The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-10-09
FOOTPRINTS OF VANISHED RACES.
Evidences of n Prehistoric Race in the Mis-
sissippi Valley-New Madrid Probably
Once the Capital of Great Agricultural
and Commercial Nation. ss-5

Once the Capital of a Great Agricultural
and Commercial Nation.
The following is from review in the
New York Sun of Mr.. A. j. Conant's s
Footprints of Vanished Races in the
Mississippi Valley:''
Let us turn, now, from the traditions
and explorations bearing on the general
subject of the prehistoric dwellers in the
Mississippi Valley, whose, walled towns
and massive rectilinear embankments
have frequently been described, to the
field of Mr.. Conant's particular inqui-
r1es. 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 are all demolished, and the same
fate has overtaken most of those which
crowned the terraces of the Missouri
River and her tributaries. 1t was
M. breckenridge Is years ago that the
vestiges of the mound builders invaria-
bly, occupied the most eligible situations
for towns or settlements. 81 have
heard he wrote, % 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
alluvial plains of the lower rivers, but
also in the Sinterioa. valleys watered by
the smaller streams and riyulets, 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 a dense prehistoric
population in Missouri are nowhere so
abundant as inthe southeastern counties
of the State. Here are numberless
mounds of various dimensions alniforns,
sometimes isolated, but oftener in clus-
ters of peculiar arrangement, together
with embankments and walls of earth
inclosing 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 APP
proach the town of New Madrid, where
they appear in structures of exceptional
magnitude, a single mound, for instance,
being when first discovered 1920 feet in
circuit, 40 feet high, and girdled by a
ditch 5 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 considerable nation
which occupied 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. Nr. eConant has discovered
ground for the opinion that facilities, o1
water communication were multiplied
by canals and veritable wharf system.
On the bayou st. John, for orinstance,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 out into the
water from Is to 80 feet in length by 1G
to Is in width, with open spaces be
tween, which forcibly recalled the
wharves of seaport town. A careful
study of their confguration 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-builder constructed
genuine canals. One of these connected
the waters of Big Lake with the Mis-
sissippi River. Another, now known a.
the Cypress Bend Bayou, but which Col
Walker contended was artificial, linket
Big Lake to Cushion Lake in the north
| ern part of Pemiscot County. Col
Walker pointed out that this channe
was fenced on the side toward the Mis-
sissippi by huge bank of earth such a
| would be made by an excavation, 81
that in case of overflow the water from
the river would not wash the dirt bacl
into the canal. The length of this water
course is about 20 miles, and there ar,
others in this region whose artificia
character is even more indisputable
From these facts, Mr.. Conant thinks tn
inference is justified that the ancient in
habitants of southeast Missouri had con
structed network of canals which i'm
piled the existence of an extensive trad
between the river bottom and the in
terror districts, and which required boat
of respectable dimensions.
We need not dwell on the so-calle'
"temple y and g s'sacrificial mound
which have been described elsewhere
OF course the stupendous specimen a
Cahokia, in Illinois, with its grades
way, it's terrace, and level summit, is tn
best northern representative of the clas
that eliminated in the Teocallis of Mex
leo. We may note, however, that ther
is at New Madrid a similar work of yer
considerable though inferior size. A
to the cremation mounds observed b
Mr.. Pidgeon in Wisconsin and Iowa
none have yet been discovered in Mis-
sonri, where the mode of intermen
seems to have always been by burial
Should future Investigations confirm th
view based on tradition that crematio
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