The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-07-30
The Prehistoric American,

SlSSlppl hlSef near CnlcnBO are uOtteu |
with Indian mounds, and largo numbers
OF these wonderful scpulchrcs Of the pre-
historic age have been thoroughly cx-
plorcd, yet nothing has been discovered
by which the scientist can, with any
degree of certainty, arrive ut the date of
their erection or the history of the mys.
terious people who engaged III their
structure. These mounds are symmc-
trically built, and range from three to
six feet in height and from eight to six
toen feet in breadth at the base. Your
correspondent has assisted III exploring |
n dozen or more mounds in this neigh |
borhood, and in almost every instance II
pit, parallelogram III shape, has been
found, dug evidently about two and
half feet below the original 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 nj
agcs, buried in most cases in n sitting
posture against the sides with legs OK
tending to the centre. Over these bones
are found layers of anhydror,s earth of
dark color, hard from pressure, but
which easily crumblcd into fine powder.
Above this is stratum of hnrd baked
| clay or cement, Oh the top of which is
found layer of ashes mingled with
| burnt shells and bones. In several i'll
stances the first thing struck after re-
moving the earth from the tops of the
| L. ~
Joined together as tightly rs though
| fitted by nature. In one mound un-
rarthcd on what il called the Portage, II
short distance west Of Chicago, were
found bones indicating II race of gigan-
tic stature. Ono immense skull was Sc
cured which measured fifteen inches
from the occipital to the frontal bone.
The largest mound in the Portage group
which was explored was found to NE
literally filled with bones, and sixteen
skulls all in good state Of preRcrva-
tion, wore removed from the mess. In
every one was deep indentation on the
left side, II little above and behind the
oriticc of the ear, ~ though crushed i'll
with a blunt instrument Relies were
found III the shape of copper bo,lkins,
chiscls and wedges, all finely wrought ;
axes, arrows and spear heads, made of Il
species of flint not found in this rogion
II singular and finely finished pcar-shapcd
} implement of stone, probably used fo>
skinning animals; groat numbers of tho
large teeth of some carnivorous animal
| a.
stances, large pearls, some of exquisite
lustrc, perforated to be strung, and {
piece of pottery about twelve inches il
height, urn shaped, round on the bottom
and ornamcntcd.
On top Of one of the most romantic
bluffs in the Upper Mississippi country
about eight miles from Chicago, over
-. looking what is called the Sand Prairie
are no less thnn 100 prehistoric mounds
uniform in size, and ranged in rows O.
from eight to ten. They arc located
near the edge of the bluff, and one large
mound stands like II sentinel on the very
point OF the omincnce. Behind this
and about twenty feet away is n deel
ditch, resembling somewhat the western
sink hole, yet scoopcd out, undoubtedly
by the same mysterious hands whicl
reared the mounds adjacent. Your cor
respondent assisted in opening hal
dozen of these mounds, which contained
nothing but fiat stones, with bones rm
dcrncath.
In tho township of West Galcna, ol
the Nickol farm, arc to be found lines o
fortifcations, built evidently for pnr
poses of defence. They extend along
tho brow of n high elevation, skirtint
the north side of it completely. Benin,
these cmbankments or Notifications is
fine level conntry. A short distance t'
l the rear and Mt the middle of the QUITE
line of the works is Il mound in th'
shape of house, and at the northwes
extremity of the same line, and abont nj
, equal distance behind it, is anothe
mound in the shape of a reptile.
Tho Notifications are about 2 feet il
height, about 8 feet wide at the base
, and fully 30 feet long. One or two G
them have been thoroughly explored
, but nothing has been found, not eve
bones.