourselves to those. COM
mended by peculiar novelty or interest.
The evidences of dense prehistoric
in Missouri are nowhere so
as in the southeastern counties
of the State. Here are numberless
of various dimensions and forms,
sometimes isolated, but oftener in clus-
tiers of peculiar arrangement, together
with entertainments and walls of earth
large and small areas in which
may be traced, apparently, the lines of
streets, The aboriginal remains in
crease in size and number as you ap-
proaeh the town of New Madrid, where
they appear in structures of exceptional
a single mound, for instance,
OCllA2 huCll ilIOG UloCONGICu lsZOO lGGI Ill
circuit, 40 feet high, and girdled by a
ditch feet deep and 10 feet wide. The
impressive character of the earthworks
at this place seems to indicate that here
was the seat of Government, and the
trading capital of a considerable nation
which occupied a wide expanse of terri
tory, scanned by the numerous bayOus
which abound in this corner of the State
That the prehistoric inhabitants had
commercial dealing with the Gulf of
Mexico is demonstrated by the ocean
shells and pearls deposited in their tombs
along with the wares of their own handi-
craft. SIr. Conant has discovered
ground for the opinion that facilities of
water communication were multiplied
by canals and a veritable wharf system.
On the bayou st. John, for instance, much
of which is skirted by earthworks, the
author observes that along the shores, in
front of the Enclosures, small tongues of
land have been carried ont into the
water from 10 to 80 feet in length by 10
to 10 in width, with open spaces be-
tween, which forcibly recalled the
wharves of n seaport town. A careful
study of their cOnfiguratiOn and of the
cypress forest which now chokes the lit
tie bays, went far to remove all doubt of
their artificial origin. Besides turning
to account the bayous and natural water
courses, there is proof, as we have said,
that the mound-builders constructed
genuine canals. One of these connected
the waters of Big Lake with the Mis-
sissippi River. Another, now known as
the Cypress Bend Bayou, but which Col.
Walker contended was artificial, linked
Big Lake to Cushion Lake in the north
ern part of Pemiscot County. Col.
Walker pointed out that this channel
was fenced on the side toward the Mis-
sissippi by huge bank of earth such as
would be made by an excavation, so
that in case of overflow the water from
the river would not wash the dirt back
into the canal The length of this water
course is about 20 miles, and there are
others in this region whose artificial
character is even more indisputable.
From these facts, Mr.. Conant thinks the
inference is justified that the ancient in
habitants of southeast Missouri had con-
structed a network of canals which inn
piled the existence of an extensive trade
between the river bottom and the in
terror districts, and which required boats
of respectable dimensions.
We need not dwell on the so-called
4" temple and "sacrificial - mounds
which have been described elsewhere.
OF course the stupendOus specimen at
CahOkia, in Illinois, with its graded
way, its terrace, and level summit, is the
best northern representative of the class
that eliminated in the TeOcallis of Mex
leo. We may note, however, that there
is at New Madrid a similar work of very
considerable though inferior size. As
to the cremation mounds observed by
Mr.. PidgeOn in Wisconsin and Iowa,
none have yet been discovered In Mis-
sonri, where the mode of interment
seems to have always been by burial.
Should future Investigations confirm the
view based on tradition that cremation
originally prevailed, but was at some pc
riod abruptly displaced by mound bu-
rial, then it would seem probable that
southeast Missouri was peOpled at some
time subsequent to that event and there
fore that the works there extant are OF
more recent date than those of the Ohio
Valley.
One of Mr.. Commits important dis
coveries was the novel method of tillin0
the ground practised by the prehistoric
race in the hilly regions of Missouri.
Here they seem to have evinced the
same admirable economy of fertilizing
elements which Squier and other inves-
tigators have discerned in the agricul-
ture of the ancient Peruvians. Among
the fiinty Ozark hills the author found
a multitude of low, discOrdal elevations,
generally two or three feet above the
normal level of the land, and ranging in
diameter from 10 feet to GO. Their pres
ence could always be detected in cult
waited fields by the more luxuriant
growth and deeper tint of the vegeta-
ton. Dwelling sites they could not
have been, or they would disclose when
excavated some implement or relic, OF
fragment of pottery, or at least the ashes
,f H. f,,,,;l,- fS,.a All oya found 70 10