Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-08-10

The PREHISTORIC MOUNDS OF THE
WEST. The high bluffs and banks of the
Mississippi river in this section are dotted
with mounds symmetrically built. and
ranging from three to six feet in height
and from eight to sixteen feet in breadth
at the base. Your correspondent has as
sisted in exploring dozen or more
mounds in this neighborhood, and in al
most every instance pit, paralleogram
in shape, has been found, dug evidently
about two and half feet below the origin
al surface of the ground, about six feet
long and four feet wide, with the bottom
and sides of hard baked clay. These pits
are filled with human bones, representing
all ages, buried in most cases in sitting
posture against the sides with legs extend
| ing to the centre. Over these bones are
found layers of anhydrous earth of dark
color hard from pressure, but which easily
crumbled into fine powder. Above this is
stratum of hard baked clay or cement,
on the top of which is found layer OF
ashes mingled with burnt shells and bones.
In one mound unearthed on what is called
the Portage, u short distance west of this
city, were found bones indicating race OF
gigantic stature. One immense skull was
secured which measured l5 inches from
he occiptal to the frontal bone. The
largest mound in the Portage group which
was explored was found to be literally
filled with bones, and l6 skulls, all in good
state of preservation, were removed from
the mass. In every one was "a deep inden-
ton on the left side, "A little above and
behind the oritice of the ear, as though
crushed in with blunt instrument. Relics
were found in the shape of copper bodkins'
chsels and wedges, all finely wrought ;
axes, arrows and spear heads made of "A
species of flint not found in this region; a
singular and finely finished pear-shaped
implement of stone, probably used tor
sknning animals; great numbers OF the
large teeth of some carnivorous animal,
supposed to be the bear, in some instances
with piece of jaw attached and carved ;
large pearls, some of exquisite lustre, per-
forated to be strung, and piece of pottery
about IL inches in height, urn shaped,
round on the bottom and ornamented. On
top of one of the most romantic bluffs in
the upper Mississippi country, abodt eight
miles from this city, overlooking, what is
called the Sand prairie, are no less than
100 mounds, uniform in size, and ranged
in rows of from eight to ten. They are
located near the edge Of the bluff and one
large mound stands like sentinel on the
very point of the eminence. Behind this
and about 20 feet away is deep ditch
resembling somewhat the western sinkhoIe
yet scooped out, undoubtedly, by the same
mysterious hands which reared the mounds
adjacent These mounds contained moth
ing but fiat stones with bones underneath
In West Galena, on the Nikol farm, are to
be found lines of Notifications, built evi
IDENTIFY for purposes Of defense. They ex'
tend along the brow of II high elevation
skirting the north side of it completely
Behind these embankments or Notifications
is fine level country. A short distance t
the rear and at the middle of the outer lin'
of works is mound in the shape of t
house, and at the northwest extremity o.
the same line, and about an equal distance
behind it, is another mound in the shape
of reptile. The fortifcations are abou
two feet in height, about eight feet wide a
the base and fully thirty feet long. One
or two of them have been thoroughly ex-
plored, but nothing has been found, moi
even bones.- Chicago Tribune.